354 Inflammation of the Stomach and Intestines. 



erally commences Avitli not very severe symptoms of diarrhea ; elfevation 

 of temperature may be absent and a moderate elevation of temperature 

 may be noted only on the last day of the disease. However, the pulse 

 is accelerated from the start. The general condition of the animals is 

 greatly disturbed and a marked emaciation soon occurs. During the 

 slower course of the disease, pseudomembranes are shed more frequently 

 than in the first type. The third type, according to Folger, commences 

 with the symptoms of sleepy staggers ; the dull animals show a staggering, 

 waddling gait ; they lean forward, press against the wall, but do not show 

 any symptoms on the part of the intestines. The disease usually ends 

 fatally. 



Course and Prognosis. In very grave cases the disease 

 usually terminates fatally within the first two clays, even within 

 the first tw^enty-four hours, while in ordinary cases it lasts from 

 one to two w^eeks before death comes on from exhaustion, or a 

 fatal issue may also occur after an apparent improvement. Re- 

 coveries are as a rule rare and convalescence is of very long 

 duration. 



The more rapidly the symptoms become worse, the less 

 chance is there for recovery. Important unfavorable sigiis are 

 a considerable acceleration of the pulse, profuse and bloody 

 diarrhea or obstinate constipation. There are, however, cases, 

 particularly among lierbivora with a long intestinal canal, where 

 there may be a mild course of gastro-intestinal catarrh extend- 

 ing over one to two weeks, which may suddenly become worse 

 and end in death in one or two days. Enteritis in hogs, due to 

 the bacillus necrophorus, not uncommonly takes a less virulent 

 course. 



Diagnosis. A generally sudden onset, a rapid deterioration 

 with abdominal pains, obstinate diarrhea following constipation, 

 weakness of pulse as a rule are characteristic enough to lead to 

 a correct diagnosis and a differentiation from other milder and 

 more local gastro-intestinal affections. However, since gastro- 

 enteritis may be part of the picture of infectious diseases (see 

 page 347), or of poisoning, one must in all cases be on the look- 

 out for signs of the latter (on the skin, in the buccal cavity, in 

 the respiratory tract, in the eyes), and one must also consider 

 whether the affection appears sporadically or widely dissemi- 

 nated. In horses the possibility of intestinal tuberculosis must 

 be considered; it also manifests itself by the symptoms of en- 

 teritis. 



The cause of the affection cannot usually be recognized 

 from the clinical picture but must be looked for in the history 

 of the case, environmental circumstances, examination of the 

 feed, etc. Secondary gastro-enteritis due to other disturbances 

 of the stomach and intestines (accumulation of feces, coprolitlis, 

 helminthiasis) is usually characterized by the fact that digestive 



