200 DISEASES OF THE URINARY AND SEXUAL APPARATUS 



(or administered ether if the animal be very hard to handle, although this 

 procedure is rarely necessary) insert a well-oiled catheter, make an incision 

 about 3 cm, in length, cutting down on the median line on the skin making 

 a free opening, then cut a second longitudinal incision on the urethra on the 

 stone or on the end of the catheter (Fig. 83); calculus can then be pushed 

 back toward the opening in the majority of cases, and by means of a pair 

 of small forceps the stone is grasped and pulled out. In some cases it is 

 necessary to enlarge the opening in the urethra; as a rule, however, do not 

 make the opening any larger than is absolutely necessary. Occasionally 

 when the stone lies in the canal just under the bone of the penis, it is ex- 

 tremely hard to remove, and after making the incision it has to be forcibly 



Fig. S3. — Urethrotomy. Catheter introduced and end seen at the incision. 



dislodged by means of the catheter. It is well to leave the wound open 

 unless it is a very large animal or the stone should be exceptionally large; in 

 that instance do not put more than one stitch in it. For two days the 

 lu'ine escapes out of the external opening, but soon closes up, and in about 

 eight to ten days it has closed up completely and the urine is passed in the 

 natural way. 



The wound of the operation is apt to leave a stricture in the course of 

 the urethra, and in an animal that is predisposed to the formation of calculi 

 examine the urethra occasionally with the catheter and if a stricture is 

 present dilate it with a bougie. 



In cases where the stone is situated up in the urethra at the ischial 

 arch it is nuich more difficult to oj^erate on account of the well-developed 



