428 DISEASES OF THE URETHRA 



the bladder will reveal its distended condition. Should the 

 condition continue for several hours the urine will be dammed 

 back to produce distention of all the urinary passages. Pas- 

 sage of the sound or catheter will reveal the obstruction in 

 the urethra. In the female, by inserting the fingers in the 

 vagina, the enlargement can be felt. 



Prognosis. — Favorable in case treatment can be given 

 promptly. The complications, paralysis or rupture of the 

 bladder, should be taken into consideration, as they are 

 apt to occur if treatment is delayed too long. 



Treatment.— Surgical treatment is resorted to promptly 

 to prevent rupture' of the bladder. In case rupture threat- 

 ens, use a long, disinfected, exploring trocar, disinfect the 

 skin in the prepubic region, place the animal in a dorsal 

 position and insert the trocar through the abdominal wall 

 into the bladder. Allow the urine to 'flow out, remove the 

 trocar and cover the wound with flexible collodion. There 

 is usually but little danger of injuring the bowels, as the 

 distended bladder pushes them to one side. Urethrotomy 

 should then be performed. In the male an anesthetic 

 (morphin or chloroform) should be administered, and the 

 patient placed on the table in a dorsal position with the 

 hind legs brought forward. The sound or catheter is 

 inserted as a guide to locate the calculus, and also to assist 

 in making the incision. The seat of operation will depend 

 upon the location of the calculus. When located just 

 posterior to the os penis, the incision is made at the distal 

 portion of the enlargement. Should the calculus be at the 

 prostatic portion of the urethra the operation should be 

 performed at the ischial arch. The seat of operation should 

 be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The incision is 

 made immediately over the sound which can be distinctly 

 felt. This should be made of sufficient size to allow the 

 calculus to be removed without injuring the adjacent tissues. 

 In some cases, when the tissues are lacerated, they become 

 infiltrated with urine and cause considerable trouble fol- 

 lowing the operation. After the removal of the calculus, 

 if any urine is present, it will flow out; should this fail to 

 occur examine further for other calculi by passing the sound 



