3o6 Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



tatic and therefore possessed of malignant character. The manner 

 in which this process takes place is described in the chapter on 

 Neoplasms. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. These tumors are easily recognized 

 by their hardness. They are usually encapsulated, often lobulated, 

 sharply demarked, free from the skin, and when removed surgically 

 can be shelled out. In size, they vary from a corn-kernel to the 

 human fist. More than one gland may be involved at one time. 



Treatment. Treatment of mammary tumors should always be 

 operative, and no better rule can be observed than to practice early 

 and free removal. When tumors are encapsulated or limited to 

 definite areas the results are good, but when a primary growth 

 is surrounded by a zone of infiltration, or when metastasis has taken 

 place, or cachexia is present, the prognosis is unfavorable and re- 

 currence may be looked for. 



The technic is very similar to that prescribed for neoplasms 

 in general, the principal difiference being that mammary tumors are 

 usually very vascular and require greater precaution to guard 

 against hemorrhage. 



Chronic Interstitial Fibrosis of the Teat. This condition can 

 occur without the mammary gland proper being involved, but it is 

 identical with chronic interstitial fibrosis or fibroma of the latter. 

 The accompanying picture illustrates the extent to which it may 

 develop. The cause is undetermined, but is probably microbic 

 in origin. Irritation incident to sucking by the offspring is cer- 

 tainly not necessary for its production, for it occurs in virgin 

 females. Hereditary tendencies would seem to play a part, for I 

 have seen it develop in identical teats in members of certain families. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. One or more teats are observed 

 to be considerably thickened and elongated. Taken in the hand 

 the teat does not impart a hard feeling, but one of decided aug- 

 mentation in volume. The gland to which the affected teat belongs 

 is still capable of functioning, and the milk can readily be drawn off, 

 but the teat itself is usually declined by the offspring. 



Treatment. The condition being an unsightly blemish calls 

 for removal by surgical means, the technic of which differs in no 

 wise from that prescribed for ablation of dermal tumors. 



BIBLIOQBAPHT. 



Lucet— Rec. de MM. V6t§r. Jnne, 1806. 



USgnin — Comptea rendns de la Soc. de Biol. 1880, p. SO. 



Eodet— Bee. de M.M. V6t6r. 1827, p. 42. 



