Eruptive Venereal Disease of the Horse 767 



ious, muco-purulent discharge, which soils the tail and 

 neighboring parts. Urination is somewhat frequent and 

 the contact of the urine with the denuded mucosa irritates 

 that membrane and causes straining. 



At the same time, similar eruptions appear upon the ex- 

 ternal surface of the vulva, anus, perineum and surrounding 

 parts. They behave somewhat similarly to the eruptions 

 within the vulva and vagina. At first, a small papule arises 

 in the skin, which soon becomes vesicular and then pustular 

 and yellowish white. These mature quickly and soon rup- 

 ture, to be followed by tough, yellow scabs, 1/8 to 3/16 inch 

 in diameter. After a few days, the crusts drop off, leaving 

 behind white scars very slightly depressed. These depig- 

 mented spots are circular in form and, in very severe cases, 

 may coalesce somewhat. They tend, however, to remain dis- 

 tinct circular spots. The pigment returns after two or three 

 weeks, and no visible scar remains. The vesicles appear in 

 continuous crops over a period of one to three weeks, so that, 

 at a given examination, there may be eruptions in every 

 stage. 



Accompanying these eruptions, there is a swelling of the 

 vulva, with some tenderness of the parts. Some writers 

 have described also a prurigo or intense itching of the parts, 

 causing the animal to rub violently the tail and vulva. Al- 

 though I have observed a number of outbreaks, I have not 

 seen this symptom. Neither have I been able to find in the 

 literature upon the subject any case where such a symptom 

 has been recorded as a personal observation. 



In the stallion, the symptoms are virtually the same. 

 Eruptions, of the same character as those described upon 

 the vulva and anus of the mare, appear upon the penis, pre- 

 puce and sheath. The opening of the urethra is swollen and 

 congested and from it there is a muco-purulent discharge. 

 There is some swelling of the prepuce and possibly, to a 

 less degree, of the penis. Ordinarily, there are no constitu- 

 tional symptoms in either sex, there is no loss of appetite 

 nor appreciable emaciation, and the general condition of the 

 animal remains undisturbed. I saw one case in which fol- 



