GASTRITIS 143 



given intentionally will produce a very serious form of gas- 

 tritis (toxic). An excess of sodium chlorid given in the food 

 to birds will often produce a severe gastritis. 



Thermic. Very hot, solid foods and liquids, or very cold, 

 frozen foods will sometimes produce a gastritis. Rabbits 

 eating frozen vegetables are thus often affected. 



Infectious. Infectious gastritis occurs during the course 

 of most infectious diseases (distemper, rabies, etc.) . 



Parasites. See Parasites of the Stomach. 



Pathology. Acute catarrhal gastritis is characterized by a 

 swelling and hyperemia of the mucous membrane which is 

 often corrugated, and intensely red with small ecchymoses 

 appearing over the surface. Small superficial erosions are 

 occasionally noticed. 



Symptoms. Vomiting occurs early and is the most promi- 

 nent symptom often being quite frequent and in severe cases 

 very persistent. The vomitus in the beginning consists of 

 quantities of undigested and decomposed food material 

 covered with mucus and sometimes streaked with blood, with 

 a very disagreeable odor. When due to chemical causes it 

 often has the characteristic odor of the poison. Later the 

 vomitus consists almost entirely of small amounts of frothy 

 mucus, and when the vomiting is severe there is often an 

 admixture of bile. The appetite in severe cases is completely 

 lost and in mild cases it is variable and vitiated, the animal 

 eating unnatural material. Bowel complications (see 

 Enteritis) invariably follow severe cases of gastritis. 



On examination the animals show pain on palpation over 

 the region of the stomach, which manipulation often induces 

 vomiting. There is a grayish-white deposit over the dorsal 

 surface of the tongue (furred tongue); the temperature is 

 elevated in the early stages of severe cases (103-105 F.), 

 later the temperature is subnormal (97-100 F.). In milder 

 cases the temperature shows but little variation. 



The general symptoms in the early stages of severe gas- 

 tritis are those of uneasiness and intense pain (howling, 

 etc.), stiffness and considerable pain which is shown when the 

 patient is moved about. In milder cases the only symptoms 

 noticeable are occasional vomiting and variable appetite. 



