INFECTIOUS TUMORS. 253 



been observed in the dog, but generallj^ the seat of the disease is in 

 the mouth, throat and intestines. Therapeutic treatment is useless 

 on account of the rapid progress of the disease. 



Infectious Genital Tumors. 



This seems to be almost entirely confined to the higher bred 

 animals. Particularly since careful selection in breeding has been 

 made, and the b^st bred dogs are apt to be infected. It was first 

 observed on the continent and later in Great Britain, and then 

 from the large number of dogs that have been imported into the 

 United States it made its appearance in America. Its peculiar 

 character of reaching its highest development in three months 

 or about that time and then commencing a retograde degenera- 

 tion and healing up, has to a certain extent checked its develop- 

 ment and has a tendency to keep it within bounds, and also that 

 it is almost never seen in common bred dogs. Its chief mode of 

 dissemination seems to be from the male for when a particularly 

 good stud-dog is affected numbers of bitches become inoculated, 

 thus the disease is carried in all directions. 



The disease commences by a circumscribed tumification deep 

 red in color and by a gradual elevation of the tissue and develops 

 into round nodular tumors, these become lobular masses, are 

 greyish pink, varying to purplish red; thery bleed easily on the 

 slightest manipulation. There is more or less discharge of bloody 

 mucopurulent fluid from the prepuce, and that organ is swollen 

 and deepened in color at the free portion. If there is a chance to 

 observe the disease from the onset, it is found to commence with 

 a slight tumification of the tissues and formation of small firm 

 nodules, which increase slowly and finally develop into rounded 

 masses; then these masses become softened, break down and leave 

 a deep ulcer with raised edges from which a thin tenacious dis- 

 charge flows. 



In the bitch the tumors are rarely noticed until a discharge is 

 seen at the vagina, or she shows great pain during copulation and 

 will generally refuse to take the male. A digital examination 

 sihows a number of tumors in the form of elevations either sessile 

 or pedunculated, in severe cases the walls of the vagina are covered 

 with them. The sessile seems to be commonest in the bitch; they 

 lie, as a rule, well up in the anterior portion of the vagina. 



