266 Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



until an obstruction of an insurmountable character 

 is produced. We have nothing to indicate that 

 this incurable malady has taken place but the 

 long- continued pain. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 



This is not a common complaint, yet occasion- 

 ally cases of this kind crop up, and are usually 

 produced by fever, and when completely formed 

 the horse stands with its hind legs wide apart, 

 and has an awkward gait in its walk. It with- 

 draws from the pressure of the hand upon the 

 loins, which also indicates an undue heat, con- 

 siderably above that of its natural condition. 

 When turned with moderate quickness it feels 

 pain, and looks back wistfully at its flanks, as 

 suppression of the action of the urinary organs 

 takes place and is followed by a difficulty in 

 voiding urine, which comes off in small quantities 

 and is generally high-coloured, and not unfre- 

 quently mixed with blood. Strong efforts are 

 made by the horse to void it in larger quanti- 

 ties, but at length it is almost entirely sus- 

 pended. Hence it will be manifest that there 

 is an affection of the urinary organs, but at first 

 it will be difficult to say whether it is the kidney 

 or the neck of the bladder. At this stage of the 

 disease, according to Brown, the pulse is hard 

 and accelerated; it soon after becomes small, 

 although retaining its character of hardness. In 

 order to find the seat of the disease, the hand 

 must be forced up the rectum, and if the bladder 



