220 Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



of blood may be so slight as to be detected only with the aid of the 

 microscope. It is generally increased with exercise. 



Micturition becomes frequent and the animal manifests a con- 

 stant tendency to lick the genitals, particularly at the end of mic- 

 turition. 



Treatment. If there is reasonable suspicion of the existence of 

 deposits an explorative celiotomy is justified. If the latter has a 

 negative result, it is without serious consequences, while if it has 

 a positive one, a cure may be affected by further operative measures. 

 If on exploration the kidney is found to be healthy and showing no 

 signs of dilation or hydronephrosis, nephrolithotomy, or incision 

 of the organ and extraction of the calculus must be undertakfen, 

 but if on the other hand it should prove to be atrophied or hydro- 

 nephrotic, or complete removal of contained calculi is obviously 

 impossible, nephrectomy or complete extirpation is indicated, pro- 

 vided the opposite gland is in functioning order. 



The presence of caculi in the kidney may be detected in some 

 cases by palpation of the organ. Tuffier found it possible to detect 

 them by palpation over the hilus. Failing in this, Lequeu recom- 

 mends acupuncture with a needle, the point of which, coming in con- 

 tact with a deposit conveys sufficient sensation for purpose of diag- 

 nosis. Thomassen practised nephrolithotomy for the removal of 

 calculi artificially produced, with perfect results and with rapid 

 recovery of the animal. 



In order to correct the lithemia or local conditions which give 

 rise to calculous formation and to prevent their recurrence a course 

 of medication and special dieting should be adopted. If the case 

 is one of acid lithiasis the administration of alkalies and diuretics 

 is indicated as well as withdrawal of meat. A diet of bread, milk, 

 and eggs is suitable. Alkaline or catarrhal lithiasis is also to be 

 treated with a milk diet supplemented with administration of mineral 

 acids and nux vomica. But in spite of medicinal treatment the so- 

 called urolithic habit will often persist and subject the animal to the 

 necessity of undergoing repeated operations, particularly in the 

 case of impacted urethral calculi. 



NEOPLASMS. 



The kidneys are rarely the seat of neoplastic formation. The 

 cystic conditions known as hydronephrosis and pyonephrosis oc- 



