List of fourteen major diseases of the urino-genital system found in animals:- 1. Nephritis 2. Diabetes 3. Renal Calculi 4. Cystitis 5. Uraemia 6. Oxaluria 7. Albuminuria 8. Azoturia 9. Paralysis of the Penis 10. Urethritis 11. Urolithiasis 12. Balanitis 13. Orchitis 14. Strangury.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 1. Nephritis:

It may be Acute and Chronic.

It may be:

1. Parenchymatous which includes tubula and glomerula

2. Interstitial

3. Pyelo or Pyaemic nephritis

4. Arterio-sclerosis of the kidneys.

Etiology:

1. Pathogenic bacteria or their toxins:

In many cases, even in acute form of nephritis, no organisms may be found in the kidneys, and is, therefore, assumed that the affection is due either to toxic products which have been brought from the parts of the body and perhaps from the bowels and in some cases may have been formed by bacterial agents.

In dogs, where chronic, as well as other forms of nephritis are commonly seen, the actual causal agent has not been deter­mined. Sometimes, nephritis has been associated with Distemper, but in large proportion of cases, there is no such connection and it has been sug­gested that the nephritis there is due to the action of toxic products over a long period coming from the protein constituents of the food when the animal is fed on a highly nitrogenous or meat diet.

2. Chemical agents such as cantharidis or oil of Turpentine in quantity and sulpha drugs.

3. Falls, contusions, strains or over-exertion; chills will also act in a same way.

Abscess of the Kidney Secondary

The symptoms of the disease in acute form may be preceded by active congestion and may appear very suddenly.

Symptoms (Acute):

In equines, first symp­toms noted are stiffness of hind limbs, tenderness of loins, arching of back, dull colicky pains and frequent attempts at micturition. Pulse and respi­ration may be somewhat hurried and tempera­ture raised, coat is glossy at first and later may give off smell of urine, specially over mane.

Fre­quently, Oedematous swellings develop at an early stage on dependent parts of the body. Ap­petite is impaired. There is dullness, listlessness and excessive thirst. Vomiting is common in small animals and it may be profuse. Mouth has foetid odour and there may be necrosis and ulceration of mucosa of mouth.

Diagnosis is confirmed from examination of urine. There may be first an in­crease in the quantity passed, but later, there is marked decrease, specially if both kidneys are affected. Urine is smokey and turbid and Sp. Gr. is high. On chemical examination, it is found to contain albumin and on examination of deposits after centrifuging, renal casts and cells may be found. The casts are often granular but may be epithelial, dark in colour is due to blood or its decomposition products. Recovery may take place in a week or two, but the condition is always serious.

Course:

It is always accompanied by loss of condition. A decrease in the amount of albumen in urine is a good sign, so long as it is accompa­nied by increased brightness. Death may occur from Uraemia and is preceded by want of secre­tion of urine. Sometimes, liver changes like fatty degeneration may complicate the condition and death may occur in 3 or 4 days.

A common sequel is subchronic interstitial nephritis, in which case, the animal remains unthrifty and debilitated and continues to pass albumen in the urine. The diag­nosis is made from indefinite alimentary symp­toms, stiffness and tenderness over loins and pres­ence of albumen and casts in the urine.

Treatment:

Object of the treatment is to rest the kidneys and ensure that other organs, skin and bowels take over some of the functions. Keep animal comfortable and rest it. Give saline. Diet should be of laxative nature but not highly ni­trogenous. Give milk and bread, green food and no meat. Give alkaline mixture to bring about removal of fluids from the urine. In uraemic poi­soning, venisection is sometimes useful.

Interstitial or Chronic Nephritis:

Frequently appears as a sequel to acute nephritis. It is common and usually primary in dog (adult) in which it may be a sequel to Distem­per or connected with diet.

