232 Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



wounded the bladder in various ways (by instruments and bullets) 

 allowing urine and blood to escape into the peritoneal cavity, closed 

 the abdominal wall, reopened it several hours later, restored the 

 continuity of the parts, cleaned the cavity, and again closed the wall. 

 The following conclusions were reached: Solutions of continuity 

 of the bladder wall are capable of reunion by first intention if prop- 

 erly sutured, and even spontaneously in exceptional cases. Rupture 

 of the organ in half its extent heals very well. The chances of re- 

 covery are very good if suturing be practiced from six to twelve 

 hours after perforation with extravasation of blood and urine. They 

 diminish as the time increases and if suturing be undertaken twenty- 

 four hours later it is useless, the animal dying from the lethal effect 

 of the absorbed urine rather than from peritonitis. Nevertheless, 

 if the urinary intoxication is not pronounced the operation should 

 be proceeded with at any stage. A vigorous dog will survive forty- 

 eight hours.. If drainage exists, as may take place through an ab- 

 dominal wound, life will be prolonged over this period, and it is 

 conceivable that spontaneous repair might thereby ensue. 



Simple wounds are treated by celiotomy and simple cystor- 

 raphy. Severe wounds involving less of the tissue may be remedied 

 by resection. 



CYSTITIS. 



Inflammation of the bladder is an infective process caused by 

 the activity of bacteria which gain access to the organ by way of 

 the genito-urinary tract, the peritoneal cavity, or the blood stream. 

 Thus, it may be produced by septic catheterization, by extension of 

 inflammatory diseases of continuous or contiguous organs (nephri- 

 tis, urethritis, vaginitis, pyelitis, peritonitis), and by stagnation of 

 urine resulting from causes of a mechanical nature (prostatic en- 

 largements, urethral calculi). It has also been known to follow 

 prolonged retention of urine in instances where animals have been 

 kept in crates for lengthy periods. Other factors are the ingestion 

 of substances irritating to the mucosa of the urinary tract (can- 

 tharides and turpentine preparations) and causes of a traumatic 

 nature, such as wounds and the irritation of calculi. The disease 

 occurs in both acute and chronic forms. In most cases the former 

 develops as a complication of nephritis. The mucosa becomes 

 swollen and highly injected and sometimes hemorrhagic. In severe 



