DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF THE HORSE 173 
Symptoms. — The principal symptom is the absence of 
the passing of urine. 
Treatment. — Give one ounce (four dessertspoonfuls) 
doses of Sweet Spirits of Nitre three times a day until the 
passage of urine in re-established. Follow with : 
Ground Gentian Root % pound. 
Nitrate of Potash or Saltpetre 54 pound. 
Mix well together and give a teaspoonful in the feed, ' 
three times a day until well. 
The inability to pass urine may be the result of another 
condition. The kidneys may act properly but the water may 
be retained by the bladder. This may result from the fol- 
lowing 
Causes. — Spasms or contraction of the neck of the blad- 
der, calculi or bladder stones working up into the neck of the 
passage may prevent the passage of urine. A horse will 
sometimes hold his water for such a length of time as to 
cause it. This is sometimes the result of being afraid of 
splashing the legs when making water upon the bare floor. 
Symptoms. — There are frequent attempts to urinate or 
make water but without success. The pain is severe, so much 
so as to cause groaning. He stamps his hind feet and be- 
comes very uneasy, sometimes lying down frequently. If the 
affected animal is a male he passes his penis in and out. 
If there be any doubt as to the presence of this condition, 
oil the hand and pass it into the back bowel or rectum. As 
soon as the hand is up to the position of the bladder it is an 
easy matter to ascertain whether the bladder is greatly dis- 
tended with w^ater. 
Treatment. — Should the cause be want of bedding to 
prevent the splashing of the legs shake some straw over the 
floor and give : 
Laudanum 1 ounce or 4 dessertspoonfnU. 
Swret Spirits of Nitrt 1 muicc or 4 desscrtspoonfuU. 
Mix in a pint of water and give as i drench. If after 
half an hour there is not relief and a passage of urine, the 
water should be taken from the bladder with a catheter. 
This is a limber tube made for the purpose. This operation is 
easily performed on the mare. Oil the hand and pass it along 
the floor of the vulva for about four inches ; at this point on 
the under side a small hole can be felt. Sometimes the pass- 
ing of the finger about an inch into thi^ hole catises her to 
