DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 119 



length of the trochar will allow. On withdrawing the 

 trochar the gases will usually escape until the distention 

 nearly or quite disappears. The animal immediately 

 becomes easy, and will frequently remain so. If you do 

 not succeed in striking the gases at A in the above 

 figure, a puncture should be made at B, in the floor of 

 the abdomen. I have never seen any bad result from 

 this operation, except the occasional formation of an 

 abscess on the side, which is easily cured. Give the pa- 

 tient no food for 24 hours, and then very sparingly. 

 Allow plenty of water to drink. 



SPASMODIC COLIC. 



Causes. This form of colic is produced by spasm of 

 a portion of the intestine. It is frequently caused by 

 the animal taking too large a quantity of indigestible 

 food, as the straw used for bedding, &c., or a large 

 quantity of cold water when^n a heated condition; also 

 by exposure to cold rains, over-driving for long distan- 

 ces, etc. 



Symptoms. A notable fact is that the pains come 

 and go at short intervals. The intermissions will vary in 

 all cases, sometimes being only a minute or two ; at 

 other times the animal may enjoy a rest of at least 15 

 minutes, when the pains will suddenly come again. 

 The pain is rarely continuous in the early stage of the 

 disease. The presence of pain is shown by the animal 

 pawing, lying down, and in some cases kicking around 

 violently, rolling over, etc. There is great uneasiness 

 generally. As the disease progresses the intermissions 

 between the pains become shorter and shorter until 

 pain becomes continuous. The animal often makes fre- 



