248 Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



that of a female in the act of micturition, and makes frequent but 

 generally ineffectual attempts to urinate, though it is quite common 

 for a few drops of urine to be passed. Palpation reveals the ure- 

 thra above the penial bone distended. The bladder is also some- 

 what distended though not extremely so, but it is hard and painful. 

 On passing a catheter or probe, its passage is arrested at the seat 

 of lodgment of the body, and a sensation of something hard is con- 

 veyed to the touch. Unless relief is given the animal shows signs 

 of uremic poisoning in a very few hours. It becomes indifferent 

 and stupid, lies on its side and moans if disturbed. Finally con- 

 vulsions take place prior to death. 



Treatment. An animal received in this condition may be in 

 considerable danger either through rupture from over-distension of 

 the bladder or from hydronephrosis. Should the former lesion be 

 deemed imminent, no time must be lost in giving relief by puncture 

 of the bladder. The obstruction is next removed by the operation 

 of urethrolithotomy. 



It must not be forgotten that the "uroHthic habit" may subject 

 the animal to the necessity of undergoing supplementary and re- 

 peated operations in cases of impaction of the urethra. Siedam- 

 grotzky mentions relieving an animal by operative measures, which, 

 however, died later from the second impaction at the neck of the 

 bladder. Pecus treated a case, where, after operating on the first 

 occasion, a second impaction took place fifteen days later. After 

 that he allowed the urine to permanently find escape by fistulous 

 tract through the surgical wound. The successful outcome of this 

 expedient suggests the advisability of its adoption in all such re- 

 curring cases. Furthermore, the "urolithic habit" may be the cause 

 of calculous formation in the higher portions of the tract at no dis- 

 tant date, so that a gtiarded progfnosis is always in order. 



Parasitic Obstruction. The giant Eustrongyle in its passage 

 from the kidney has been known to enter the urethra. Here its 

 further progress is usually arrested by the penial bone, whereupon 

 it perforates the wall and lodges in the surrounding connective tissue 

 producing rapid formation of a swelling the size of a fist in the 

 perineal region immediately posterior to the testes. Leblanc saw 

 three cases of this nature. In one instance observed by Lacoste 

 the worm was expelled by the urethral tract, the host suffering 

 acute pain. 



