ERYTHEMA 443 



Etiology. — Erythoma is a local irritation of the skin and originates 

 as the result of various external cutaneous irritations "which may be 

 mechanical, chemical, or thermic — for instance, animals with thick, 

 ■\vooly coats, having their coats cut short or shaved to the skin; from 

 irritation of the skin between the toes, caused by running through sand; 

 by friction of the collar upon the skin of the neck; bathing in strong 

 creolin mixtures — coal oil, benzine^ — lyiiig on rough boards; bites of in- 

 sects; on the abdomen from ammoniacal urine (in catarrh of the bladder) ; 

 in catarrh of the prepuce, and by slight burning or freezing. Erythema 

 may also appear in connection with various cutaneous diseases, such as 

 eczema, scab, and canine varioloid, and the presence of an enormous 

 number of fleas. 



Clinical Symptoms and Course. — The symptoms consist of a bright 

 arterial redness of the cutaneous membrane, which disappears under 

 pressure of the finger, but reappears immediately after, and may be 

 complicated in some cases by slight swelling of the epidermis. As a rule, 

 the affected portion is reddened, but not irritable, although, as a rule, 

 the animal evinces pleasure on gentle rubbing of the skin. The 

 course is usually short, depending to a large extent on the cause. When 

 this is suppressed or removed, especially after the itcliing and rubl^ing 

 have discontinued, erythema disappears, and in certain conditions it is 

 followed by desquamation of the upper membrane. There is, however, 

 a more or less dark red spot left after the acute symptoms of the disease 

 have lessened. These finall}^ disappear, but very slowly. This is par- 

 ticularly noticeable when the irritation is due to preputial secretion or 

 ammoniacal urine. 



Therapeutic Treatment. — There is not, as a rule, any great irritation. 

 It will be sufficient to remove the cause in order to remove the erj-fhema. 

 If there is a certain amount of irritation, we must lessen it by bathing 

 the animal with lime water and sponging the affected parts with any of 

 the following solutions: lead-water; solutions of alum; bay rum; cologne; 

 benzoin 1 part, alcohol 30 parts; ichthyol or salicylic acid soap; rublnng 

 with salicylic oil (1 part of salicylic acid dissolved in 35 to 40 parts of 

 olive oil and heated slightly) ; or a mixture of 1 part of glycerine and 5 

 parts of water; or 1 part of carbolic acid, 10 of alcohol, 10 of water; or 

 4 parts of creolin, 100 of water; or 1 part of ichthyol, 10 of glycerine, 30 

 of water; or 10 parts of nitrate of silver, 100 of water (Friedberger) . 

 Frecjuent dustings of talcum powder is one of the most efficient remedies. 



In very obstinate cases we may also use laxatives or purgatives 

 (aloe, jalap, salines, etc.), also the internal administration of arsenic in 

 the form of Fowler's or Donovan's solution. 