Chronic nephritis may be of two forms:

(a) Chronic Parenchymatous nephritis— Dropsy

(b) Chronic Interstitial nephritis—Cardio­vascular changes

Symptoms:

It develops slowly. Animal loses condition and becomes debilitated. In some cases, Oedema of dependent parts is noted. Sometimes, ascites, marked thirst, poor appetite, animal may vomit, stiffness in loins, difficulty in rising. The urine is passed in variable quantity, sometime in very large quantities, specially the urine contains, at first, variable quantity of albumin and casts. As the condition progresses, there is diminution of quantity of urine passed and there may be sup­pression of one or both kidneys.

Sometimes, a form of eczema observed and an odour of urine from the skin. Temperature is normal. Affection may lead to hypertrophy of left ventricle or to dilatation. A form of chronic uraemia is some­times seen in which the expression is haggard, animal takes no interest in its surroundings, be­comes extremely weak and, later, becomes coma­tose.

There is no likelihood of cure but sometimes improvement may result from treatment. Nephritis is most severe when both kidneys are involved. If one kidney is only involved, the other kidney may take on the functions of both and becomes hypertrophied.

Treatment:

Begin with purgative, then fol­low with tonics, parenteral administration of flu­ids containing sodium and calcium salts are rec­ommended. Give milk diet with bread, vegetable, oat meal porridge to dog.

Suppurative Nephritis:

1. Pyaemic Nephritis and

2. Pyelo Nephritis.

1. Pyaemic Nephritis:

Both forms are due to infection with pyogenic organisms. Pyaemic results from blood stream infection in various forms of pyaemia such as Joint-ill, white Scour etc., certain cases of Strangles, B-coli, B-nephritides equi. In this case, both kidneys are affected and become dotted through cortex with numerous small abscesses up to size of pin-head. The condition is invariably fatal and symptoms of nephritis are obscure by those of pyaemia.

There may be some abscess formation which can be recognised externally. Symptoms suggestive of nephritis are those of stiffness in gait and tenderness across the lines. The other symptoms are those of pyaemia. The urine may contain albumen but only a few pus cells at the most.

2. Pyelo nephritis:

Kidneys are invaded by microorganisms and is preceded by Pyelitis. It is same in all domestic animals and may result as a sequel to cystitis. The infection travelling from bladder to pelvis of kidney and then invading medulla. It may also arise from irritation of renal calculi, but most commonly it is noted in cows and there it is usually due to Corynebacteria pyogenes which may be associated with Strepto­cocci, perhaps colon organisms.

Infection usually arises after parturition and there may be a history of retention of foetal membranes. The infection probably reaches the kidney from the vagina through the urethra to bladder and thence along the urethra to the pelvis of the kidney or in the case of cattle, to calyces of kidneys. The disease may affect one or more kidneys and is always most severe where both kidneys are involved. This may also appear as a complication of chronic haematuria.

Symptoms:

It is often noted that animal is not doing well and cow is giving less milk. Urine is passed frequently with straining. It is opaque and may be blood-stained. Sometimes, there is uneasiness, stiffness, tenderness over the loins. On rectal examination in large animals, the kid­neys will be found enlarged, ureters also increased in size.

The temperature varies. The urine is found to contain albumen on chemical examination and on microscopical examination, it contains pus and catarrhal cells and the organisms responsible. The course varies a good deal but is always serious when both kidneys are involved and may lead to emaciation and exhaustion.

Treatment:

Keep animal warm over the loins. The urine is to be rendered acidic by administra­tion of Acid Sodium Phosphate or Sodium Benzoide. Hexamine may be given three times daily. Penicillin is the drug of choice. Procaime penicillin G at the rate of 15,000 I.U/Kg body weight daily for 10 days and there is bright pros­pect of animal recovering. Relapse is not uncom­mon and improvement through antibiotic therapy is only temporary.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 2. Diabetes:

There are two forms of diabetes:

1. Diabetes insipidus also called Polyuria

2. Diabetes mellitus

1. Diabetes Insipidus:

This disease is chiefly seen in horses and may occasionally be noted in Cattle. It consists in the passage of large quantity of urine of low Sp. Gr. This urine contains neither albumen or sugar.

