INFLAMMATION OF THE PROSTATE 205 



tumor in the pelvic cavity; accompanied by great difficulty in urination, 

 or it may assume the chronic form and develop cysts; this latter condi- 

 tion, however, is rarely diagnosed during life. Sometimes these cysts 

 are seen on post-mortem, ami the animal previous to that was with- 

 out any fever or acute symptoms, or the inflamed prostate may ulti- 

 mately form abscesses which break through into the urethra, or the 

 rectum, and in very rare cases into the connective tissue of the pelvis. 

 In the latter termination we find a gradual tumefaction and formation 

 of an abscess in the perineal region, which suppurates and breaks, 

 or there may be the formation of small abscesses which become encapsu- 

 lated in the prostate. 



Therapeutics. — This consists in giving the animal small quantities 

 of non-irritating food, cold clysters and cold or luke-warm applications 

 to the perineum; also the frequent passage of the catheter to prevent 

 overretention of urine in the bladder; and also the administration of 

 saline purgatives, such as sulphate of magnesium, Carlsbad salt, etc. 

 When pus has formed, which can be determined by digital examina- 

 tion per rectum, introduce a speculum into the rectum and cut down on 

 the fluctuation by means of a sharp-pointed bistoury. The hemorrhage 

 which follows is very slight, and no attention should be paid to it. Hen- 

 drix introduces the finger into the rectum and puts considerable pressure 

 on the fluctuating prostate and breaks the abscess into the urethra. 

 Where the swelling extends to the perineum and distends it, it is best to 

 apply warm applications until the pus has formed, and then cut down 

 and evacuate the sac. 



Chronic Prostitis (Hypertrophy) of the Prostate. — This is the form 

 of the disease most frequently seen, and develops from the acute form, 

 but in the majority of cases the disease starts in at the onset, as the chronic 

 form. It is a common disease in old dogs, and is indicated by a hyper- 

 trophy of the whole organ; as a rule, the swelling is symmetrical, but 

 sometimes one side of the gland is larger than the other. It varies in 

 consistency; in some cases very hard, in others, soft; in the former case 

 it is due to a hyperplasia of the fibro-muscular tissue; in the latter it 

 is due to an infiltration of the gland with a purulent fluid as a consequence 

 of chronic purulent inflammation. 



The symptoms of a hypertrophy of the prostate are irregular; in 

 some cases there is difficulty in urination (dysuria, strangury), and also 

 more or less cystitis and pyelitis, etc., or constipation due to the animal 

 making no effort to evacuate faeces. The surest means of diagnosis is to 

 make a digital examination of the prostate per rectum. It is dis- 

 tinguished from the acute form by the absence of heat and sensitiveness, 

 but is very much larger than the normal gland. Rossi contends that 

 hypertrophy of the prostate does not affect the urinary canal to any great 



