Special report on diseases of cattleUnited States. Bureau of Animal Industry
Science
Special report on diseases of cattle
United States. Bureau of Animal Industry
Cattle -- Diseases
Stone in the bladder may be of any size, but in the ox does not usually
exceed half an inch in diameter. There may, however, be a number of small
calculi; indeed, they are sometimes so small and numerous as to form a
small, pulpy magma by which the bladder is considerably distended.
_Symptoms._--The symptoms of stone in the bladder may be absent until one
of the masses escapes into the urethra, but when this occurs the escape of
urine is prevented, or it is allowed to pass in drops or driblets only, and
the effect of such obstruction becomes manifest. The point of obstruction
is not always the same, but it is most frequently at the S-shaped curve of
the penis, just above the testicles or scrotum. In cows and heifers the
urethra is so short and becomes so widely dilated during the urination that
the calculi easily escape in the flow of liquid and dangerous symptoms
practically never appear.
Even in the male the signs of illness are at first very slight. A close
observer may notice the cylinders of hard, earthy materials encircling the
tufts of hair at the opening of the prepuce. It may further be observed
that the stall remains dry and that the animal has not been seen to pass
water when out of doors. The tail may at times be gently raised and
contractions of the muscle (accelerator urinÊ) beneath the anus (Pl. IX,
fig. 2) may take place in a rhythmical or pulsating manner. As a rule,
however, no symptom is noticed for two days, only the animal is lacking in
his usual spirits. By this time the constantly accumulating urine has
distended the bladder beyond its power of resistance and a rupture occurs,
allowing the urine to escape into the cavity of the abdomen. Then dullness
increases; the animal lies down most of his time; he becomes stupid and
sometimes drowsy, with reddish-brown congestion of the lining membrane of
the eyelids; pressure on the abdomen causes pain, flinching, and perhaps
groaning, and the lowest part of the belly fluctuates more and more as the
escaping urine accumulates in greater and greater amount. If at this stage
the oiled hand is introduced into the rectum (last gut), the animal
flinches when pressure is made downward on the floor of the pelvis, and no
round, distended bladder is felt. If the same examination is made prior to
the rupture, the rounded, tense, elastic bladder is felt extending forward
into the abdomen, containing one or two gallons of liquid. There may be
uneasy shifting of the hind limbs and twisting of the tail, also frequent
lying down and rising, but these symptoms are exceptional.
When the obstruction is low down between the thighs (at the S-shaped
flexure), the line of the pulsating urethra from the anus downward may be
felt distended with liquid, and though, by the hard swelling of the
urethra, it is seldom easy to distinguish the exact seat of the stone, yet
there is usually tenderness at the point of obstruction, and from this it
may be accurately located.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account