ACUTE PERITONITIS IN SOEIPEDS. 



Susceptibility to pyogenic bacteria, infection simple or complex. Trau- 

 matic injnries : accidental, omphalitis, operations, strangulation, wounds 

 in rectum or vagina, coition, hernia, castration of mare, or horse, infected 

 from 2d to 6th day, later granulation protects, ruptured stomach, perforating 

 ulcer, perforation of parturient womb, ruptured abscess, microbes in circu- 

 lation, debilit}-. Sjmiptoms : trauma with spreading swelling, oedema, 

 tenderness, stiffness, arched back, tucked up abdomen, fever, prostration, 

 colics, careful decubitus and rising, tense tender belly, ridge along flank, 

 breathing short, inspirations catching, straddles, steps short, costive or 

 later diarrhoea, enuresis, abdomen fluctuates, death in i to 8 days. With 

 ruptured stomach or intestine prostration extreme, collapse, vomiting. 

 Resolution. Ascites. Diagnosis : trauma, gastric or intestinal lesion, 

 followed by specific symptoms. Lesions : trauma, rupture and escape of 

 ingesta, congestion, ecchj-moses, false membranes, adhesions, liquid effusion, 

 bloody, pink, or straw colored, albuminous, fibrinous, granules, cells, salts, 

 bacteria, pus, fcetor, bowels tympanitic, later fibrous bands, strangulations, 

 degenerations. Prevention : fatal in solipeds, avoid abdominal congestions, 

 inflammations, traumas, infections, accumulation of serum, blood, etc., 

 also debility, ill-health, chill. Treatment : old methods, by anodynes and 

 checking peristalsis. Modern method : antisepsis, iodoform, carbolic acid, 

 mercuric chloride, irrigation with boiled water, drainage ; internally, sa- 

 line laxatives, eliminates from bowels, blood, peritoneum, favoring 

 phagocytosis, and innervation, antiseptics, sodium salicylate, chloral hy- 

 drate, morphia, enemata, hot fomentations, or ice, in suppuration drainage 

 and washing with normal salt solution at body temperature, derivatives, 

 laparotomy, puncture in tympany. 



Causes. Solipeds are especially subject to peritonitis in its 

 acute and dangerous forms largely becau.se this class of animals 

 is preeminently obnoxious to the attacks of pyogenic bacteria. 

 The di.sease may however be dependent on a great varietj^ of 

 different organisms, and these ma}^ cau.se different forms through 

 invasion by one specific microbe or by a complex invasion. It is 

 convenient to note the different channels of invasion. 



a. Traumatic injuries. Wounds are not uncommon from 

 pricks with forks, pickets, broken rails, prongs of stump fences, 

 poles or shafts of wagons, nails, barbed wire, horns of cattle, 

 tusks of boar, and other sharp or pointed objects, which carr}' 

 infecting germs, or in any case make an entrance for those found 

 in the dust of the stable, on the horses skin, comb, brush, rubber 



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