128 THE COW IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 

 Absence of Opening. 



We sometimes find heifers that have a perfect 

 udder and teat development, except that the ex- 

 ternal opening of the teat is absent. There is 

 usually present a small depression where this 

 should be. By means of a heavy needle or a 

 small stylet the skin may be punctured, after 

 which the needle should be turned from left to 

 right several times, using care that it is not 

 pushed deeper into the tissue then laid aside, 

 while a sterile milk tube is gotten ready, the 

 opening made by the stylet or needle is enlarged 

 by a small curette, after which the tube may be 

 pushed through the opening into the milk duct. 

 The opening should be kept open, until healing 

 has taken place, by a dilator or a small piece of 

 gauze soaked in glycerine, allowing it to pro- 

 trude so that it may be removed in 34 hours. 



Fistula of the Teats. 



This condition is usually due to an injury but 

 may be the result of mammitis or other condi- 

 tions affecting the udder. It is sometimes the re- 

 sult of cutting off of rudimentary teats. They 

 may have a milk duct and in that case they may 

 continue to drip milk continuously. This condi- 

 tion is very refractory to treatment and it re- 

 quires surgical treatment to affect a cure. If it 

 has been of longer than one month's standing, it 

 is well to defer treatment until the cow is dry; 

 if not, good results may be obtained at any time. 



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