196 DISEASES OF THE URIXARY AXD SEXUAL APPARATUS 



This condition ma}' also bo the result of fracture of the vertebrae, 

 extensive hemorrhage of the spine, myelitis, spinal meningitis, tumors, 

 poison and general debility. 



Clinical Symptoms. — There are two forms of this disease : Paralysis of 

 the detrusor and paralysis of the sphincter vesicae. It is c^uite common 

 to find both conditions present in one animal. In the first condition 

 (ischuria, retentio urinae) the bladder becomes so distended that its elas- 

 ticity is lost, and the muscular coat loses its power of contraction, and, fin- 

 ally, when the bladder is so distended that the connective tissue alone 

 holds it and presses on the sphincter vesicae and overcomes it, the urine 

 trickles out in small quantities, the animal is uneasy, makes frecjuent at- 

 temps to urinate and may or may not succeed in passing any urine; on pal- 

 pation of the abdomen the bladder is found greatly distended, and mere 

 manual pressure on the alxlominal walls in the region of the distended 

 bladder may cause evacuation of that organ; the urine passed is foiuid to be 

 highly concentrated and has a very unpleasant odor. The paralysis of the 

 spincter vesicae is termed overflowing of the bladder (urination Ijy incon- 

 tinence). When the sphincter is paralyzed the urine flows constantly or 

 at very short intervals, the slightest contraction of the depressor being 

 sufficient to expel it; this is painless to the animal. In this condition the 

 bladder is nearly always empty. In making an examination of the blad- 

 der through the abdomen, when paralysis of the detrusor is present, the 

 bladder will be found distended, even when the animal has passed some 

 urine only a short time before, whereas in paralysis of the spincter the 

 bladder will be found to be empty. As a rule there is no great change in 

 the animal's condition, except in these cases where the original cause is 

 some disorder of the spine; then the appetite is scanty and the animal 

 shows great disinclination to exercise. 



When cystitis accompanies this condition the animal shows more or 

 less pain when it urinates. This, however, is seen only in rare instances. 

 In the majority of cases the prognosis is unfavoral)le; the only cases in 

 which a favorable termination is to l)e expected are those of simple dis- 

 tention of the ])ladder, as in house dogs, when from overdistention of the 

 bladder when the animal cannot get out, or when a calculus is in the blad- 

 der or urethra and the cause is removed surgically. 



Therapeutics. — The treatment best adapted to relieve this condition is 

 to regulate the passage of urine, as in catarrh of the ])ladder, by pressing 

 the bladder through the al)dominal wall and emptying it, or catheteriza- 

 tion and by injections into the bladder of claret wine, solutions of tannin 

 1 to 2 per cent, internally, or tine, nux vomicae 5 to 10 drops once or twice 

 daily, strychnia muriate 0.001 to 0.003 subcutaneously, or fluid ext. 

 ergotae 0.50. We can also try faradization of the vertel)rae over the lumbar 

 region or massage of the abelomen in the region of the bladder. 



