164 CLINICAL VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



When returned to its owner a fortnight after the second operation it 

 was almost completel}- cured. 



When, however, pericarditis in the dog results from tuberculosis, 

 or has given rise to local or visceral lesions of a more or less per- 

 manent character, the results of tapping the pericardium are seldom as 

 successful as in the above case. But in certain forms of pericarditis 

 which develop slowly, rapid cure is possible even when the condition 

 has existed for a comparativel}- long time. The following case bears 

 witness to this. 



During August, i8g6, a four-year-old setter, which had been ill for 

 nearly six weeks, was brought for examination. Though usually very 

 bright and affectionate, this dog had become dull, had kept out of sight 

 and remained continually lying down, while it scarcely touched food. 

 On the few occasions when it accompanied its master, walking 

 was followed by loss of breath, which forced it to stop, gasping for 

 breath. 



When brought here its emaciated state and enlarged abdomen at 

 once arrested attention. Palpation of the abdomen revealed the 

 presence of a large quantity of ascitic exudate. The respiration was 

 rapid and painful, inspiration being slow and prolonged, expiration 

 rapid. On auscultation the vesicular murmur was almost normal in 

 the upper parts of both pulmonary lobes, but absent in the lower. On 

 applying the hand to the left thoracic wall, over the cardiac region the 

 iieart's impulse could not be felt, and on auscultation both normal 

 sounds were very feeble and difficult to detect. Percussion showed the 

 zone of cardiac dulness to be much more extensi\-e in front, towards the 

 back, and in an upward direction than normal. The limits of this dull 

 zone were practically the same whether percussion were performed with 

 the animal in the ordinary standing position, lifted by its fore-limbs, 

 or allowed to stand on its hind. The pulse was rapid, very feeble, 

 and irregular. Both jugulars showed a marked venous pulse, especiall}- 

 in their lower portions. The pulse was 120, the respirations thirty-six 

 per minute ; the temperature 39" C. (i02'2° F.). I diagnosed the 

 condition as pericarditis, probably of tuberculous character complicated 

 with ascites. Injection of tuberculin produced no reaction. 



On the third day I successively performed, under antiseptic pre- 

 cautions, puncture of the abdomen and of the pericardium, using an 

 aspirator. I slowl}- withdrew from the abdomen nearly three pints of 

 a greyish serous fluid, and from the pericardium twelve fluid ounces 

 of a similar liquid. A part of the left thoracic wall, as large as the 

 palm of a man's hand, over the heart region, was rubbed with anti- 



