ACCESSORY GLANDS 01- THE GENITAL APPARAT 



rus. 



597 



ACCESSORY GLANDS OF THE GENITAL APPARATUS. 



(prostate, VESICUL.T5 SBMINALES, COM'PEE's GLANDS.) 



Inflammatory or other diseases of the above glands are most fre- 

 cjuent m enth-e animals. As a group they are uncommon, and are 

 still ill-reeognised and ill-described, being seldom identifled except on 

 post-mortem examination. 



The cause of inflammation of the prostate, of the ^'esicula! semi- 

 nales, and of Cowper's glands is probably an ascending infection of 

 the urethra and neighbour- 

 ing channels, a fact which i 2 

 explains the comparative 

 rarity of such conditions in 

 castrated animals. 



The pathogenic germs 

 penetrate from the urethra 

 into the excretory ducts of 

 the glands, obtain a lodg- 

 ment in the cnls-de-sac of 

 the glands themselves, and 

 thus produce simple or sup- 

 purative inflammation. 



The symptoms may 

 easily be mistaken, to some 

 extent at least, for those of 

 acute cystitis or cystitis due 

 to the presence of a cal- 

 culus, and it is only by 

 rectal examination that the 

 diagnosis can be made. 



The first symptom is defective micturition, which occurs in jets, 

 is intermittent and painful, and sometimes causes slight groaning. 

 It is accompanied by vesical colic, spasmodic lifting of the hind legs, 

 and more or less unsuccessful expulsive efforts. 



These symptoms are of reflex or mechanical origin, and are due 

 either to direct compression of the urethra by an hypertrophied and 

 inflamed gland, or to spasm of the vesical sphincter. The urine 

 j)assed, unlike that in cases of acute cystitis or in cystitis due to 

 calculus, is of a normal character. Eectal examination usually re- 

 veals distention of the bladder, and hypertrophy and exceptional sen- 

 sitiveness at certain points. 



If the painful and hyjpertrophied area is over the neck of the 



Fig. 241. — A'iew of Cowper's glancl and of its com- 

 pressing muscles. (After Cocu.) 1, Cowper's 

 glancl ; 2, compressing muscle ; 3, accelerator 

 urinse muscle turned back to expose the gland ; 

 4, sphincter of the urethra. 