There are various causes:

(a) Dietetic errors such as mouldy oats, mouldy hay.

(b) Excessive use of diuretics such as Pot. Nitras.

(c) It is often noted during the coarse of Glanders and Tuberculosis in horse.

(d) Occasional cases have been suggested as being due to some nervous defect and hormone deficiency. Probably, it is caused due to tumour in pituitary gland.

Symptoms:

Large quantities of urine of light colour of which Sp. Gr. is not greater than 1.002 1.006. Sp. Gr. is the crude method of measuring of renal concentrating function; the modern tech­nique is the measurement of renal osmolality. Renal osmolalities of 300 mosm/kg of urine are in the normal range. The animal is very thirsty and sometimes will drink water with clay, as well as ordinary drinking water.

When severe, the dis­ease causes inability, loss of flesh and sweating even on light exercise. The course varies when it is due to foodstuffs, the condition may disappear rapidly on change of food. But in occasional cases, the condition remains for weeks. If food is the cause, more than one in the study will be affected.

Treatment:

Examine the food and change it. Give laxative and give a course of Pot Iodide. Other agents are Copper Sulph, Ferri Sulph, Sodi Bicarb. Drinking water to be limited.

2. Diabetes Mellitus:

This is a chronic disease in which glucose is excreted in the urine. It has to be distinguished from Glycosuria which is only a temporary presence of glucose in urine. This is a common disease in human beings. It has been met with in the dog, cat, horse, ox and then chiefly in old and adult animals and is said to be more common in males than females.

The original or exciting cause is not known but it has been observed that in the large majority of cases, Islets of Langerhans in the Pancreas have undergone degeneration or fibrosis or have disappeared. As a consequence, there is a lack of its hormone Insulin which is required in Carbohydrate diges­tion. This causes storage of the excess of glucose in the liver as glycogen until wanted and it en­sures that the glucose in the blood will be used up in the muscles as required.

If insulin is not present, glucose is not adequately stored in the liver nor used up and it appears in excess in blood stream and the excess is excreted by the kidneys and appears in urine. An increase of the Carbohydrate content of the diet increases the C/H\O quantity in the urine in this disease.

Glycosuria has also been experimentally produced by the injection of Phloridzin (in glucoside) which acts on certain portions of urine ferrous tubules and glycosuria has been seen resulting from the administration of Morphine, Chloroform, Ether, Strychnine and in certain diseases such as fits, Rabies, Bulbar paralysis, Tetanus. It has been set up by the puncture of the floor of the 4th ven­tricle. Lactose may appear in the urine even in healthy animal during lactation.

Symptoms:

Develop gradually. The animal loses condition, although its appetite is good. There is usually a marked thirst. The animal is easily fatigued on exercise and becomes weak. The temperature is normal. Mucosa may be anaemic.

Urine is passed in large quantity and bay in colour, has a sweetish odour and is of high Sp. Gr. It is found on chemical examination to contain glucose and the proportion varies from 3 to 10%. The animal may last for a variable time— months and even a year. Frequently cataract de­velops in both eyes.

These cataracts are gray in colour, begin at centre and extend outwards until the animal becomes completely blind. Death may occur from Diabetic coma which is a form of Acidosis or Ketosis. In this complication, convul­sions and coma develop.

Diagnosis:

It is made from general symp­toms, i.e. loss of condition and debility although the animal is feeling weak without any apparent cause and from chemical examination of urine. The only tests applied are Fehling’s and fermen­tation.

Fehling’s Test:

Fehling’s reagent is a double solution—No. 1 is a solution of CuSO4 and No. 2 is a solution of NaOH and Antimony Pot. tartarate in water. To the No. 1 solution, an equal quantity of Sodium hydrate solution is added until the blue ppt. is dissolved. It is then heated and the mixture added to some of the urine.

