Page 573 - Equine Clinical Medicine, Surgery and Reproduction, 2nd Edition

548 CHAPTER 2

VetBooks.ir excessive smegma accumulation is not a problem vascular structures of the penis following traumatic
injury such as penile haematoma. The history often
since routine washing of the penis occurs. At the
beginning of the breeding season, however, smegma
accumulations may be significant and require several includes chronic paraphimosis. The disruption of
normal blood flow to one or more areas of the penis
washing cycles to remove. results in incomplete erection, while adhesion for-
mation may result in deviation.
Differential diagnosis
Other causes of balanoposthitis, such as excessive Clinical presentation
force during washing of the penis, use of irritating A history of penile injury is typical. The stallion may
soaps or infections such as coital exanthema, should appear normal on physical examination during detu-
be considered. One of the most common causes of a mescence. Observation of the stallion during teasing
foul smell from the prepuce is squamous cell carci- of an oestrous mare demonstrates a fully erect penis
noma (SCC) of the penis and/or prepuce. that deviates to one side or ventrally.

Diagnosis Differential diagnosis
Diagnosis is based on observation of the excessive Differential diagnoses include incomplete erection
accumulations of the grey to black, thick substance due to inadequate sexual arousal and rupture of the
on the penis and prepuce. Examination of the distal suspensory apparatus of the penis.
penis and exploration of the fossa glandis reveals a
‘bean’ of smegma, which can be quite large. Diagnosis
It is important to perform the examination under
Management optimal conditions with the stallion at the height of
Cleaning the penis thoroughly with warm water and sexual arousal and a maximal erection obtained.
cotton before each breeding/collection and periodi-
cally throughout the non-breeding season is recom- Management
mended. Use of copious amounts of water and limited If the injury is fairly recent, allowing additional time
manual pressure will reduce the irritation caused for healing may result in improvement. Daily man-
by washing. Soaps and detergents are not recom- ual massage of the erect penis following exposure to
mended since they may disrupt the normal bacterial an oestrus mare and gently directing the penis to its
flora of the penile and preputial skin, predisposing correct position are recommended to help encourage
to growth of pathogenic organisms. If accompanied blood flow to the affected areas. The efficacy of this
by balanoposthitis, removal of the irritating smegma approach is not clear.
is generally an adequate treatment and the irritation
resolves spontaneously. Prognosis
The prognosis is guarded to poor depending on the
Prognosis chronicity of the condition.
The prognosis is good with good general hygiene.
RUPTURE OF THE PENILE
PENILE DEVIATIONS SUSPENSORY LIGAMENTS

Definition/overview Definition/overview
A penile deviation exists when the erect penis per- The stallion’s penis is attached to the ischial sym-
sistently deflects inappropriately, most often laterally physis at its base by two short suspensory ligaments,
or ventrally, making natural breeding difficult. which end continuously with the origin of the
gracilis muscle. Rupture of the penile suspensory
Aetiology/pathophysiology ligaments is a rare condition, presumably caused by
Deviations are uncommon in the stallion and usu- severe trauma, and it results in ventral deviation of
ally result from fibrosis and adhesions within the the penis.