Symptoms. 



237 



wedg-ed in. An ectatic x^lace, situated in the first portion of 

 the esophag-iis, is less serious if there is no stenosis l)a('k of 

 it, since strong contractions of the muscles of the pliarynx 

 suffice to press food and drink down into the cervical portion 

 of the esophagus. 



The impaction in the ectatic portion of the esophagus 

 creates a feeling of fullness and causes repeated convulsive 

 contractions of the muscles immediately in front of the dilated 

 portion and also of those within it if it contains muscle fibers. 



The convulsive contractions produce a feeling of intense 

 pain, but after more or less time they finally expel the contents 

 of the dilated 

 portion either p 

 into the stom- 

 ach or towards 

 the pharynx. 

 If the latter is 

 the case, the 

 transport has 

 been aided by 

 anti-peristaltic 

 movements. Di- 

 latation of the 

 esophagus in 

 consequence o f 

 pressure m ore 

 or less interferes 

 with the proper 

 function of 

 neighboring or- 

 gans. 



Fig. 34. Ectasia of tlie esopliagiis in a lior: 



Symptoms. 



The animal be- 

 gins to take up 

 food greedily ; 

 however, i t de- 

 sists after a little while evidently satisfied, withdraws from 

 the crib and as in obstruction or stenosis makes empty mas- 

 ticatory movements with lowering of the head and convul- 

 sive contractions of the muscles of the neck; smacking noises 

 are also sometimes heard. All these symptoms are some- 

 times mild, sometimes intense. They are usually more marked 

 when rough food is taken than during the ingestion of 

 cereals or water. (In a case of Arloing a donkey showed 

 distress only when drinking water.) With the above symp- 

 toms one sees that the patients occasionally vomit undi- 

 gested food mixed with saliva, and there may be a nasal 

 discharge of mucus mixed with particles of food. In this, as 

 in other forms of obstruction of the esophagus, horses some- 



