74 



flank, lies down and rises, arclies the back, and attempts to urinate 

 as before. If the oiled hand is introduced into the rectum the greatly 

 distended bladder may be felt beneath, and the patient ^Yill often 

 shrink when it is handled. 



It is important to notice that irritation of the urinar}' organs is 

 often present in impaction of the colon with solid matters, because 

 the impacted intestine under the straining of the patient is forced 

 backAvard into the pelvis and presses upon and irritates the bladder. 

 In such case*s the horse stands with his fore limbs advanced and the 

 hind ones stretched back beyond the natural posture, and makes fre- 

 quent eiforts to urinate with varying success. Unpracticed observers 

 naturally conclude that the secondary urinary trouble is the main and 

 only one, and the intestinal impaction and obstruction is too often 

 neglected until it is irremediable. In cases w^here the irritation has 

 caused spasm of the neck of the bladder and overdistention of that 

 organ, the mistake is still more easily made, hence it is imj)ortant in 

 all cases to examine for the impacted bowel, forming a bend or looj) 

 at the entrance of the pebds and usuall}^ toward the left side. The 

 impacted intestine feels soft and doughj-, and is easily indented with 

 the knuckles, forming a marked contrast with the tense, elastic, resil- 

 ient ovcrdistended bladder. 



It remains to be noted that similar symptoms may be determined by 

 a stone, or sebaceous mass, or stricture obstructing the urethra, or in 

 the new-born by thickened mucus in that duct and the pressure of 

 hardened impacted feces in the rectum. In obstruction, the hard ini 

 pacted body can usually be felt hj tracing the urethra along the lower 

 and posterior surface of the penis and forward to the median line of 

 the floor of the i^elvis to the neck of the bladder. That part of tlie 

 urethra between the seat of obstruction and the bladder is usually 

 distended with urine, and feels enlarged, elastic, and fluctuating. 



Treatment may be begun by taking the animal out of harness. This 

 failing, spread clean litter beneath the belty or turn the patient out 

 on the dung-heai). Some seek to establish sj'mpathetic action by 

 l^ouring water from one vessel into another with dribbling noise. 

 Others soothe and distract the attention by slow whistling. Friction 

 of the abdomen with wisps of straw may succeed, or it may be rubbed 

 with ammonia and oil. These failing, an injection of 2 ounces of 

 laudanum or of an infusion of 1 ounce of tobacco in water may be 

 tried. -In the mare the neck of the bladder is easily dilated by insert- 

 ing two oiled fingers and slightl}^ parting them. In the horse the oiled 

 hand introduced into the rectum maj^ press from before backward on 

 the anterior or blind end of the bladder. Finally a well-oiled gum- 

 elastic catheter may be entered into the urethra through the papilla 

 at the end of the i)enis and i)ushed on carefully until it has entered 

 the bladder. To effect this the penis must first be withdrawn from 

 its sheath, and when the advancing end of the catheter has reached 



