374 Obstipation in the Intestines of Carnivora. 



of Avbicli is occasionally covered abundantly with mucus or 

 blood ; this occurs when the mucosa has become inflamed or has 

 been injured. Sometimes, in spite of existing obstipation, the 

 animals void a thin-fluid, very fetid stool ; this occurs when the 

 obstipation mass has liecome softened at the periphery or in the 

 center, so that the fluid contents from portions of the intestines 

 nearer to the stomach can pass by. 



The abdomen is sometimes drawn in, sometimes bloated, 

 and the abdominal wall is then tense. On palpation of the abdo- 

 men one feels in front of the pelvic inlet, below the vertebral 

 column, and parallel to it a cylindrical, firm, sometimes hard 

 mass, variable in length (socalied fecal tumor, fecal cord). The 

 mass may be felt behind the liver and sometimes even further 

 up on the right side of the abdominal cavity and it is freely 

 movable; this mass is formed by the dry fecal masses in the 

 rectum and large intestines. In some cases, however, only one 

 or several, occasionally very large lumps of feces are found. 



Sometimes swelling and reddening of the neighborhood of 

 the anus can be observed. The finger introduced into the rec- 

 tum feels hard fecal masses ; sometimes also fragments of bone ; 

 if a rectal speculum is used one sees the lumps of feces, also 

 a dark red discoloration of the mucosa, which may be covered 

 by gray membranous deposits. 



The behavior of the animals varies from case to case. The 

 repeated fruitless efforts cause some anxiety and the irritation 

 of the intestinal wall occasionally produces pain expressed by 

 whining and curling up. In other cases the animals, in spite of 

 obstipation which may have existed for days, are comparatively 

 quiet and perhaps only show some listlessness and sluggish- 

 ness. Their gait, is stiff, they hold the tail straight or strongly 

 curved at its root. 



The appetite may be preserved during the first day and 

 this aggravates the condition. The appetite diminishes, how- 

 ever, in the further course, and finally disappears while the 

 thirst becomes increased. Vomiting occurs exceptionally and 

 particles of fecal matter may be expelled. 



The temperature remains normal for days, but if enteritis 

 has followed upon obstipation the temperature becomes elevated 

 and septicemic fever may finally set in. 



Course. Obstipation of a not too severe type may be over- 

 come by the animals' own repeated efforts and, provided that 

 they have not been too long neglected, even grave cases, will end 

 in recovery if the proper treatment is instituted. If the disease 

 is left to itself after it has arrived at a later stage, there will be 

 progressive deterioration until enteritis, septicemia, peritonitis 

 or occasionally uremia (in consequence of compression of the 

 first portion of the urethra), close the clinical picture. If the 

 morbid affection has lasted a longer time, i. e., two to three 

 weeks or longer, even the proper treatment cannot save the 



