224 THE HORSE IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 



may close the opening of the penis so as to interfere with the escape 

 of urine. The important symptom is inabihty to urinate even when 

 frequent efforts are made to do so. If standing, the animal stretches 

 out and violently strains, but either can pass no urine at all or only 

 a few drops. The pain caused by the distention of the bladder 

 walls is evidenced by groaning. By palpation through the walls 

 of the rectum the greatly distended bladder can be felt. In the 

 mare pressure upon it causes the urine to flow out in a stream. 

 The bladder of the staUion or gelding can be emptied only by use 

 of the catheter. Where tumors or other mechanical objects press 

 upon the urethra the only permanent relief is to completely remove 

 the obstructions. If the sheath is foul from an accumulation of 

 dirt and smegma, it should be carefully washed with warm water 

 and castile soap and then greased with vaselin. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS 



Nephritis is a rare disease in the horse. The reason for men- 

 tioning it in this work is to emphasize the fact that many times 

 errors are made in diagnosis, and diseases originating or located 

 elsewhere are referred to the kidneys. Soreness in the muscles of 

 the loin from overexertion or exposure to cold is commonly diag- 

 nosed as nephritis, because the animal exhibits tenderness when 

 pinched. If the temperature is elevated, the urine abnormal in 

 quantity or quality, and the legs swollen, there is a greater cer- 

 tainty that the kidneys are inflamed. In this event they should 

 be relieved from work by eliminating waste products through the 

 alimentary tract and skin. 



STERILITY AND BARRENNESS 



Sterility is the term used to denote the inability of the stallion 

 to procreate or beget. We can no more than mention some of the 

 possible causes. These are congenital defects and malforma- 

 tions, the commonest of which is cryptorchidy, when both testicles 

 are retained within the abdominal cavity ; infestation of the testicle 

 with round-worms, which in one case observed by us resulted in 

 enlargement of the organ to ten times the normal size; acquired 

 affections caused by tumors, injuries, constitutional and infectious 

 diseases; idleness resulting in excessive fatness; masturbation, and 

 finally overwork in the stud. 



