182 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF 



Treatment. — Allay the irritation as well as you can by giving 

 mucilaginous drinks — as linseed tea, etc.— change the food and water, 

 and try mineral acids. Give from one-half to two drachms of 

 hydrochloric acid two or even three times a day, well diluted in water, 

 and, perhaps, give a moderate laxative. If it occurs in the urethra, it 

 is called urethral calculi. 



Vesiciilie, or Cysts, iu the Bladder. — These vary in size. They 

 may be the size of a pea or smaller, or they may weigh several ounces. 

 They are caused by the character of the food. Horses highly fed upon 

 stimulating food, and those used for certain purposes, and not allowed 

 to urinate when nature demands it, are subject to it. The same 

 causes that produce renal calculi will produce cystic calculi. A foreign 

 body may produce a nucleus for them. They present different appear- 

 ances — sometimes white and hard, and composed of carbonate of lime, 

 and sometimes of a soft, pasty consistency. There may be a great 

 number or only one, and, in many cases, they consist principally of 

 carbonate of lime, but various things may enter into their formation, 

 and, being often of lime, they are more likely to exist in the limestone 

 districts. 



Symptoms. — They are generally plain. After a time something is 

 noticed the matter with the animal, and irritation of the bladder is 

 produced, and there is difficulty in voiding the urine, which, when 

 passed, may be unnaturally white ; he is subject to colicky or 

 abdominal pains, which may pass off and again occur, when it again 

 falls into the neck of the bladder, and so retains the urine, which 

 causes pain. The action of the hind quarters is not quite natural ; 

 there is difficulty in urinating, and when urinating, the penis is pro- 

 truded to an enormous extent and hangs pendulous ; and perhaps the 

 urine is mixed with blood, or blood is voided after the urine is passed. 

 In all such cases examine per rectum, and feel the bladder, and perhaps 

 you may be able to detect it, and may be able to move it from side to 

 side ; but sometimes they are encysted, when you cannot move them. 



Treatment. — It is possible, in the early stages, to relieve it by 

 regulating the diet and giving remedies to increase their solubility ; so 

 try hydrochloric or nitric acid ; hydrochloric is perhaps the best, 

 and if they are small they may be got rid of in this way. But in 

 some cases there is an excess of acid, then try bicarbonate of pot- 

 ash ; but if the calculus is large, the only remedy is by an operation ; 

 but do not operate unless it is of a considerable size and there are 

 well marked symptoms, then prepare, by a moderate diet. Give no 

 bulky food for a day or two, and have the bowels rather empty ; and 

 it is sometimes recommended to give a purgative, but I do not think it 

 is always necessary. There are various methods. At one time it was 

 recommended to cut into the bladder, but now it is done by cutting into 

 the urethra, ( r cutting through the neck of the bladder. I do not 

 think it is necessary to cut through the neck of the bladder. It may 

 be possible to perform it with the animal standing, but it is best to 

 throw and secure him and place him under the influence of chloro- 

 form, and elevate the hind quarters to some extent ; but perhaps be- 

 fore you throw him it is best to clear out the rectum by an injection 

 or with the hand. Secure him by rope, the same as for castration, 

 then insert the catheter up the urethra, up to the bladder ; then cut 

 down upon the catheter ; or, yoa can have an instrument made, and 

 slightly bent, for the purpose, upon which to cut. Williams recom- 

 mends cutting in the centre. I cut to one side, then withdraw the 



