. Diseases of the Mammary Gland, 177 



Treatment. — If still in milk, the daily withdrawal of the 

 secretion should be observed — by natural means if possible. 



Milk is frequently secreted, independent of the animal 

 parturiating, more especially if connection has taken place. 

 Its removal, if abundant, is advisable, which may be done 

 with the fingers, or an ordinary female breast exhauster. 

 A smart dose of aperient medicine, and for a few days 

 short commons, is also of service in dispersing it. 



Where the animal is comparatively or quite dry, and we 

 have the tumours only to deal with, it becomes a question 

 v/hether, so far as their direct treatment is concerned, we > 

 shall rely on external application, or a surgical operation. 

 If the tumours are of recent date and fluctuating, they 

 may be punctured with some amount of success : if 

 hardened and of long existence, their removal with the 

 knife can be adopted with safety and success. 



Individually I should give the iodine a fair chance before 

 resorting to either. 



CANCER. 



The so-called cancer of the mammary gland is chiefly 

 confined to bitches which have parturiated. I say so-called, 

 because it is rarely that the true cancer cell can be detected 

 — the character is generally that of an indurated or 

 scirrhous tumour. In chronic cases they frequently assume 

 an osteoid form. I have removed numerous tumours so 

 constituted — some with spiculse of bone throughout their 

 structure, others only ossified in the centre. If removed 

 early, a sac containing pus or watery fluid will generally be 

 found within them. 



C«?/J^J.— External injury, cold, damp, retention of milk 

 from not suckling, insufficient suckling, or obstruction, 

 sudden withdrawal of whelps soon after parturition. 



Symptoms. — These are usually slow in manifesting them- 



