250 ANIMAL DENTISTRY. 



by prolonged irrigation with weak antiseptic solution is the 

 first necessary step. The wound is first brought together 

 with mattress or button suture to immobilize the edges, and 

 then closed neatly with interrupted stitches. A thick coat- 

 ing of collodion will still further hold the parts in apposition 

 and serve as a protection against injury and infection. The 

 patient must be fed only upon gruel, and tied on the pillar 



rein for at least six days. 



RANULA. 



Definition — A cystic tumor, belonging to the class of re- 

 tention cysts, located under the free extremity of the tongue. 



Susceptible Animals — Dog, cat, ox and man. Rare in the 

 horse. 



Etiology — Ranula is generally supposed to be caused by 

 obstruction of one of the ducts of the sublingual salivary 

 gland. 



Diagnosis — Disturbed prehension and mastication; pal- 

 pation and inspection. 



Treatment — Ranula is an obstinate disease and will yield 

 to no treatment except total resection of the entire cyst wall. 

 Evacuation of the contents and injections of irritants, iodine, 

 ammonia, silver nitrate, etc., is never a lasting success. 



ACTINOMYCOSIS OF THE TONGUE. 



(See pages 218-19.) 



FOREIGN BODIES IN THE TONGUE. 



Pins, needles, tacks, spicula of wood, bones or iron fre- 

 quently become lodged deeply into the substance of the 

 tongue near its base. The condition is manifested by dis- 

 turbed mastication, ptyalism, rejection of partially masti- 

 cated food and disinclination to eat freely. The penetration 

 is usually well under the base of the tongue at a location 

 that defies detection by an ordinary palpation or inspection 



