174 DISEASES OF THE INTESTINES 



purulent material. There are extensive areas of thickening 

 in the mucous membrane; erosions and atrophy may too be 

 present. Ulcerations and cicatrices are often noted. Ulcera- 

 tions may lead to perforation of the bowel wall producing 

 a localized area of adhesive peritonitis, or in some cases a 

 generalized peritonitis. The mucous membrane is usually 

 bluish-red and at various points will be noted light and dark 

 points due to the pathological changes in the structure of 

 the membrane. The intestinal contents are usually liquid, 

 of a slate gray color and emit a very offensive odor. Some- 

 times when constipation is present the feces will be dry and 

 hard in the large bowels, and of a grayish color. 



Symptoms. The most conspicuous symptom is a continu- 

 ous or intermittent diarrhea. However, diarrhea may alter- 

 nate with constipation. The general symptoms are dulness, 

 gradual emaciation, rough hair coat and inanition which is 

 marked owing to the lost or variable appetite and the inter- 

 ference with digestion and food assimilation. From time 

 to time the bowels are distended with gases from the fer- 

 mentative processes in the intestinal tract. This is especially 

 marked when constipation is present and the peristalsis 

 reduced. At other times large quantities of gases, feces 

 mixed with mucus and often streaked with blood, are passed 

 during the period of diarrhea. 



In most cases there is little evidence of abdominal pain, 

 except when ulceration of the bowel wall takes place and an 

 adhesive or a general peritonitis is produced. Then all the 

 evidences of inflammation of serous membranes are present. 

 (See Peritonitis). 



Diagnosis. The long-continued course, the intermittent 

 diarrhea, the anamnesis and the general condition of the 

 animal will be sufficient in most cases to make a compara- 

 tively accurate diagnosis. However, a careful and thorough 

 examination should always be made to determine if possible 

 the cause of the enteritis. This is valuable especially for a 

 proper prognosis and rational therapeutics. The feces 

 should be carefully examined for parasites and their ova, as 

 these form a frequent cause. 



