Obstipation in the Intestines of Carnivora. 373 



mends in such cases the injection of pilocarpine followed by 

 eserine. 



Literature. Bauer, D. t. W., 1905, 31.— Dammann, D. Z. f. Tm., 1875, I, 40.— 

 Ducasse, Bull., 1904, 772.— Ellenberger, A. f. Tk., 1884, X, 359.— Ferret, Eev. geii., 

 1905, V, 121, 549.— Giinther, W. f. Tk., 1906, 583.— Hohne, B. t. W., 1906, 339.— 

 Humnierich, Z. f. Vk., 1908, 444.— Kaleher, ibid., 1909, 83.— Klemm, B. Mt., 1882, 

 XV, 147.— Klett, D. t. W., 1907, 209.— Ludewig, Z. f. Vk., 1906, 307.— Moller, A. f. 

 Tk., 1875, I, 277; Pr. Mil. Vb.. 1899, bis 19()S.— Piitz, Z. f. pr. Vet.-Wiss., 1876, 

 447.— Eeynal, Diet., 1874, 139, 143.— Sobelsohn, Monh., 1902, XIII, 308.— Wall, Die 

 Kolik a. Pferde, 1908.— Wolf, S. B., 1903, 191. 



(b) Obstipation in the Intestines of Carnivora. 



Occurrence. Accumulation of feces in the intestines is 

 common in dogs, much rarer in cats. Frohner, in 70,000 sick 

 dogs during the years 1886-1894, saw obstipation in 2% of the 

 patients. In the Budapest Clinic 2 to 3% of the dogs had obsti- 

 pation; in 1903, exceptionally, 7%. 



Etiology. Obstipation is frequently produced by hard 

 bodies, especially frag-ments of bone, more rarely fruit stones, 

 pebbles or portions of soil which interfere with the passage 

 of the feces. Dry feeding, exclusive or abundant vegetable feed 

 (bread, dog biscuits, leguminosEe, flour paste) or exclusive feed- 

 ing with bones, produce dry, mortar-like feces which can be 

 moved along only slowdy. Hairs, blades of grass, etc., which 

 form firm masses in the feces act similarly. Obstipation, due 

 to swallowed hair, occurs not infrequently in cats. 



Eetarded peristalsis is the cause of obstipation when it 

 occurs in consequence of lack of exercise (chained dogs, house 

 dogs), or when it is seen in older, debilitated animals. Chronic 

 intestinal catarrh may also lead to insufficient peristalsis. 



The disease occurs as a secondary affection in consequence 

 of stenosis or obturation of the intestine, of painful conditions 

 of the abdominal muscles (rheumatism, pachymeningitis), or 

 of the neighborhood of the anus (inflammation of the anal 

 glands), or after matting of the hairs around the anus. Obsti- 

 pation is also usually present in chronic diseases of the cord. 



Anatomical Changes. Feces collecting in some portion of 

 the intestines, usually in the colon or rectum, form very dry, 

 mortar-like, dark brown lumps. There are cases in which such 

 lumps of feces form firm cylinders as thick as an arm, which 

 fill the whole of the large intestine (Kitt) ; exceptionally the 

 whole intestinal tract may be filled Avith similar masses of feces 

 (Frohner). If the affection lasts longer, necrosis, hemorrhagic 

 or diphtheritic inflammation and even perforation of the intes- 

 tinal wall may develop. 



Symptoms. In spite of repeated efforts the animals can- 

 not defecate or they void small dry lumps of feces, the surface 



