390 DISEASES OF THE URINARY APPARATUS. 



calcareous drinking-water, or food too rich in lime, salts, and mag- 

 nesia (bran), or also in protein (formation of uric acid), etc. ; some- 

 times they are the result of a formation of insoluble ammoniaco- 

 magnesium phosphate (tribasic phosphate) at the time of the urinary 

 stagnation, accompanied by a decomposition of the urine in the 

 bladder (retention of urine, cystitis). 



As to their chemical composition the urinary calculi of herbiv- 

 orous animals are generally carbouates (more rarely oxalates and 

 silicates) ; in carnivorous animals we observe principally the urates 

 (sometimes the oxalates and cystin calculi) ; in the omnivora we 

 find oxalates and carbonates. Lastly, in all animals we may recog- 

 nize phosphatic calculi (ammoniaco-magnesium phosphate) when 

 the urine is retained in the bladder and becomes decomposed 

 there. 



Symptoms. The retention of urine is shown either by the 

 absolute suppression of micturition (ischuria, anuria), or by incom- 

 plete and painful micturitions, or again by the running off of the 

 urine drop by drop (dysuria, oliguria, and strangury). In very 

 sensitive animals (horse and dog) the accumulation of urine in the 

 bladder rapidly produces symptoms of pain and alarm, while in 

 the "indolent ruminants,'^ particularly the ox, days may pass 

 before the appearance of fairly characteristic symptoms. The 

 horse and dog present from the very first symptoms of colic 

 (urinous colics) ; they stretch themselves frequently as if trying to 

 effect micturition, the posterior members are spread, the penis is 

 out of the sheath, etc. In the ox and the sheep these colics are 

 almost always wanting and pass unobserved ; but we notice peri- 

 staltic movements along the perineum ; the litter is less damp than 

 usual, and the hair surrounding the opening of the sheath is dry. 

 Abdominal or rectal palpation enables us to recognize the ful- 

 ness of the bladder, except when this organ is already ruptured ; 

 we may also be able to recognize the obstacle preventing the flow 

 of the urine (calculus, neoformation, etc.) : the minute examination 

 of the urethral canal and the catheterizing of the bladder some- 

 times furnish very precise information. The animals are sad and 

 apathetic, the appetite has disappeared, the pulse is accelerated ; at 

 certain moments there are profuse sweating spells. 



When at this stage, if the obstacle to the flow of the urine is 

 not removed, the symptoms are aggravated : or the bladder becomes 

 ruptured, the urine runs off into the abdominal cavity and pro- 



