ATRESIA ANI 73 



sphincter ani are two pouches whose walls secrete 

 a mucoid substance, the function of which is to 

 lubricate the parts during the act of defecation. If 

 by reason of any rectal irritation the ducts of these 

 glands become blocked the secretion eventually 

 causes them to become enlarged and encroach on 

 the lumen of the rectum, causing difficulty and pain 

 during the act of defecation. 



Symptoms. — A swelling about the size of a wal- 

 nut on either side of the anus, constipation, often 

 the result of the pain which defecating causes, and 

 irritation shown by the animal's licking the anal 

 region and rubbing it along the floor are indications 

 of this ailment. 



Treatment. — In many cases the evacuation of the 

 contents of the glands by pressure exerted by the 

 finger introduced into the rectum and the correction 

 of constipation and any dietary errors are sufficient 

 to bring relief, but if the condition continues, more 

 radical measures must be adopted. The glands 

 should be opened freely from the exterior, the con- 

 tents cleaned out, and the walls freely curetted and 

 then painted with tincture of iodin to destroy their 

 secreting properties. The wounds are then treated 

 antiseptically until healed. The operation is quite 

 safe, and if care is taken to entirely destroy the 

 secreting walls a permanent cure may be confi- 

 dently expected. 



