Diseases of the Seminal Vesicles 787 



While the seminal vesicles of stalHons have not been 

 studied from a pathologic standpoint, they quite certainly 

 play an important part in the transmission of infection to 

 mares during coitus. When serious abortion storms break 

 in a harem of mares, the most probable source of infection, 

 reasoning from analogy, is the seminal vesicles of the stal- 

 lion. Some known facts support this suspicion. Geldings 

 frequently show purulent semino-cystitis, as shown in Fig. 

 228, in which the seminal bladders are distended with pus 

 until their size exceeds that of the empty urinary bladder. 

 I doubt if castration predisposes to such infection and sus- 

 pect that a careful study of the seminal vesicles of stallions 

 would show infections, of the vesicles having an important 

 relation to reproduction. 



Clinically I have observed one stallion and have known of 

 others which presented symptoms justifying the suspicion 

 of the existence of serious semino-vesiculitis. The stallion, 

 an imported Percheron, was in splendid general health and 

 quite amorous. The erection was intense. He would mount 

 mares promptly, enter the penis into the vagina, hesitate, 

 and finally dismount without ejaculation and with the penis 

 greatly erected. From more recent studies upon bulls I be- 

 lieve that the symptoms were due to inflammation of the 

 seminal vesicles of a severe type which excluded ejacula- 

 tion. A safe diagnosis is available in such cases by means 

 of rectal palpation. The prognosis, if the disease is clearly 

 recognized, is probably hopeless as to reproduction but 

 favorable for the life of the animal. No line of treatment 

 is suggested. 



