DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 61 



Chronic Gastritis. 



Chronic inflammation of the stomach is not an unfrequent disease 

 among dogs. It is due to a congestion, and a low type of inflammation of 

 the mucous membrane, and is usually combined with disorders of other 

 organs, more especially the liver. 



Causation. —Chronic gastritis may follow the acute disease. It may 

 also proceed from excesses in eating, or long fasting. 



Andral found the stomach inflamed with ulcerations in dogs, destroyed 

 by starvation. 



Symptoms . —The symptoms of indigestion are present in this disease. 

 Tenderness over the region of the stomach very often exists. Thirst is 

 constant and vomiting distressing. Pain in many cases is prominent. 



Diagnosis. —To distinguish between indigestion and the disease under 

 consideration is not always easy. In the former the appetite is less im- 

 paired, the weight and nutrition better sustained, vomiting, fever, thirst, 

 and pain are less prominent symptoms than in the latter disease. 



^Prognosis.— Recovery is often slow and tedious. Patience, careful 

 nursing, and judicious feeding will aid much the action of medicine and 

 promote the chances of recovery. 



Treatment. —Much the same treatment should be employed as in indi- 

 gestion, especially in the matter of diet. Purgatives are to be avoided. If 

 the bowels become constipated an injection of soap-suds will be suflicient. 

 External applications are indicated, and small fly-blisters will be found 

 efficacious. Internally the most valuable remedy is nitrate of silver, and 

 may be combined with opium as follows. — 



R Argenti Nitratis gr. iv 



Pulveris Opii gr. vi 



Ft. Pil. No. xxiv. Sig. Dose one three times daily. 

 Bismuth is a most admirable agent in this disease, and may be added to 

 the nitrate of silver as in the following. — 



R Extract. Hyoscyami gr. xv 

 Argenti Nitratis gr. iv 



Bismuth. Subnitratis 3i 

 Ft. Pil. No. xxiv. Sig. Dose one three times daily. 

 Ulceration of the stomach may occur independently of acute inflamma- 

 tion of that organ. When it exists, some symptoms in common with 

 chronic gastritis are present. In gastric ulcer, while hemorrhage may 

 never appear, it is often a manifestation of that affection, and without it 

 an assured diagnosis is impossible. Its cause is problematical; such a 

 wound as a sharp bone produces might terminate in an ulcer. 



