THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 23 



A long-continued anemia of the stomach results in 

 atrophy of its walls. An anemic stomach is pale, flabby, 

 and bloodless. 



Gastric anemia results in improper digestion, which 

 ultimately leads to emaciation and possibly to other 

 disturbances of the animal body. 



Hemorrhage (Hematemesis) 



Etiology Hemorrhage of the stomach, or hematemesis 

 is the result of erosion of blood vessels due to diseased pro- 

 cesses, traumatisms, and caustics. Hog cholera is the 

 most frequent cause of gastric hemorrhages in hogs. 



Petechial hemorrhage into the walls of the stomach 

 is associated with various infective diseases. 



Lesions. Erosion or laceration of the blood vessels 

 plus an accumulation of blood in the stomach or dis- 

 charged from the stomach, are associated with gastric 

 hemorrhage. The hydrochloric acid of the gastric juice, 

 acting upon the blood, forms a clot, and also changes the 

 color of the blood. As a rule the extravasation is con- 

 verted into masses, which are of about the same size 

 and color as roasted coffee beans. If the escaped blood 

 from the stomach passes on through the intestine it will 

 remain firmly clotted in coffee-bean masses. These 

 masses characterize gastric hemorrhage and serve to 

 distinguish gastric from intestinal hemorrhage. 



Symptoms. Gastric hemorrhage is evidenced by a 

 pale mucous membrane and the escape of non-frothy, 

 black, and more or less coagulated masses of blood from 

 the mouth. 



Peptic Ulcers 



Peptic ulcers are rarely observed in swine, but when 

 they occur are usually near the pyloric end of the stomach. 



Etiology. The cause of pep tic ulcer is by some thought 

 due to thrombotic formation; it may be due to the action 

 of gastric juice upon anemic areas of the stomach. 



