IMPERFORATION OF THE PREPUCE. 763 



All that can be done in such a state of affairs, is to compensate for 

 the absence of the natural canal by making an artificial opening, and to 

 prevent it from closing by introducing a dilator, and keeping it there 

 (removing it, of course, from " time to time) until there is no danger of 

 closure. 



When the obliteration is only partial the case is not so serious, and 

 provided the urine escapes at all freely, surgical interference may not be 

 necessary — at least until breeding-time arrives. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



Imperforation of the Prepuce. 



IMPERFORATION of the prepuce of new-born creatures is apparently a 

 very unusual occurrence, as it is scarcely mentioned in veterinary litera- 

 ture. Brugnone notices it as occurring in foals, and he recommends 

 that an artificial opening be made in the prepuce where the natural aper- 

 ture should be ; the lips of the wound to be kept apart by any suitable 

 contrivance, which may be secured z>z situ by attaching tapes to it, and 

 passing these round the body, securing them over the loins. When this 

 artificial opening is not made, the same grave results follow as in com- 

 plete occlusion of the vulva. 



This operation is successful only when the urethral canal is patent 

 throughout its length ; when it is occluded also, the operation will no 

 longer be attended with benefit, and the operator must then endeavor to 

 discover where the obstruction is, and either overcome it, or make an 

 opening somewhere for the escape of the urine. 



In some instances, when the orifice of the urethra is occluded, the 

 urine escapes by a congenital opening in some part of the canal. When 

 this opening exists at its upper surface, the defect receives the name of 

 epispadias., and when at its lower hypospadias. Such a malformation has 

 been seen m the dog, lamb, and goat, and it is not of much importance, 

 so far as the flow of urine is concerned. If the opening is near the end 

 of the urethra, the urine runs into the prepuce, and passes thence ; but 

 if it is more behind, between the scrotum and ischiatic curvature, it then 

 flows over the skin, abrades it, and the dust and dirt accumulate ; this, 

 together with the repulsive' odor of the decomposed urine, renders the 

 case very unpleasant to the eye and nose. 



Treatment is only too often unsuccessful and always troublesome. It 

 is least so when the opening is near the termination of the urethra, as 

 then the defect is more accessible and easier remedied. 



There are other two regions which may suffer from congenital occlu- 

 sion, but to the description of which we have not deemed it necessary to 

 allot separate chapters : we refer to the visual and auditory. 



Occlusion of the eyelids has been witnessed in foals, calves, and other 

 young animals. Of course we do not allude to the natural occlusion of 

 the eyelids of puppies, kittens, and young rabbits, which prevents their 

 seeing for some days after birth. 



This accidental occlusion of the eyelids presents itself in two forms. 

 In one, the margins of the upper and lower eyelids are only adherent ; 



