URETHRAL SURGERY IN HORSES

In horses, the urethra is nor a site that commonly requires surgical t reatment. Occasionally, surgery is indicated to resolve disease of the urethra, and some urinary tract disorders may require surgical manipu lation of the urethra.This article discusses the major indications for urethral surgery in male and female horses. The urethral process in m ale horses can be affected with locally invasive disease, such as squa mous cell carcinoma or cutaneous habronemiasis. These disorders may re quire amputation of the urethral process. Surgery of the penile urethr a is indicated to treat urolithiasis; depending on the location of the calculus, the urethra can be readily accessible at distal penile and perineal locations. In male horses, a perineal urethrotomy can be conv erted to a urethrostomy for permanent diversion of urine flow. Surgery of the urethra in female horses is indicated less frequently than in males. Primary lesions of the female urethra are rare, and surgical tr eatment of this structure is most often associated with abnormalities of the urinary tract. Manual and surgical dilation of the urethra in m ares can facilitate the removal of urinary calculi. In some mares, a m ucosal extension of the urethra is necessary to provide a more caudal exit for urine and to reduce abnormal accumulation of urine in the vag inal vestibule.