408 Obstruction of the Mesenteric Arteries. 



luiimtes fatally. However, even cases which lead to hem- 

 orrhagic infarction may terminate in recovery, as has been 

 shown by clinical observations in which a correct and reliable 

 diagnosis has been made. 



Since obstruction of an anastomosis does not cause pain, death may occur after 

 the first manifest attack of colic, namely if an artery becomes thrombosed after its 

 anastomosis has previously become obstructed. Thrombosis of a larger trunk may 

 still more frequently lead to death during the first attack. 



If an attack of colic has occurred, there is always the dan- 

 ger of recurrence with a final fatal termination. 



Diagnosis. The anamnesis, that is, a history of preceding 

 similar attacks without any apparent cause, only excites sus- 

 picion of the affection, because repeated attacks of colic may 

 also be due to other causes and it is, of course, possible to en- 

 counter cases during their first attack. In the grave type the 

 erstwhile lively intestinal sounds become less frequent; after 

 some time, constipation usually speedily becomes complete ; rec- 

 tal examination reveals meteorism of certain portions of the 



intestines; and a short time 

 after onset of the affection, 

 0----,^^-^^ ^ "ri^ .^5 usually within one to three 



liours, gradually increasing 

 symptoms of general affection 

 develop. If an exploratory 

 puncture of the abdominal cav- 

 ity is made a yellowish or red- 

 dish fluid is usually obtained 

 containing small particles of 

 feces (Fig. 43), the punctured 

 large intestine sometimes dis- 

 charges a bloody, dirty red 

 contents, the feces voided in a 

 Fig. 43. Sediment of an intra-abdominal natural manner mav exccptiou- 



serous exudate in thrombosis of the mes- „n„ v^ i, ^^^„^^i, „ ^.4 ' rni,^ ^^ 



enteric arteries, a. white, b. red blood ^lly be hemorrhagic. The rarer 

 corpuscles. more protracted cases are 



characterized by general symp- 

 toms of moderate severity, and careful general and rectal ex- 

 amination shows no other intestinal affection, such as stenosis, 

 impaction or obturation. The mere presence of an aneurysm 

 in a mesenteric artery cannot be used as a pathognomonic sign 

 upon which to make a diagiiosis, since horses with such 

 aneurysms may suffer from other diseases. Nor has the finding 

 of ova of sclerostoma in the feces of horses which suffer from 

 colic any diagnostic significance, as was claimed by Adelmann, 

 since such ova are found, according to the authors ' own experi- 

 ence, in the feces of perfectly healthy animals. The probability 

 of the occurrence of the disease increases with the age of the 

 animals. 



