ENCYSTED TUMOURS—ABSCESSES. 423 
knowi in the early stage by the appearance of a hard lump, vary- 
ing in size from that of a filbert to a large walnut or common egg, 
with an irregular “knotty” feel and a strange hardness. In pro- 
cess of time this enlarges and the skin adheres to it, by-and-by 
ulcerating and a red fungus growth making its appearance. There 
are various forms in which the open cancer shows itself, sometimes 
red and smooth, at others very “knotty” and purple, while a 
third variety resembles curdy matter mixed with streaks of blood. 
The most common seats of cancer in the dog are, the teats or womb 
in the bitch, and the penis in the dog. I have several times seen 
a cancerous condition of the womb and vagina cause such constant 
irritation that the bitch always appeared to be at heat, and would 
take the dog at any time, but without breeding, to the great 
astonishment and annoyance of the owner, who is unable to 
account for this repeated “heat,” 4s he considers it. A cancer is 
incurable ; the knife is the only remedy, but it should be used by 
hands accustomed to operations, and practice with previous demon- 
strations is all-important. When, therefore, a cancer is to be 
removed, a veterinary surgeon should at once be called in. 
ENCYSTED TUMOURS. 
Encysted tumours are sacs or bags of various sizes, which occur just 
beneath the skin, and contain a thick, glairy, and transparent fluid 
resembling white of egg. They are readily known by their soft 
yielding feel, and by their evident want of connection with the sur- 
rounding parts. Nothing but the knife is of the slightest use, 
and by cutting through them the sac may readily be torn out, 
each half at a time, taking care not to leave a particle behind, as it 
is sure to grow again into another sac of the same size as before. 
ABSCESSES. 
Abscesses, the result of inflammation, are very common in the 
dog, and show themselves in the early stage as hard, painful 
swellings, more or less deep, but gradually coming to the surface, 
when the skin reddens, and they burst of themselves in the 
course of time. Very often, however, the matter forms so slowly, 
and has such a tendency to burrow among the muscles, that, if it 
is not let out by the knife in the early stage, it produces great 
