Mastitis in the Mare 973 



the microscopical examination and the identification of the acti- 

 nomyces. 



The handhng of the disease does not differ from the treatment 

 of actinomycosis in other parts of the body. It depends essen- 

 tially upon the internal administration of iodine, or the direct 

 surgical removal or destruction of the diseased parts. Internally 

 potassium iodide may be administered to the cow, in doses of i 

 to 3 drams per day, while tincture of iodine or iodine ointment 

 may be locally applied to the udder. In other cases it is best to 

 extirpate the affected part completely with the scalpel. When 

 large abscesses appear, they may be sloughed out by opening them 

 and then filUng the cavity with sulphate of copper crystals, and 

 leaving them in position until they come away spontaneously. 



6. Mastitis in the Mare. 



Acute mastitis due to ordinary infection of the udder is rare in 

 the mare. It is occasionally observed at about the time of foal- 

 ing, or within a few days thereafter, and may run a similar course 

 to the disease in the cow, though not usually so violent. 



Abscesses occur somewhat rarely, but are largely referable to 

 other causes than ordinary wound infection, chiefly to strangles 

 and botryomycosis. As in the cow, it is possible for the inflam- 

 mation to pursue a chronic course. The prognosis in mammitis 

 of the mare is more favorable than in the cow. The handling of 

 the disease in the mare calls for nothing different from that in 

 the cow. 



7. Mammary Strangles in the Mare. 



When strangles attacks a mare which is nursing a young foal, 

 the infection is very liable to involve the milk glands and cause 

 abscesses of these or of the neighboring lymph glands. The ab- 

 scesses are frequently very large, and are accompanied by exten- 

 sive and virulent inflammation of the gland. The abscess may 

 rupture externally, and escape over the side of the udder, or it 

 may rupture within and escape through the teat with the milk. 



An abscess of the mammary gland, due to strangles, does not 

 vary in any essential particular from a strangles abscess in any 

 other portion of the body, but may at first be mistaken by the 

 practitioner for an ordinary case of mammitis. Generally, how- 

 ever, the abscess of the udder follows the formation of abscesses 



