400 DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS 



Treatment.— Dietetic— Milk should be the principal food. 

 No irritating materials should be given. 



Medical— Diluents in the form of water, or milk should 

 be administered frequently (2 or 3 times daily) to assist in 

 increasing the volume of fluids eliminated via kidneys to 

 remove accumulated products. 



Disinfectants in the form of sodium salicylate (dog, 0.1- 

 2.0; cat, 0.05-0.1) should be given twice daily. Urotropin 

 (0.5-1.0) three times daily with plenty of water or milk is 

 useful. 



UREMIA. 



Definition.— A toxemia developing during the course of 

 certain diseases, such as nephritis or in conditions associated 

 with retention of the urine. The nature of the poisons 

 retained in the body is not definitely known. They may 

 be normal urine compounds, or the result of abnormal 

 metabolism. 



Etiology.— Uremia is produced by the retention in the body 

 of waste materials which should be eliminated by the kidneys. 

 In the development of certain diseases, such as acute and 

 chronic nephritis, or obstruction to some part of the urinary 

 passages, the urine is not properly excreted but is retained 

 in the blood. If due to stoppage of the outflow, the back 

 pressure produced inhibits further secretion, hence the 

 products of metabolism accumulate in the body. 



A cause is rupture of some of the urinary organs (kidneys, 

 ureter or bladder) which is of frequent occurrence in the dog 

 from injuries. The urine will flow out into the adjacent 

 tissues, or peritoneal cavity, to be absorbed by the circula- 

 tion, producing in the course of a few hours marked symptoms 

 of acute poisoning. 



Symptoms. — Clinically we recognize two forms: (a) Acute 

 uremia, and (b) chronic uremia. 



Acute Uremia.— In the dog the symptoms usually begin 

 with chills, trembling of the muscles, staggering gait, followed 

 in a short time by stupor, the animal Anally lapsing into 

 complete unconsciousness. Frequently there will be noted 