The whole of the mixture is then heated for 2 minutes and put aside for a time. If glucose is present then a yellowish to a reddish ppt. of cuprous oxide is formed.

Fermentation test: It is carried out in a blind tube with yeast and urine incubated for a time. If glucose is present, gas will be formed at the top. If NaOH or KOH be added, CO2 dissolves. In Fehling’s test, the cupric oxide is reduced to cu­prous oxide by the glucose.

There is another test:

Nylander’s Bismuth Test:

Reagent is com­posed of Rochelle salt, NaOH solution and Bis­muth Subnitrate. Boil urine and filter, add 1/10 of its volume of the reagent and heat for 2 or 3 minutes. If sugar is present, a brown or black ppt. will be formed.

Benedict’s Test: Similar

There is fatty liver, thickening and perhaps catarrh of mucosa of duodenum. Changes in Pan­creas which are only determined on microscopic examination during autopsy.

Treatment:

It is not economic in Veterinary practice. The diet should contain only a limited quantity of carbohydrate. Give Insulin hypoder­mically about half an hour before each meal. Actual dose is determined by the consequential freedom of urine from glucose. In acidosis or Ketosis, alkalies have been used. Feed dogs on raw pancreas. Pot. Iodide, Arsenic and, Iron tonics are useful.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 3. Renal Calculi:

They are heavy, usually white or yellowish in colour, frequently rough and ir­regular and when single, is shaped like pelvis of the kidney itself. If they are multiple, they may be smooth from rubbing.

Symptoms:

Calculi are sometimes found on autopsy in kidney without any history of symp­toms having been set up by them. If one kidney is affected, it may undergo pressure atrophy. The other kidney takes up extra function. The most important symptom is that of Renal colic and is due to small calculus or a piece of small calculus passing down ureter and obstructing it.

Symp­toms are those of spasmodic colic and may last for varying time. The urine in this case may become opaque and even contain blood, epithe­lial cells and albumin and occasionally small cal­culi may be passed in urine and seen on ground.

Diagnosis:

It is made from above symptoms and by the use of X-ray. In large animals, rectal examination may reveal the condition.

Treatment:

If condition is diagnosed and symptoms have been set up, surgical removal of calculus—if only one kidney is affected—may be considered and adopted. In renal colic, give seda­tives or hypnotics such as chloral hydras, bella­donna, Hyoscyamous and use of hot applications over loins. Afterwards, give urinary sedatives and alkalies or lethontriptics such as Time. Hyoseyamous, Belladona, Lithium Carbonate or Sodi Bicarb.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 4. Cystitis:

Most commonly catarrhal but may be acute, ulcerative or necrotic.

Etiology:

1. Pathogenic bacteria:

These are usually introduced through the urethra as with a dirty catheter, trauma, late pregnancy, difficult parturi­tion, stagnation of urine and vesical calculus. Cys­titis is a common precursor of Pyelonephritis in bovines. Corynebacterium renale is the causative organism in these cases. E-coli is the most com­mon organism. Bacteria usually enter through the urethra but descending infection from Suppura­tive infection may also occur.

2. Irritants which pass through ureter by way of kidneys.

3. Calculi or Sabulous deposit may not only cause cystitis but develop as a result of cystitis.

Symptoms:

The animal makes frequent at­tempts at micturition, i.e. there is straining, strangury and pain. This straining may be in­creased or brought on when the bladder is exam­ined per rectum. The urine is passed spasmodi­cally and in small drops. If the neck of the bladder is affected, the sphincter is placed in a state of spasms and the passage of urine is accom­plished only with great difficulty. Temperature is raised only in acute cases.

There is often a ten­dency to constipation. The urine is dark and cloudy, may have a very strong odour due to bacterial fermentation and contains a copious sedi­ment. Sp. Gr. is increased. It contains albumin and sediment. Microscopical examination will re­veal presence of catarrhal cells, leucocytes, desquamated epithelial cells. Flakes of fibrin may be seen in diphtheretic form. The condition may be acute or chronic and lasts for a variable time.

