NEPHRITIS. 451 



the abdominal walls should be closed by sutures, and treated 

 as an ordinary wound, by cold water dressings, etc. If there 

 is any pain expressed by the animal after the performance of 

 the operation, opiates may be administered. In some cases 

 the hand may be passed into the rectum and the condition 

 relieved thereby ; but this method is rarely successful. If 

 necessary a dose of oil may be given, but no drastic cathar- 

 tics should be administered after cutting into the abdomen 

 and straightening the bowel out. The animal should be 

 kept quiet, and fed on soft food for a day or two. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



Diseases of the Urinary System. 



NEPHRITIS (ACUTE). 



Definition. — Inflammation of the kidneys. Urinary dis- 

 eases are not nearly so common among the lower animals as 

 among the members of the human family; especially is this 

 the case as regards diseases more particularly referable to the 

 kidneys, and nephritis is by no means the most common of 

 kidney diseases. Like other diseases of the urinary system, it 

 most frequently occurs in the chronic form, being rarely met 

 with in the acute form ; the whole substance of the kidney 

 may be inflamed, but as a rule the inflammation confines 

 itself to the lining membrane of the gland. One kidney 

 may be inflamed to the exclusion of the other, or both may 

 be inflamed simultaneously. 



Causes. — Exposure to cold is a very common cause, espe- 

 cially if the animal be exposed immediately after being put 

 to severe exertion, and when tired and covered with sweat, 

 checking the perspiration suddenly being one of the most 

 prolific of all causes of nephritis. Large and repeated doses 



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