436 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



Symptoms. — Negative symptoms, or the absence of disease 

 in any other part, will assist the practitioner in arriving 

 at a correct diagnosis. As positive symptoms there may 

 be mentioned a peculiarly dull and languid appearance of 

 the animal, unthrifty coat, tailing off in condition, and the 

 pulse may be slightly faster than normal. 



Ossification. — The spleen also occasionally undergoes ossi- 

 fication, first becoming of a cartilaginous consistency. 



Atrophy. — Atrophy, or wasting of the spleen, is occasion- 

 ally seen. 



Melanotic Deposits. — Melanotic deposits are sometimes 

 found to exist in connection with the spleen ; in fact, there 

 is no portion of the body exempt from them. 



General Symptoms. — The general symptoms of disease of 

 the spleen are as follows : falling off in condition, which con- 

 tinues until the animal becomes frightfully emaciated, the 

 pulse is slightly quickened and weak, the coat remains almost 

 as sleek and smooth as in health, the appetite fails, the animal 

 becomes weak, and is languid in all his movements ; there 

 may also be a slight fever, especially where the splenic 

 trouble depends upon malaria ; enlargement of the spleen 

 occurs, and if well-marked it can be detected by a manual 

 and visual examination of the region in which it lies, the 

 breathing may be slightly quickened, and in some cases the 

 bowels exhibit more or less irritability, and the animal 

 cannot be got into good condition. 



Treatment (^e?2cm/).— Treatment of the above-mentioned 

 conditions is, as a rule, unsatisfactory. A dose of cathartic 

 medicine may be given, and a change of food ordered. 

 If enlargement of the spleen is suspected, the various pre- 

 parations of iodine are likely to be of service. Potassa3 

 iodid. should be freely given; but more good results 

 from a change of climate than from anything else. 



