INFLAMMATION OF THE PROSTATE. 181 



DISEASES OP THE PROSTATE. 



Inflammation of the Prostate. 

 {Prostatitis.) 



This disease appears in both acute and chronic forms; the causes 

 have not been sufficiently investigated up to the present date to 

 state positively what is the exciting cause of the disease. 



The acute form is rare and causes the animal to show evidence 

 of great pain when either urine or feces are passed. In cases 

 where there is great enlargement of the prostate the animal may 

 hold the feces back by not putting any pressure on the abdominal 

 muscles or may retain the urine. On making an examination of 

 the gland, by introducing the finger, well lubricated, into the rec- 

 tum, we find it very much enlarged and hot and painful to the 

 touch. The animal shows great pain during catheterization when 

 the instrument passes the prostate. 



The terminations of this acute condition are as follows: The 



. prostate may break down completely and cause death, or it may 



assume the chronic form and ultimately form abscesses which break 



through into the bladder, the urethra, or the intestines, and in very 



rare cases into the coanective tissue of the pelvis. 



Therapeutics. This consists in giving the animal small quan- 

 tities of non-irritating food, cold clysters, and cold applications to 

 the perineum; also the frequent passage of the catheter to prevent 

 the stagnation of the urine in the bladder ; and also the adminis- 

 tration of saline purgatives, such as sulphate of magnesium, Carls- 

 bad salt, etc. When pus has formed, which can be determined 

 by a digital examination per rectum, introduce a speculum into 

 the rectum and cut down on the fluctuation by means of a sharp- 

 pointed bistoury. The hemorrhage which follows is very slight, 

 and no attention should be paid to it. Where the swelling ex- 

 tends to the perineum and distends it the author has cut down 

 from there and evacuated the sac. 



Chronic prostatitis (Hypertrophy) is the form of the disease 

 most frequently seen, and develops from the acute form, or in the 

 majority of cases starts in the onset as the chronic form. It is a 

 common disease in old dogs, and is indicated by a hypertrophy of 

 the whole organ; as a rule, one side of the gland is larger than the 



