Azoturia — Difficult Urinating 403 
potash in dram doses three times daily in place of the 
bromide may be given. During the early stages of the 
disease no food should be allowed, but after a day or two 
thin bran gruels and a little hay may be offered. If the 
horse is down, he should be turned every twelve hours. 
Recovery comes slowly; in the meantime tonic medi- 
cines should be given, such as powdered nux vomica in 
one-dram doses three times daily. It is usually neces- 
sary to draw the urine with a catheter. In some cases 
there is lameness and a dragging of the leg that per- 
sists for some time, but finally disappears 
RETENTION OF URINE 
Diseases of the urinary system are not common in 
the lower animals. One that is popularly supposed to 
be rather frequent is inability to pass urine. It is com- 
mon to see a horse stand stretched out as if to pass 
urive, and not be able do so. This symptom is often 
associated with colic, and is one of the most common 
symptoms of indigestion. In spasmodic colic, when the 
cramps cease the horse often passes some urine, but the 
retention of urine is rarely the cause of the cramps. 
In all cases in which inability to pass urine is suspected, 
medicines that will increase the amount of urine, such 
as spirits of niter and saltpeter, should be avoided. 
Horses often refuse to pass urine on the street 
or hard floor or while in the harness, and will often 
retain it until it causes uneasiness. In such eases, if 
led on a pile of straw or other similar material, the 
animal will pass the urine voluntarily. When it is 
