DISEASES OF THE URINARY SYSTEM. ^75 



the anus by the finger and incising all the parts that lie 

 between the director and the exterior. A poultice or 

 fomentation may be necessary for a short time afterward, 

 and a little iodoform dusted on will tend to keep the parts 

 eweet and facilitate healing. The diet should be simple 

 and the bowels confined for a few days. 



DISEASES OF THE URINARY SYSTEM. 



We direct attention to certain anatomical and physi- 

 ological facts important to bear in mind. Urine is se- 

 creted by the kidneys, a pair of organs situated in the 

 loin (lumbar region), which are composed of a great vari- 

 ety of tubes of different shape and size, provided with 

 numerous kinds of lining cells which secrete the constitu- 

 ents of urine, the whole of each organ being abundantly 

 supplied with blood-vessels, lymphatics, and nerves. Urine 

 is secreted constantly, and carried off to the bladder by a 

 main duct {ureter) leading from each kidney. 



The bladder is the receptacle for urine — a muscular 

 organ situated in the pelvis, and lined with a mucous mem- 

 brane. It communicates with the exterior by a tube or 

 duct {urethra) of small dimensions, which passes in the 

 male through the penis, but in the female it is short and 

 opens into the vagina. 



The urine of the dog is decidedly acid, of high specific 

 gravity (1030 to 1050), clear and yellow, so that any dark 

 color, turbidity, any stickiness from mucus, etc., should 

 attract attention as probable evidence of disease of some 

 part of the urinary tract. 



Other symptoms which should lead to a suspicion of 

 disturbance of this part of the dog's system are frequent 



