338 Catarrhal Intestinal Colic. 



Occurrence. Symptoms of colic in the liorse iindonbtedly 

 are due most commonly to a transitory acute intestinal catarrh. 

 Thirty-five per cent of the colic affections seen in the Budapest 

 clinic are due to this affection and it is the most frequent type of 

 colic among- breedins^ and cavalry horses. Cattle and hogs are 

 likewise sometimes subject to this disease. 



Etiology. The causative factors are the same as in acute 

 intestinal catarrh (see page 325). In a certain proportion of 

 cases external or internal cooling of the body plays a role; 

 (drenching, standing- in cold weather in the open air when 

 heated, the ingestion of excessively cold water or of cold frosted 

 feed). Catarrh from these causes is, however, rarer than ca- 

 tarrh due to errors of diet. The loud intestinal sounds which 

 are considered characteristic for the disease, the socalled 

 "cramp sounds," clearly point to lively fermentative pro- 

 cesses in the intestinal tract with an increased formation of 

 gas; the disease occurs just as frequently during the warm 

 season, when the animals are less exposed, as during cold 

 weather. Cavalry horses, which, as a rule, receive little rough 

 feed and which in consequence often feed upon the bedding 

 straw, frequently suffer from the disease after the ingestion of 

 mouldy straw ( Pr. Mil. Vb. ) . In cattle, particularly in working 

 oxen, catarrhal intestinal cramps are often caused by the inges- 

 tion of large amounts of water (see page 326). 



Pathogenesis. The irritating substances (gases, fatty 

 acids) or too much cold water cause convulsive contractions in 

 various portions of an irritable intestinal wall, which vary in 

 duration. These convulsive contractions then cause the colicky 

 pains (Bauchzwicken, Bauchgrimmen [German]). After the 

 abnormal intestinal contents have been voided, the convulsive 

 contractions cease, but the peristalsis for some time remains 

 more lively because the intestinal mucosa is in a catarrhal con- 

 dition. 



Symptoms. Horses are subject to symptoms of colic which 

 are usually violent ; the individual attack lasts from five to fif- 

 teen minutes and the animals appear well during the intervals. 

 The intestinal sounds are usually intensified and more frequent, 

 sometimes continuous and occasionally audible, not merely over 

 the caecum but likewise over the remainder of the intestines. 

 Defecation may be perfectly normal, that is, if only the small 

 intestines are affected, or it occurs more frequently and the feces 

 are soft and contain undigested particles of feed; sometimes 

 there are short attacks of diarrhea. In cattle severe attacks of 

 colic come on suddenly, the abdomen is occasionally somewhat 

 enlarged and the left flank depression is somewhat filled out, 

 although bloating is absent. After half an hour diarrhea sets 

 in and with it a gradual diminution of the pains; the animals 

 usually appear perfectly recovered after a few hours. 



