484 Worms in the Intestinal Tract, 



just dead, one finds the worms, usually both species, simulta- 

 neously, attached to the wall ; later on they become mixed with 

 the feces ; in severe cases one often sees several hundred para- 

 sites. The mesenteric and periln-onchial lymph glands are en- 

 larged, according to Lafon and Martin, all of the lymph glands 

 being thus affected. 



Symptoms. There are at first digestive disturbances of an 

 indefinite nature, then anemia stands in the foreground of the 

 clinical picture. Debility and emaciation become more and more 

 marked, and hunting dogs become tired very easily. The skin 

 becomes dry, the coat bristly, the extremities show edematous 

 swelling. There is at first constipation, later on diarrhea, the 

 feces are occasionally hemorrhagic. 



Examination of the blood shows red blood corpuscles, var}^- 

 ing in size and containing irregular forms ; their number may 

 be decreased so that the proportion of red to white is finally as 

 3:1. These findings do not, however, justify, in the opinion of 

 the authors, a classification of this disease as pernicious anemia, 

 as has generally been done. 



According to the claims of Lafon & IMartin, all of the Ivmph- 

 glands become enlarged early in the course of the disease (before any 

 other symptons are noticeable) in consequence of the invasion of staphy- 

 lococci, which are, however, also found in the spleen, the blood and 

 the intestinal contents of animals dead from the disease. It is also 

 claimed that these staphylococci have a hemolytic effect. Another con- 

 stant symptom is albuminuria (1.5 to 2%, but sometimes as much as 

 3-8-107o albumen in the urine), together with other symptoms of 

 diffuse nephritis. The albuminuria becomes intensified in consequence 

 of excessive feeding. 



French and Italian authors mention epistaxis as an almost constant symptom 

 of the disease, and the disease has received its French name from this symptom 

 (Saignement de nez des chiens de meiite). Some patients lose 100 gm. of bright red 

 and foaming blood at one time. According to Trasbot the disease characterized by 

 epistaxis is not identical with dochmiasis, and Pericard has recently shown ])iroplas- 

 mata in the blood of such patients. 



While these s^anptoms occur, the emaciation progresses 

 and death finally follows. 



The duration of the disease may extend to one year, and all 

 animals of a pack may become affected successively. 



Diagnosis. Dochmiasis can be diagnosticated with cer- 

 tainty only after finding ova in the feces upon microscopic ex- 

 amination ; otherwise, the diagnosis can only be made with more 

 or less probability in hunting dogs suffering from hemorrhagic 

 diarrhea, progressive anemia, general hypertrophy of l^anpli 

 glands, albuminuria and nephritis. Pentastomum tsenioides like- 

 wise causes epistaxis, but profound nutritive and other disturb- 

 ances and progressive anemia are absent. The abnormal condi- 

 tion of the feces distinguishes the disease from other forms of 

 anemia. 