Treatment:

Complete rest. Give a laxative and not too highly nitrogenous diet. Allow plenty of water. Sulphonamides and drugs such as Hexamine and Mandelic acid which alter the pH of urine are at best bacteriostatic but is often followed by relapse.

Antibiotics offer the best chance of controlling infection. Determination of the drug sensitivity of the causative bacteria is essential and treatment should continue for a minimum period of 7 days and preferably up to 14 days.

Prognosis:

In chronic cases, the prognosis is poor due to common secondary involvement of the kidney.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 5. Uraemia:

A damaged kidney not only allows materials to escape which it should retain but retains those which it should excrete. When this renal incapac­ity is sufficiently pronounced, it leads to a meta­bolic disaster to which the name of uraemia is given. The term should be limited to those toxaemic stages which complicate or terminate severe kidney disease and in which urea retention and imbalance of salts occur and it is to be re­garded as clinical condition characterised by anaemia, headache, nausea, lethargy, Retinitis, convulsions and coma.

Etiology:

The causes of renal insufficiency and uraemia can be divided into pre-renal and renal groups. Congestive heart failure and acute circulatory failure, either cardiac or peripheral are to be considered as pre-renal. Renal causes in­clude Interstitial nephritis, glomerulonephritis, Pyelonephritis, Embolic nephritis. Uraemia may also occur due to post renal causes, specifically complete obstruction of the urinary tract by vesi­cal or urethral calculus or rarely by bilateral ob­struction.

Symptoms:

1. Cerebral in the acute cases

2. Respiratory in sub-acute cases

3. Gastrointestinal in chronic form.

Each of these types is really nervous in ori­gin. Cerebral type begins with headache, drowsi­ness and twitchings of the head and face follows. Twitching may be aggravated into epileptic form convulsions and the drowsiness may deepen into coma ending in death. Sudden loss of vision.

Generally, the cerebral is rapidly fatal. Respira­tory symptom is the paroxysmal dyspnoea, the pulse quickens during noisy breathing, pupil di­lates, the patient becomes more conscious and restless. The gastro-intestinal symptons are nau­sea, vomiting and diarrhaea.

Treatment:

Unsatisfactory, as the underlying lesion is usually incurable and progressive. But the main indication in the treatment of uraemia is the rapid elimination of the accumulating toxins in every possibly way:

1. Elimination by the bowels.

2. Elimination by the kidney.

3. Elimination by the skin.

4. Elimination by bleeding.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 6. Oxaluria:

It is also called gastric indigestion, dyspepsia.

This condition is brought about by various causes:

1. Defective secretion of gastric juice.

2. Defective muscular power of the stom­ach wall.

3. Defective food materials and improper feeding, particularly those foods containing ex­cessive quantity of indigestible fibres and also badly balanced foods having a too high nitrog­enous ratio.

Symptoms:

Loss of condition, dull and star­ring coat. Unseasiness, subacute colic after feed­ing. Mucous membranes are dull and anaemic. Temperature not affected, pulse is soft and slug­gish, tendency to lick walls, irregularity of the bowels. The urine is yellow and on standing throws down a considerable precipitate. It is very rich in oxalates and particularly calcium oxalates and this factor is responsible for the condition being called Oxaluria by the veterinarians.

Treatment:

Start with mild purgative. Change the diet, which must be nutritious and of digestible character and not too bulky. Better re­sults may be obtained by the use of alkalies and this may be combined with vegetable tonics.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 7. Albuminuria:

Serum albumin appears in urine. It is detected by chemical examination of urine. Nor­mal urine contains no albumin except in rare cases, where a highly albuminous diet is taken or albumin is injected into blood stream.

