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a stone or gravel in the bladder, tlie irritation of a catheter or other 

 foreign body introduced from without, the septic ferment (bacterium) 

 introduced on a filthy catheter, the overdistension of the bladder by 

 retained urine, the extrication of ammonia from retained decomj^osing 

 urine, resulting in destruction of the epithelial cells and irritation of 

 the raw surface, and a too-concentrated and irritating urine. Tlie 

 application of Spanish flies or turpentine over a too-extensive surface, 

 sudden exposure of a perspiring and tired horse to cold or wet, and 

 the presence of acrid plants in the fodder may cause cj'stitis, as they 

 inp^y nephritis. Finally, inflammation may extend from a diseased 

 vagina or urethra to the bladder. 



The symptoms are slight or severe colicky pains ; the animal moves 

 his hind feet imeasily or even kicks at the abdomen, looks around at 

 his flank, and may even lie down and rise frequently". More char- 

 acteristic are frequently repeated efforts to urinate, resulting in the 

 discharge of a little clear, or red, or more commonly flocculent urine, 

 always in jets, and accompanied by signs of pain, which persist after 

 the discharge, as shown in continued straining, groaning, and perhaps 

 in movements of the feet and tail. The penis hangs from the sheath, 

 or in the mare the vulva is frequently opened and closed, as after uri- 

 nation. The animal winces when the abdomen is pressed in the region 

 of the sheath or udder, and the bladder is found to be sensitive and 

 tender when pressed with the oiled hand introduced through the rec- 

 tum or vagina. In the mare the thickening of the walls of the blad- 

 der may be felt by introducing one finger through the urethra. The 

 discharged urine, which may be turbid or even oily, contains an excess 

 of mucus, with flat shreds of membrane, with scaly epithelial cells, 

 and pus corpuscles, each showing two or more nuclei when treated 

 with acetic acid, but there are no microscopic tubular casts, as in 

 nephritis. If due to stone in the bladder, that will be found on 

 examination through rectum or vagina. 



Treatment implies, first, the removal of the cause, whether poisons 

 in food or as medicine, the removal of Spanish flies or other blistering 

 agents from the skin, or the extraction of stone or gravel. If the 

 urine "has been retained and decomposed it must be completely evac- 

 uated through a clean catheter, and the bladder thoroughly washed 

 out with a solution of 1 dram of borax in a quart of water. Tliis 

 must be repeated twice daily until the urine no longer decomposes, 

 because as long as ammonia is developed in the bladder the protecting 

 layer of epithelial cells will be dissolved and the surface kept raw 

 and irritable. The diet must be light (bran mashes, roots, fresh 

 grass), and the drink impregnated with linseed tea, or solution of 

 slippery-elm or marsli-mallow. The same agents may be used to 

 inject into the rectum, or they may even be used along with borax 

 and opium to inject into bladder (gum arable, 1 dram; opium, 1 

 dram; tepid water, 1 pint). Fomentations over the loins are often 



