66 
LITHOTOMY IN THE HORSE. 
the notice of the veterinary surgeon, that I think an ac- 
count of a case which has lately been under my care may 
not be uninteresting to your readers. 
A thorough-bred bay gelding, which had been used as a 
hunter, the property of a gentleman, was recently admitted into 
the hospital. The symptoms, as described by the owner, were 
frequent staling, a gradual wasting away of flesh, and, after vio- 
lent exercise in the hunting field, the passing of a quantity of 
blood with the urine. Upon an examination being made per 
rectum, the bladder having been previously emptied, a calculus 
about the size of a walnut, could be distinctly felt within the 
viscus. The owner was recommended not to incur the risk of 
an operation, if he could get a fair price for the horse ; and he 
was accordingly offered for sale by public auction, but was 
bought in. It was then decided to perform lithotomy, and 
the horse having been prepared for the operation, was cast, 
and secured on his back in the usual way. The penis was 
then drawn forward with some little difficulty, and the staff’ 
was passed along the urethra up to the sub-anal portion of 
the canal, where it could be distinctly felt. It was then cut 
down upon, very little hemorrhage taking place, and the 
forceps being introduced into the bladder, the stone was im- 
mediately grasped, but unfortunately in attempting to draw 
it out it was crushed ; however the greater part being re- 
moved by the forceps, the remainder was easily washed away 
by means of a syringe and warm water. The removal of the 
whole of the calculus being effected, the external wound was 
brought together with two sutures, and the horse allowed to 
get up. 
After the operation, some urine was passed through the 
wound for a few days, and subsequently considerable oedema 
came on of the sheath, but which was relieved by being re- 
peatedly douched with cold water. About a fortnight after 
the operation, an abscess formed in the sheath ; it was, how- 
ever, not attended w ith any untoward consequences. Besides 
the continued use of cold water to the parts, the animal had 
occasional doses of Bal. Copaibae given him. He continued, 
from the period of the evacuation of the abscess, to improve 
in condition ; the w r ound in the urethra soon became per- 
fectly healed, and the oedema of the sheath w as likewise en- 
tirely removed, when he was discharged from the hospital. 
Under such favorable circumstances as these, I hope soon 
to have the pleasure of seeing his owmer riding him again to 
the hounds. 