Etiology:

Some structural disease of the kid­ney, a form of Nephritis. It may also appear in other inflammatory affections of the urinary tract, as well as, nephritis. It may also appear in poison­ing by phosphorus, Carbolic acid gas, lead, ar­senic and mercury without any marked change. It is noted in haematuria and haemoglobinuria, in tetanus, after fatigue, indigestion and in carnivora kept on a diet free from salt.

The presence of nephritis may be confirmed by finding renal casts on microscopic examination while the infections of the bladder—epithelial, catarrhal and pus cells can be recognised. Chronic Albuminuria is some­times called Bright’s disease and is associated with great exhaustion, debility and loss of condi­tion. Albuminuria is thus only a symptom.

Treatment:

Depends on the cause.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 8. Azoturia:

It is also called paralytic haemoglobinuria, also called myoglobinuria. This is a disease of horses which develops when the animal is given exercise or work after a short rest on working diet, in which the chief symptoms are inability from degenerative changes in certain muscles and the excretion of urine which is coloured brown or black. The disease is not only met with in horses but also in mares. If occurs in working horses on a diet rich in carbohydrates who has been rested for a few days—i.e. 2 to 4 days as a rule, rarely as long as 14 days.

The symptoms develop soon after the animal is brought out to work or exer­cise. The actual existing cause is not so well understood or ascertained. According to Carlston, during rest on a diet rich in carbohydrate, there is a considerable increase in the accumulation of glycogen in the muscles which are resting.

On forced exercise, the glycogen is rapidly used up and there is a marked increase in the production of Lactic acid, the removal of which by the blood stream may be somewhat delayed. The lactic acid causes swelling of the muscle fibres, followed by degenerative changes, locomotor inability and passage of myoglobin from the degenerating muscles into the plasma of the blood stream and its excretion in the urine.

It is, therefore, taken that all the colouring matter in the urine in this disease is derived from the affected muscles and is myoglobin or methaemoglobin. The presence of pigment in the urine can be determined accu­rately by Spectrographic examination. The por­phyrins in this disease are the only pigments which fluoresce when illuminated by ultraviolet light.

Symptoms:

As already noted are of acute myopathy. The symptoms appear in working horse when it has been rested. As a rule, for more than a full working diet and when the horse is brought out to work or exercise. Rarely do the symptoms appear in the stable. They develop shortly after it has been put to work usually after half an hour.

Sometimes, it has gone 100 metres, then it suddenly begins to hang back, has a stag­gering or rolling action and becomes lame usually on hind, rarely on forelimb. The joints of the affected limb become flexed because of the inabil­ity; if the animal is not pulled up quickly, it falls and struggles in his attempts to rise.

Sometimes it gets up in front while the joints of the hind limbs remain flexed. There is sweating and blowing. The inability or lameness is due to degenerative changes in certain muscles. The muscles com­monly affected are gluteal, lumbar, crural muscles. If the forelimbs are affected, the pectoral muscles.

These muscles are very prominent and hard, gen­erally hot and later cold. Pulse is very frequent but temperature is not raised. The urine is often retained but of a dark brown or even black colour. A brown deposit of pigment may occur on stand­ing and small quantities are present. In mild cases recovery occurs in a few days.

In severe cases, which recover from the acute affection, atrophy of the affected muscles takes place, inability and even lameness and the animal may take months to recover.

Constipation is frequent, mortality from disease may be up to 40% to 50% and death may occur from:

1. Uraemic poisoning which may arise when the uriniferous tubules become stuffed with myoglobin crystals and the excretion of urine is obstructed. In uraemic poisoning, death is pre­ceded by convulsions and coma and there may be urinous odour from the skin.

2. Hypostatic congestion of the lungs and even pneumonia when the animal is down and unable to rise.

3. Paralysis of the heart due to myocarditis.

Diagnosis:

It is made:

1. From the condition under which the dis­ease arises

2. Sudden lameness and debility which do not pass off rapidly

3. Colour of urine—Spectrographic exami­nation

If a case is not seen in early stages, the urine may have cleared up. In these ways, the disease may be distinguished from injuries and Iliac thrombosis.

