STRANGURY
—is a temporary suppression of urine in horses, brought on more by the indiscretion of their riders or drivers, than any morbid affection, or constitutional defect in the horse. It may proceed from a spasmodic stricture upon the sphincter, or the neck of the bladder, occasioned by a too long retention of urine; in continuing an immoderate length of time on the road, or in the field, during which the distrest animal has no opportunity to stale; as well as from a slight inflammation, or tendency to tumefaction, in the kidnies; likewise from calculous concretions in the bladder, jaggy particles of which may irritate, and painfully plug up the urinary passages. Some horses feel great pain when labouring under the suppression, which, when judiciously managed, seldom proves more than a temporary inconvenience. Instantaneous bleeding will sometimes, by unloading the vessels, take off the stricture, and produce instantaneous effect. If the horse is perpetually straining to stale, evacuating only a few drops, or partial dribblings, two or three cloves of a separated onion, or divided garlic, may be insinuated, and left within each side of the sheath; in addition to which, a large sponge, dipt in very warm water, and repeatedly applied to the neighbouring parts, will assist; those local applications proving salutary and expeditious substitutes for the more tedious process of medicine internally administered. In cases of long continuance, and increasing emergency, more commanding means must be adopted; of which DIURETIC BALLS, with a drachm of camphire, and a few grains of opium incorporated with each, and periodically repeated, will be found to answer the most sanguine expectation.