Genital Horse Pox 93 



In the stallion, the symptoms are virtually parallel. Erup- 

 tions, of the same character as described upon the vulva and anus 

 of the mare, appear upon the penis, prepuce and sheath of the 

 horse. 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 po.ssibly, to a less degree, of 

 the penis. Ordinarily, there are no constitutional symptoms in 

 either animal, there is no loss of appetite nor appreciable emacia- 

 tion and the general condition of the animal remains undisturbed. 

 In one case observed by us, there remained a year afterward an 

 extensive chronic inflammation of the vagina and bladder, which 

 virtually ruined the animal. In this case, the mucous membrane 

 of the vulva and vagina was greatly thickened, corrugated, 

 sensitive and bled easily upon touch. The bladder was highly 

 inflamed, its mucosa greatly thickened, the urinary .salts were 

 deposited over its inner surface and its cavity was largely oblit- 

 erated. The meatus urinarius was open and the urine dribbed 

 away involuntarily, .so that the tail and thighs were kept con- 

 stantl}- befouled and presented a very repulsive appearance. 



The course of the di.sease is usually mild and brief. Most 

 cases recover spontaneously in from two to three weeks and, 

 under proper handling, recovery is hastened and rendered in- 

 crea.singly certain. 



The nature of the disease is not precisely known. A given 

 outbreak is not usually traceable to any definite source of origin, 

 but seems to become established in a community without having 

 been imported by a diseased animal. Once it becomes estab- 

 lished, almost every mare bred to an affected stallion contracts 

 the disease with great uniformit}'. Presumably, it is just as 

 transmissible to the stallion, but this is not so often observed, 

 since the mares are not usually bred to different males during 

 the same season. Experiments have shown that the vesicles and 

 pustules contain the element of contagion in a virulent form. 



Handling. The handling of the disease depends essentially 

 upon disinfection and a temporary cessation of breeding. Any 

 disinfectant will answer the purpose, but it should not be highly 

 irritant, since the parts involved are very sensitive. 



The handling of the stallion is most urgent so that he may 

 resume service as promptly and safely as possible. From our 

 experience we have come to prefer an antiseptic wash composed 



