308 Acute Gastric Dilatation in Other Animals. 



iiess. Ill caniivora and in rahbiis tlie dilated stomach can be 

 felt through the abdominal walls. Frequently symptoms of 

 bloating of the intestines also supervene. In grave cases the 

 patients succumb within a few quarters of an hour in conse- 

 quence of rapidly increasing dyspnea, while in milder cases re- 

 covery occurs slowly or the clinical picture changes into that of 

 acute gastric catarrh. 



The wheezing of fattened hogs is caused, according to Weisz, par- 

 tially by an acute gastric dilatation after the ingestion of sour bran. 

 A few hours after feeding a forced whistling respiration in a sitting 

 posture is observed, the animals are restless, they groan from time 

 to time and succumb within a short period. (See also page 50.) 



In cattle obliteration of the abomasum leads to lack of appe- 

 tite, also of mastication and secretion of milk, absence of thirst, 

 listlessness, sluggish movements ; the animals lie around and will 

 not get up. Harms alone has observed frequent belching and 

 vomiting. The left flank may be sunken in deeply (Harms) or 

 it may be normal or bulging (Koch, Frasch, authors' observa- 

 tion), but it is of normal consistency. The movements of the 

 rumen occur somewhat less frequently, but they become normal 

 after the administration of drugs which stimulate gastric move- 

 ments, without, however, producing a change in the condition 

 of the animal. A fairly constant symptom is tenderness of the 

 region of the abomasum. Spontaneous groaning is rarely heard. 

 Defecation is at first normal, but becomes less frequent and 

 ceases entirely on the third day of the disease. At this time 

 an increase in the number of pulse beats can be observed and 

 also a moderate elevation of temperature. The disease always 

 ends fatally unless the animals are slaughtered before natural 

 death occurs. 



Diagnosis. In carnivora, rabbits and hogs the affection 

 can easily he diagnosticated upon the basis of the history and 

 the clinical signs, and in dogs torsion of the stomach can be ex- 

 cluded. Primary obstruction of the abomasum in cattle is sug- 

 gested l)y complete lack of appetite from the start, cessation of 

 rumination and of the secretion of milk, with minor disturb- 

 ances in the functions of the fore-stomachs ; the impossibility of 

 influencing the lack of appetite, rumination and defecation by 

 proper drugs; tenderness upon pressure in the region of the 

 abomasum. The exclusion of acute atfections of the fore-stom- 

 achs is, however, always somewhat difficult. 



Treatment. The removal of the gastric contents frequently 

 may be l)rought about by the administration of emetics (apo- 

 morphia, veratrine ; see page 291). Washing out of the stom- 

 ach may l)ecome necessary; it is easy in carnivora, and tlie prin- 

 ciples of the procedure are the same as in the horse ; the stomach 



