Diagnosis. Prognosis. Treatment. 253 



sliecp. Death may occur in consequence of severe nieteorisni 

 in the second half of the tirst day of sickness; in sheep even 

 with apoplectic rapidity. If the disease has been caused by 

 the ingestion of dry or heavy food, or of food containing abun- 

 dant flour or boiled potatoes, then the animals die only after 

 the course of several days, or even some weeks, from inanition 

 or gastro-intestinal inflammation, which is announced by ele- 

 vation of temperature, rapid and weak pulse, clouding of the 

 sensory organs and general weakness. 



Diagnosis. The sudden appearance shortly after a rich 

 meal, the enlargement of the abdomen, especially in the lower 

 portion of the left side, the firm consistency of the rumen and 

 considerable dulness on percussion in this region, are symptoms 

 characteristic of the disease and distinguish it from the more 

 fulminant development of acute meteorism. In the latter, atony 

 of the fore-stomachs develops gradually, reveals an intermit- 

 tent course without colicky pain and without stuffing of the 

 rumen with masses of feed. Traumatic gastritis sometimes 

 starts with symptoms similar to those of dilatation of the ru- 

 men, but it may be differentiated from the latter by the clinical 

 history, the tenderness of the region of the xyphoid cartilage, 

 the obstinate character of the disease and eventually by the ad- 

 ministration of eseridine or veratrine in connection with areco- 

 line (see foreign bodies in the fore-stomachs). Other inflam- 

 mations of the gastro-intestinal tract run a febrile course in 

 contrast to dilatation of the rumen and lack the filling of the 

 rumen with doughy masses. Compression of the intestines, 

 intussusception or torsion of the uterus are similar to dilata- 

 tion of the rumen on superficial observation only, because the 

 ingestion of food and rumination cease suddenly and there are 

 colicky pains. However, a different history is obtained; there 

 is no stuffing of the rumen and there is marked restlessness. 

 Moreover, rectal and vaginal examination (spiral folds) show 

 the distinguishing features. 



Prognosis. This depends upon the degree and duration of 

 the disease, but the natnre of the ingested food must also be 

 taken into consideration. The more fermentable the food or, 

 on the contrary, the more dry it is, the longer the duration and 

 the more unfavoralile in general the prognosis. Complete re- 

 covery can, as a rule, not be looked for if the disease has existed 

 six to ten days without any sign of improvement (Eisele). 

 Diiring a protracted course of the disease fatal complications 

 arise frequently (gastro-intestinal inflammation or peritonitis), 

 or chronic atony of the fore-stomachs remains as a sequel. 



Treatment. Complete withdrawal of rough feed for one or 

 two days is indicated before everything else, an improvised muz- 

 zle being used to prevent the ingestion of straw (Eber). An- 



