ACUTE MAMMITIS. 577 



Diagnosis. The diagnosis of acute mammitis is easy, and the inter- 

 stitial forms (mammary lymphangitis) can be distinguished from the 

 parenchymatous forms very early in the attack. 



Careful examination suffices to differentiate between this condition 

 and mammary congestion or primary chronic mammitis. The exami- 

 nation, however, must be much more thorough and searching when a 

 specific disease (such as tuberculous mammitis) is in question. 



Prognosis. The prognosis of acute mammitis is always grave, 

 whatever form the disease may assume, for, if the animal's life is not 

 invariably endangered, its economic value is always affected. More- 

 over, should superficial or deep-seated abscesses form, prolonged 

 suppuration may follow, resulting in loss of condition and enormous 

 depreciation. 



Lesions. The lesions of interstitial mammitis are similar to those 

 of ordinary lymphangitis, the condition originating near the teat and 

 gradually extending to the layers of connective tissue between the 

 acini, mammfe, etc. 



In the parenchymatous form the inflammation may remain partial, 

 and be localised in particular tracts of glandular tissue. The secreting 

 epithelium, when infected, exhibits cloudy swelling, becomes loosened, 

 and disappears ; the margin of the gland and the interstitial divisions 

 become infiltrated with enormous numbers of white blood corpuscles, 

 and are the seat of suppurative processes which end in the production 

 of small acinous abscesses. By the union of neighbouring abscesses 

 large branching collections of pus are produced, and lead to partial or 

 total destruction of tracts of the parenchyma, of the connective tissue 

 divisions, vessels and aponeuroses. 



The abscess tends to break through the skin, which becomes inflamed 

 and ulcerated, or, when the micro-organisms are of slight virulence, the 

 tissues may react, so that the abscess becomes surrounded with a thick 

 indurated wall, and finally encysted. 



Treatment. Very numerous methods of treatment have been pro- 

 posed, an admission which, in itself, suggests that no perfect one has 

 been discovered. No infallible system, in fact, exists of arresting the 

 disease and restoring the parts to their normal condition. 



From a prophylactic standpoint, mammitis can be avoided by placing 

 the animals under proper hygienic conditions, paying special attention 

 to cleanliness, avoiding over-stocking, and treating excoriations or in- 

 juries to the teat or udder as soon as ihey appear. 



Once acute mammitis has developed, general and local treatment 

 must both be attempted. 



The older practitioners were in the habit of bleeding from the 

 mammary or jugular vein. Since their time, however, objections have 



p p 



D.C. ^ 



