Edema of the Udder 979 



The symptoms of mastitis in the bitch are peculiar chiefly in 

 the fact that the milk canals are swollen and distended, so that 

 they feel like stretched cords. As no milk cistern is present, 

 the mammitis tends to become lobular, being confined to the 

 lobule of the milk canal into which the infection has penetrated. 

 Otherwise the swelling does not differ materially from mastitis 

 observed in other animals. The character of the milk is changed, 

 becoming serous or purulent, and mixed with blood. The in- 

 flamed gland is not especially painful. More or less edema may 

 be present, in the early stages. The course of the disease is not 

 so acute as that observed in ruminants, but tends rather to be- 

 come chronic and to result in induration and atresia of the milk 

 canals. These changes in general take the character of adeno- 

 fibroma. 



In some rare instances the glands become rapidly gangrenous, 

 but as a general rule this does not cause the death of the animal. 



The handling of the disease is essentially the same as in other 

 animals, and consists of repeated massage and milking out, with 

 the application of an antiseptic poultice. Later, if the disease 

 becomes chronic, or should gangrene occur, the affected gland or 

 glands may be amputated. 



13. Edema of the Udder. Mammary Engorgement. 



Clinically there not infrequently occurs edema of the udder, 

 which may be of a more or less physiologic character and may 

 consist largely of engorgement of the gland without the advent 

 of inflammation. 



It may appear either during pregnancy or early after parturi- 

 tion. In some instances, during pregnancy, the occurrence of 

 engorgement and edema of the mammary glands may suggest 

 the death, or some disease or disturbance of the fetus. Very fre- 

 quently the symptoms are followed by abortion. Toward the 

 culmination of pregnancy, the mammary glands become more or 

 less congested, depending somewhat upon the species and indi- 

 vidual. As a general rule, the congestion and edema are most 

 marked in animals which have not previously given birth to 

 young. 



The symptoms in such cases apparently rest upon a physio- 

 logic basis, depending upon the harmonious functioning of the 

 uterus and the mammar)' glands. In some animals, especially in 



