168 CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS. 



physical and chemical examinations of the urine. Experience 

 has taught us that affections of the kidneys and urinary tract 

 are not as common in animals as they are in man and conse- 

 quently urinary analyses hardly merit the same importance 

 that is attached to them by physicians. Besides this the entire 

 field of kidney pathology in animals has received so little at- 

 tention from investigators that our lack of knowledge is often 

 evident to the diagnostician. 



Results of a urine examination often enable us to diag- 

 nose affections of other organs the abnormal products of 

 which pass over into the urine. 



The collection of the urine from animals is 

 always attended with difficulties, in practice it is often impos- 

 sible. As a rule the urine is caught up in a vessel during the 

 natural act of the animal. In horses a vessel can be secured 

 to the sheath and the urine thus collected. In female animals 

 the use of a disinfected catheter is permissible. 



In the course of the clinical examination we consider the 

 urine first ; if the latter shows material changes we also 

 examine the urinary organs. 



Accordingly we consider the following points and in the 

 order given : 



I. Manner of Voiding the Urine. 



II. Examination of the Urine. 

 / A. Macroscopical examination. 



B. Chemical examination. 



C. ]\Iicroscoi)ical examination. 



III. Examination of t h e ' U r i n a r y Organs. 



I. Manner of Voiding the Urine. 



In our domestic animals urinating is a reflex act inaugurated 

 by the stimulus of the urine on the mucous membrane of the dis- 

 tended bladder. As long as the^distention of the bladder is below a 

 certain point the reflex action of the sphincter vesicae which is 

 also inaugurated by the pressure of the urine, supersedes that of 

 the muscular coat, hence the one gives way to, or takes the place 

 of, the other as occasion demands. 



