202 HORSE, SWINE 'AND POULTRY DISEASES 



often neglected until it is irremediable. In cases where the irritation 

 has caused spasm of the neck of the bladder and overdistention of 

 that organ, the mistake is still more easily made ; hence it is impor- 

 tant in all cases to examine for the impacted bowel, forming a bend, 

 or loop, at the entrance of the pelvis and usually toward the left side. 

 The impacted intestine feels soft and doughy, and is easily indented 

 with the knuckles, forming a marked contrast with the tense, elastic, 

 resilient, overdistended bladder. 



It remains to be noted that similar symptoms may be determined 

 by a stone or sebaceous mass, or stricture obstructing the urethra, or 

 in the newborn by thickened mucus in that duct and by the pressure 

 of hardened, impacted feces in the rectum. In obstruction, the hard, 

 impacted body can usually be felt by tracing the urethra along the 

 lower and posterior surface of the penis and forward to the median 

 line of the floor of the pelvis to the neck of the bladder. That part 

 of the urethra between the seat of obstruction and the bladder is 

 usually distended with urine, and feels enlarged, elastic, and fluctu- 

 ating. 



Treatment. Treatment may be begun by taking the animal out 

 of harness. This failing, spread clean litter beneath the belly or turn 

 the patient out on the dung heap. Some seek to establish sympa- 

 thetic action by pouring water from one vessel into another with 

 dribbling noise. Others soothe and distract the attention by slow 

 whistling. Friction of the abdomen with wisps of straw may suc- 

 ceed, or it may be rubbed with ammonia and oil. These failing, an 

 injection of 2 ounces of laudanum or of an infusion of 1 ounce of 

 tobacco in water may be tried. In the mare the neck of the bladder 

 is easily dilated by inserting two oiled fingers and slightly parting 

 them. In the horse the oiled hand introduced into the rectum may 

 press from before backward on the anterior or blind end of the blad- 

 der. Finally, a well-oiled gum-elastic catheter may be entered into 

 the urethra at the end of the penis and pushed on carefully until it 

 has entered the bladder. To effect this the penis must first be with- 

 drawn from its sheath, and when the advancing end of the catheter 

 has reached the bend of the urethra beneath the anus it must be 

 guided forward by pressure with the hand, which guidance must be 

 continued onward into the bladder, the oiled hand being introduced 

 into the rectum for this purpose. The horse catheter, S 1 /^ feet long 

 and one-third inch in diameter, may be bought of a surgical instru- 

 ment maker. 



PARALYSIS OF THE BLADDER. 



Paralysis of the body of the bladder with spasm of the neck has 

 been described under the last heading, and may occur in the same 

 way from overdistention in tetanus and acute rheumatism, in which 

 the animal cannot stretch himself to stale, and in cystitis, affecting 

 the body of the bladder but not the neck. In all these cases the urine 

 is suppressed. It also occurs as a result of disease of the posterior end 

 of the spinal marrow and with broken back, and is then associated 

 with palsy of the tail, and, it may be, of the hind limbs. 



