632 URINARY CALCULI IN THE DOG. 



and therefore, if urine is not at once voided in considerable quantities 

 after removing the stone, the urethra should be examined with a 

 sound, or elastic catheter. 



More serious embarrassment is caused by the infiltration of urine, 

 which often happens in dogs, and is almost always followed by 

 suppurative inflammatdon with sloughing. Possibly the acid reaction 

 of the urine in carnivora plays an important part in effecting this, 

 or it may be caused by decomposition products resulting from alkaline 

 fermentation of the urine. Simon has noted that though acid human 

 urine injected into the subcutis produces no inflammatory change, 

 it is quite otherwise when alkaline fermentation has set in. Whatever 

 the cause, the fact remains that infiltration of urine in the dog nearly 

 always causes inflammation, which tends to assume a necrotic 

 character. In such cases good results often follow from vegetable 

 diet and the free administration of alkalies. Repeated washing of 

 the wound with alkaline lotions like 5 to 10 per cent. sod. bicarb., or 

 powdering with a mixture of sod. bicarb, and iodoform, also appears 

 useful. Should these complications be safely escaped, cicatricial 

 contraction of the urethra occurs after some time, and greatly impedes 

 the discharge of urine. As a rule, operation in carnivora for 

 urethral calculus must be classed amongst the least thankful 

 exercises of the healing art. 



Of cystic calculi in the dog the same may be said as of cystic 

 calculi in ruminants and swine. In spite of an extended experience 

 in canine practice, Moller never found opportunity to carry out 

 lithotomy in these animals, though he repeatedly met with cystic 

 calculi in making post-mortem examination. Hendrickx and Lienaux 

 successfully removed a cystic calculus in the dog by laparo-cystotomy ; 

 Malzeff and others have also performed the operation. 



Malzeff anaesthetises the dog, which is then laid on its back. The 

 bladder having been emptied, washed out with 2 per cent, boric solution, 

 and the seat of operation thoroughly disinfected, an incision, 2 inches 

 long, is made over the linea alba. The incision commences at the symphysis 

 pubis and is carried down to the peritoneum, the penis meanwhile being 

 pushed towards the left side. The peritoneum is next opened, and (the 

 hands having been carefully disinfected) the urinary bladder is sought 

 for by introducing the forefinger. When discovered it is grasped with 

 forceps, drawn forward into the wound, and incised for a short distance 

 to permit the stone to be withdrawn. Bleeding is slight. The wound 

 in the bladder is next closed with boiled or carbolised silk, that in the 

 abdominal coats cleansed with 2\ per cent, carbolic solution, powdered 

 with iodoform, and brought together with button sutures. A dressing is 

 useless, and even hurtful, as it makes the patient restless. Eleven cases 

 out of twelve recovered. Cadiot, after shaving and disinfecting the opera- 

 tive area, covers it with a bandage provided with an opening, through 