Morbid Anatomy:

Apart from discoloration of urine and the presence of some of the colouring matter in the blood plasma, the lesions are con­fined to certain muscles already specified when the condition is seen in early stages, the muscles are found to be pallid and show alternate gray and red blotches and sometimes surrounded by haemorrhage.

On microscopic examination, many of the muscle fibres will be found to have under­gone necrosis, and a form of hyaline degenera­tion. If examined after some weeks, the affected muscles may be decreased in size or largely removed and their places taken up by new con­nective tissue.

Treatment:

The animal should be removed as quickly as possible to a stable on a float, put in a box with soft bed, if unable to rise, care should be taken to change its position frequently or turned to prevent bed sore. If urine is retained, pass the catheter and evacuate.

Then give a pur­gative. If the animal is very restless, give seda­tives and follow with diuretics. Diet should be laxative and easily assimilated. Bran mash, green food, hay and oat meal drinks. Massage of the affected muscles is also very useful. During con­valescence, if atrophy of the muscle occurs, apply massage and then a blister and send the animal to pasture.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 9. Paralysis of the Penis:

Etiology:

It may be the result of an injury causing more or less damage to its nerves or it may be of toxic origin accompanying with some disease such as Influenza in horse.

Symptoms:

The penis hangs inert in front of the hind limbs. Its skin is thrown into transverse.

Prognosis:

It varies according to the cause of the affection when the result of debility or a constitutional disease, it usually disappears when the patient recovers its normal health. When the nerve supply is permanently cut off, the case is hopeless.

Treatment:

Consists in prescribing suitable remedies for the cause of the trouble. Adopt the usual measures for combating paralysis including massage of the retractor penis between the anus and scrotum and electrotherapy.

Incontinence of urine may be seen in very young animals or very old animals due to some nerve affection, paralysis involving spine, the presence of urinary calculi or tumours, rarely due to cystitis. In this condition, urine continues to trickle away, and, as a result, it soils sheath and in front of legs in males. Frequently, there is a very high odour of urine from animals.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 10. Urethritis:

It is not common and may be due to infection from copulation, injury from calculi, catherisation etc.; secondary to metritis in females.

Symptoms:

Frequent and painful micturi­tion, between the acts of urination, drops of catarrhal exudate may drip from the outer open­ing of the urethra. In the male, the free extremity of the penis and urethra become swollen. If the affection becomes chronic, it may lead to stricture of urethra and retention of urine. It may also bring about vaginitis in females or inflammation of sheath in male.

Treatment:

As for cystitis. If frequent erec­tions occur in males anaphrodisiacs are recom­mended.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 11. Urolithiasis:

Urolithiasis is common among castrated male ruminants—Obstruction of ure­thra is characterised by complete retention of urine, unsuccessful attempts to urinate, disten­sion of bladder and may cause urethral perfora­tion and rupture of bladder.

Etiology:

The formation of urinary calculi when urinary solutes—both inorganic and or­ganic—are precipitated out of solution. The inor­ganic precipitates occur as crystals and the or­ganic substances as amorphous deposits. The chemical composition of urethral calculi varies. Calcium, Ammonium and Magnesium carbonate are common constituents of calculi in cattle. The obstruction may occur in any site but is most common at the Sigmoid of lexurs where the ure­thra is narrow. It is rare in horses.

Symptoms:

Urinary calculi are commonly observed at postmortem in normal animals and may appear to cause little or no harm in their lifetime. But in severe cases, there may be com­plete retention of urine and rupture of bladder and perforation of urethra. The animal dies of Uraemia or secondary bacterial infection.

