152 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



a thick, doughy, tender swelling under the belly and between the 

 thighs. The next step in the morbid course is overdistention of the 

 bladder, with the occurrence of colicky pains, looking at the flanks, 

 uneasy movements of the hind limbs, raising or twisting of the tail, 

 pulsatory contractions of the urethra under the anus, and finally a 

 false appearance of relief, which is caused by rupture of the bladder. 

 Before rupture takes place the distended bladder may press on the 

 rectum and obstruct the passage of the bowel dejections. Two mis- 

 takes are therefore probable — first, that the bowels alone are to 

 be relieved, and, second, that the trouble is obstruction of the urethra 

 by a stone. Hence the need of examining the sheath and pushing 

 the finger into its opening to see that there is no obstruction there, 

 in all cases of retention of urine, overdistended bladder, or blocked 

 rectum in the ox. The disease may be acute or chronic — the first by 

 reason of acute, adhesive inflammation blocking the outlet, the second 

 by gradual thickening and ulceration of the sheath and blocking by 

 the sebaceous and calculous accretion. 



Treatment. — The treatment of this affection depends on the stage. 

 If recent and no instant danger of ruj^ture of the bladder, the 

 narrow opening of the sheath should be freely cut open in the median 

 line below, and the sac emptied out with a finger or spoon, after 

 which it should be thoroughly washed with tepid water. To make 

 the cleansing more thorough a catheter or a small, rubber tube may 

 be inserted well back into the sheath, and water may be forced 

 through it from a syringe or a funnel inserted into the other end of 

 the tube and considerably elevated. A fountain syringe, which 

 should be in every house, answers admirably. The sheath may be 

 daily washed out with tepid water, with a suds made with Castile 

 soap, or with a weak solution of sulphate of zinc (one-half dram to 

 a quart of water). If these attentions are impossible, most cases, 

 after cleansing, will do well if merely driven through clean water up 

 to the belly once a day. 



In case the disease has progressed to absolute obstruction, with the 

 bladder ready to rupture any moment, no time must be lost in open- 

 ing into the urethra with a sharp knife over the bony arch under the 

 anus, where the pulsations are seen in urinating. This incision is 

 best made in the median line from above downward, but in the 

 absence of a skillful operator a transverse incision with a sharp knife 

 over the bone in the median line until the urine flows with a gush is 

 better than to let the patient die. Considerable blood will be lost 

 and the wound will heal tardily, but the ox will be preserved. Then 

 the slitting and cleansing of the sheath can be done at leisure, as 

 described above. If the bladder is ruptured, the case is hopeless. 



