THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XXVIII, 
No. 327. 
MARCH, 1855. 
Fourth Series, 
No. 3. 
Communications and Cases. 
A CASE OF CYSTIC CALCULUS IN THE HORSE. 
LITHOTOMY SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED. 
By Charles Spooner, Esq., Principal Professor, Royal 
Veterinary College. 
The animal was the property of S. Delf, Esq., S waff ham, 
Norfolk. He was strongly built, very active as a hunter, six 
years old, and about fifteen hands high. 
He was admitted into the College Infirmary on the 10th 
November, 1853, previously to which he had been under the 
care of Mr. C. Carter, veterinary surgeon, Swaffham, and had 
also been examined by Mr. D. Sayer, veterinary surgeon, 
Norwich ; both of whom gave it as their opinion that a cal- 
culus existed in the bladder. 
At the time of admission there were present only slight in- 
dications of irritation existing in the urinary organs ; the 
urine, however, on its being examined both chemically and 
microscopically, was found to be loaded with carbonate of 
lime. 
After the horse had been allowed a few days’ rest, a care- 
ful examination was made by me, which fully confirmed the 
diagnosis previously arrived at, and with this my colleagues 
agreed. Directions were given to prepare him for the opera- 
tion of lithotomy, by restricting the diet to mashes and ad- 
ministering an aperient occasionally. As the animal was in 
high condition, it was not deemed advisable to operate before 
the 25 th November. 
The animal being cast, was secured after the manner usually 
adopted for castration, care being especially taken that the 
hind legs were brought well forward and firmly fixed in an 
abducted position. When properly secured, two sponges, 
xxvm. 16 
