DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF THE HORSE 173 



Symptoms. — The principal symptom is the absence of 



the passing of urine. 



Treatment. — Give one ounce (four dessertspoonfuls) 



doses of Sweet Spirits of Nitre three times a day until the 



passage of urine in re-established. Follow with: 



Ground Gentian Root 54 pound. 



Nitrate of Potash or Saltpetre % pound. 



Mix well together and give a teaspoonful in the feed, 

 three times a day until well. 



The inability to pass urine may be the result of another 

 condition. The kidneys may act properly but the water may 

 be retained by the bladder. This may result from the fol- 

 lowing 



Causes. — Spasms or contraction of the neck of the blad- 

 der, calculi or bladder stones working up into the neck of the 

 passage may prevent the passage of urine. A horse will 

 sometimes hold his water for such a length of time as to 

 cause it. This is sometimes the result of being afraid of 

 splashing the legs when making water upon the bare floor. 



Symptoms. — There are frequent attempts to urinate or 

 make water but without success. The pain is severe, so much 

 so as to cause groaning. He stamps his hind feet and be- 

 comes very uneasy, sometimes lying down frequently. If the 

 affected animal is a male he passes his penis in and out. 



If there be any doubt as to the presence of this condition, 

 oil the hand and pass it into the back bowel or rectum. As 

 soon as the hand is up to the position of the bladder it is an 

 easy matter to ascertain whether the bladder is greatly dis- 

 tended with water.- 



Treatment. — Should the cause be want of bedding to 

 prevent the splashing of the legs shake some straw over the 

 floor and give: 



Laudanum 1 ounce or 4 dessertspoonfuls. 



Sweet Spirits of Nitre.... 1 ounce or 4 dessertspoonfuls. 



Mix in a pint of water and give as a drench. If after 

 half an hour there is not relief and a passage of urine, the 

 water should be taken from the bladder with a catheter. 

 This is a limber tube made for the purpose. This operation is 

 easily performed on the mare. Oil the hand and pass it along 

 the floor of the vulva for about four inches; at this point on 

 the under side a small hole can be felt. Sometimes the pass- 

 ing of the finger about an inch into this hole causes her to 



