276 THE DOG IN DISEASE. 



or painful urination (micturition), dribbling or retention 

 of urine, an awkward or straddling gait, tenderness over 

 any portion of the urinary tract, nausea, febrile symp- 

 toms, etc. 



J^one of these troubles are common in the dog ; hap- 

 pily so, as treatment in bad cases is difficult to carry out. 



Retention of Urine may arise from reflex spasm of the 

 neck of the bladder or urethra, from swelling of the mu- 

 cous membrane of the urethra, enlargement of the pros- 

 tate gland, pressure on the urethra or swelling of this 

 part from sexual excitement, traumatism (injury), the 

 abuse of certain drugs, as cantharides, etc. Occasionally 

 an excitable young dog after a long journey with confine- 

 ment in a crate, or from the excitement of new surround- 

 ings, as in a bench-show, will be unable to empty the 

 bladder. Generally he will do so if he be removed to an 

 extremely quiet place, given perfect freedom, and has his 

 mind diverted from what has been engrossing his atten- 

 tion and is soothed by words and caresses. However, if 

 these fail, and the bladder is much distended, a warm bath 

 should be given. The dog should be caused to sit on his 

 haunches in a tub with enough water, as hot as can be 

 borne, to reach above his loins, for twenty to thirty 

 minutes. He should then be rubbed dry, and kept warm 

 as a precaution against catching cold. If he still suffers, 

 he may be given fifteen grains of Dover's powder and 

 twenty grains of bromide of potassium. If the case grows 

 urgent, an attempt to pass a catheter should be made. In 

 the female this is not difficult, and the ordinary metal in- 

 strument used in human practice will serve the purpose, 

 or a gum-elastic catheter suitable to the size of the bitch. 



