192 DISEASES OF THE URINARY AND SEXUAL APPARATUS 



a paralysis of the bladder, in bitches having a difficult or protracted 

 delivery, from traumatisms, such as penetrating wounds, or contusions as 

 a result of being run over by a wagon or automobile. Where the urine 

 becomes very alkaline from the excess of ammonia, it produces an irritating 

 effect on the bladder, as also does continual retention of urine, especially 

 when it is heavily charged with salts. It has been said that cold will 

 produce cystitis. Cystitis may also be produced by the extension of 

 inflammation from neighboring regions, or in grave infectious diseases 

 an irritation can be caused by the toxins of broken-down micrococci 

 being carried away 



Pathological Anatomy. — There are quite a number of varieties of cys- 

 titis — mucous, muscular, serous, croupal, ulcerous, diphtheritic, and gan- 

 grenous — but, as a rule, it is very seldom that we can differentiate between 

 the various forms, and it is best from a practical standpoint to distinguish 

 the disease as acute and chronic catarrh of the bladder. In the acute 

 form the mucous membrane of the bladder is colored in an irregular way 

 by dark red spots. It is also more or less swollen and covered with mucus 

 and detached epithelium. In the later stages of the disease, the mucous 

 membrane may be covered with detached epithelium and covered with 

 small hemorrhagic spots. In very severe cases we find a croupous mem- 

 brane covering the bladder, and it may be so acute as to cause gangrene, 

 and mucous membrane is sloughed off and extensive abscesses are formed. 

 In such cases the muscular and serous coats of the bladder are also 

 greatly inflamed; and if the irritation is extensive enough, we may also 

 find evidences of peritonitis. 



In the chronic form the mucous membrane becomes very much thick- 

 ened and covered with enlarged mucous glands. The surface presents a 

 peculiar greenish or slate-gray color. This is due to the hemorrhages that 

 occur in the tissues from time to time. On the surface we often find 

 raised papilla-like formations, and the submucous tissues and muscles 

 are hypertrophied. 



Clinical Symptoms and Course. — The first symptom noticed in this 

 disease is the passage of an increased amount of urine, the animal empty- 

 ing the bladder frequently, but passing only a small quantity of urine each 

 time, at the same time showing evidences of pain. In rare cases there 

 may be a retention of urine due to cramp of the neck of the bladder from 

 irritation. On making an examniation of the bladder through the abdom- 

 inal wall, the animal shows pain on pressure of that region. An examina- 

 tion of the urine by the microscope will assist us in making a positive 

 diagnosis. If there should be some disease of the kidneys present, while 

 the specific gravity of the urine is not much changed, in the early stages of 

 the disease, it is somewhat darker than usual, and there is an increase in 

 salts and it contains only a normal amount of mucus, albumin, a few pus 