Treatment:

The treatment of obstructive urolithiasis is primarily surgical. The use of agents to relax the urethral muscle and permit the on­ward passage of calculi has not received much attention. Specific relaxants of plain muscle, such as Aminopromazine have given good results in cattle.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 12. Balanitis:

Inflammation of the surface of the free portion of the penis. Condition affects all domestic animals but are most common in ox. The long narrow prepuce of the ox lined by mucosa rich in sebaceous glands favours inflam­mation as does also the fact that the penis is not protruded during urination thus allowing the urine to come in contact with the preputial lining and smegma to accumulate in front of the pas­sage.

So, this is common form of retained smegma urine and sediment crystallising from fermenta­tion of the same. Inflammation with the forma­tion of pus and occlusion of sheath by phimosis followed. Distension of bladder and obstruction of bowels succeed in blocking of the urinary me­atus. Examination of the sheath and per rectum, should, therefore, always be made in complete constipation or urinary retention.

Treatment:

This is surgical. In complete re­tention, perineal section must be done or other­wise the sheath is to be freely incised below and backward in the median line and the sheath thor­oughly clenched with the finger and 2% Pot. permanganate injected.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 13. Orchitis:

Acute inflammation of the testis alone or of the testis and epididymis may occur in males of any species of domestic animals. Among the more common causes of the condition are Urethritis, trauma and tuberculosis. The diseases may be readily recognised by the swelling, ten­derness and heat in the testis.

Treatment:

Support and compression of the, testicle by the use of suspensory bandage. After the testicle has been well-covered with a thick padding of sheath, wadding are of most benefit. Hot poultices should be applied to the scrotum before the application of the bandage used to support the testicle.

At the same time, a smart purge should be administered and the animal must be kept confined and diet limited to gruels, mashes and green fodder in the case of herbivora. After the acute symptoms have subsided, the scrotum may be touched lightly with the actual cauntery at 10 to 12 points. Anti-inflammatory drugs may be administered. If there is much fluid in the scrotum, aseptic aspiration may be per­formed.

Urino-Genital System: Disease # 14. Strangury:

It is that form of dysuria which is painful and spasmodic. The urine is passed in drops or jets.

Anuria, Oliguria and Dysuria:

Total sup­pression of urine is called Anuria. Diminution in the quantity of urine is called Oliguria. Any dif­ficulty of urination is called Dysuria.

The passage of the Catheter:

Catheters used in veterinary practice vary in length and thickness according to species and sex. They must be flexible for males owing to curve of urethra at Ischial arch and, therefore, are often made of elastic material. For the female, the cath­eter may be straight and made of metal. Catheters must always be sterilised before use and well lubricated with vaseline or liquid paraffin or some ataractic drug to make manipulation easier.

In the Horse:

The passage of catheter is easy when the animal is standing. The only restraint necessary being a twitch or holding the forelimbs. Stand at the off or rear side of the animal, insert hand into the sheath and grasp free extra material of penis and gradually draw it forward. This is often resisted for a time.

When penis is with­drawn, it is firmly kept from going back and the free end of catheter is inserted into the urethral process. At the ischial arch, it is often advisable to withdraw the stilette a little in order to render the end more flexible to pass around the arch. It then usually enters the bladder very readily. When the catheter is in the bladder, withdraw the stilette.

In Bull:

A much more finer catheter is re­quired than in the horse. The passage of catheter is more difficult. Firstly, on account of ‘S’-shaped curve formed by the penis behind the scrotum and, secondly, because of the long narrow sheath into which hand cannot be inserted and the muscle with which it is provided.

To pass the catheter it may be necessary to cast the animal and even general anaesthesia may be necessary. Spinal anaesthesia is recommended. Once the penis has been removed from the sheath, the ‘S’- shaped curve is obliterated and the catheter is readily passed.

In the Ram and Boars:

The passing of cath­eter is impossible because of inaccessibility of the penis and small diameter of the urethra.

In the Dog:

The catheter may be passed when the animal is standing or on its sides. The penis is readily manipulated from sheath but care is required in selecting a catheter which is small enough to pass through the groove in the Os-penis.

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