128 The Management and Diseases of the Dog. 
from local or general paralysis, the result of spinal injury, 
or other and debilitating diseases. 
Many dogs, from habits of cleanliness, will not urinate 
except out of doors, an illustration of which has already 
been given in the section on “Cystitis.” The muscular 
coat of the bladder being thus overstretched, and the strain 
on it prolonged, it becomes paralysed. So that when 
liberty is accorded to the animal, the evacuation cannot 
take place, and unless speedy assistance is rendered, serious 
mischief will ensue. 
Treatment.—This consists in frequently relieving the 
bladder with the catheter, but for reasons previously 
observed, in retention of urine the whole contents should 
not at first be removed. We must then endeavour to impart 
tone to the system by the administration of tonics. The 
best agents for the purpose are strychnine or nux vomica, 
alone or combined with iron. Counter-irritation to the 
perinzeum is sometimes serviceable. 
The diet should be chiefly liquid, nourishing and muci- 
laginous, : 
