PREVENTION, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT 



265 



and perhaps He's down. Stone is much less frequent in females 

 than males, but mares are often troubled with a sandy deposit in 

 the bladder. Incontinence is another common symptom of stone, 

 m which the skin of the thighs and legs becomes much irritated 

 owing to constant dribbling of urine. The presence of stone may 

 be positively determined by examination of • the empty bladder 

 through the rectum, after the latter has been washed out by enema. 

 This may be done with the animal standing or cast. 



In the mare, vesical stone may be removed by passing a" spoon- 

 bill, curved forceps- (boiled, warm, and anointed with sterile oil), 

 into the bladder' on the "finger as a guide introduced into the urethra. 

 The other hand should be placed in the rectum to facilitate removal. 

 Daily washing of the bladder with warm 2 per cent: boric acid 

 solution should follow, if cystitis is marked. Crushing of the stone 

 may be required if it is of large size. 



In the male, perineal section must be done. The horse should 

 be cast on the side or back and chloroformed. Then, with a catheter 

 passed into the bladder as a guide, a median incision in the perineum 

 is carried through the urethra. The stone is removed by forceps 

 through the incision in the membranous urethra. The bladder" is 

 washed with warm, boric acid solution and the Wound closed by 

 stitches. 



In human surgery drainage through the perineum for ' a few 

 days is always indicated, to drain the bladder and thus relieve the 

 cystitis, but with the' surroundings inevitable to veterinary practice 

 it is probable that increased infection would be caused' by this 

 procedure. 



No drug will dissolve or rernove stone irt the body. In renal 

 colic, the use of morphine and atropine under the skin may relieve 

 spasm and allow the stone to pass into the bladder. In dogs, lycetol 

 (gr. V) in capsules thrice daily may prevent calculus". Hard water 

 is prone to cause stone in horses. Moderate diet, plenty of exercise 

 and water "are the most useful measures in preventing calculus. 



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