412 DISEASES OF THE BLADDER 



as the catheter is inserted. When it reaches the bladder, if 

 urine is present, it will begin to flow out at once. In the 

 female animal the catheter is passed without much difficulty. 

 It is best to place the animal in a ventral position, securely 

 fastened with hobbles; the same catheter as for the male 

 animal can be used, but best to use a special metallic catheter, 

 as it can be sterilized. To insert the catheter a vaginal 

 speculum is used to dilate the vagina, which facilitates inser- 

 tion into the urethral opening. 



The urine should be examined particularly for epithelial 

 cells, pus, bacteria, red blood cells, etc. A differential 

 examination should be made to determine whether the 

 abnormal constituents of the urine come from the bladder or 

 some other urinary organ. Note the reaction of the urine, 

 its specific gravity, color, odor, consistency, etc. 



WOUNDS OF THE BLADDER. 



The bladder is the seat of several conditions produced by 

 trauma in the small animals: Traumatic or spontaneous 

 rupture, penetrating wounds from bullets or other objects, 

 accidental cutting of the bladder during surgical operations. 



RUPTURE OF THE BLADDER. 



Rupture of the bladder is most often brought about by the 

 animal being run over by vehicles, being kicked, falling, or 

 may be due to overdistention when there is some impediment 

 to the flow of urine. It can also occur as the result of the 

 walls being weakened by ulceration and other destructive 

 processes. It has been observed in well broken house dogs 

 when confined for too long a period, the bladder becoming 

 distended and finally paralyzed, the continuance of the 

 secretion eventually leading to rupture. 



Symptoms.— In rupture the symptoms develop in the 

 course of a few hours. They are complete suppression of 

 micturition, general symptoms of collapse, uriniferous odor 

 of the exhaled air, subnormal temperature. The history is 

 quite important, as often the history of an injury will assist 



