SYMPTOMS 277 



urethra is first affected ; the only visible symptoms being 

 strangury and a mucous discharge from the urethra. 



In mares, the disease begins with a doughy or tense swell- 

 ing of the pudenda, which frequently spreads to the udder and 

 inner surface of the thighs. The mucous membrane of the 

 vagina is red in spots and swollen, sometimes thickened b}- 

 gelatinous elevations and covered with a turbid and orange 

 colored secretion. Sometimes nodules, vesicles and ulcers are 

 observed on the mucous membrane. They are, however, fre- 

 quently absent. In mares, the local manifestations are often 

 insignificant. The mucous membrane in the neighborhood of 

 the clitoris is more congested than at other parts and the cli- 

 toris itself is swollen and erect. At the same time affected 

 mares show excessive sexual excitement. They frequently 

 suffer from strangury and after considerable straining urine is 

 discharged in small jets. 



Instead of urine small quantities of sticky, discolored 

 mucus are discharged. The animals incessantly shake their 

 tails and open and close the vagina in rapid succession, showing 

 the clitoris as mares do in season. The discharge often exerts 

 a corrosive action on the tail and legs. In severe cases the 

 neighboring lymph glands become inflamed and swollen as 

 well as the udder, on which abscesses may appear. The swell- 

 ing may eveu extend to the hypogastrium. 



The general symptoms develop only after weeks or even 

 months ; their appearance is often delayed until the local 

 symptoms have disappeared. At first the animals are depressed 

 and weak, they frequently continue to lift up their hind feet, 

 alternately, so as to try to avoid putting weight upon them, 

 knuckle on their fetlock joints and lose control over the move- 

 ments of their hind legs while walking. 



It is reported that stallions especially suffer from an 

 uticaria in the form of sharply-defined, round, flat eminences 

 which may be raised the breadth of a finger above the surface 

 and which may vary in size from two to four centimeters or 

 more in diameter. These eminences are caused by a serous 

 infiltration of the papillary layer of the skin in the neighbor- 

 hood of a small artery and are evidently of a vaso-neurotic 



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