PERIPROCTITIS. 599 



dogs the hairs in the neighbourhood of the anus sometimes stick 

 together, close the anus, and produce inflammatory irritation, or 

 the animals may suffer from inflammation of the anal glands. 



Symptoms. Inflammatory disease of the mucous membrane 

 of the rectum is characterised by tenesmus, that is, repeated but 

 unsuccessful attempts to pass faeces. The animals stand with the 

 back arched, and the continuous severe straining often leads to 

 prolapsus ani or recti. The mucous membrane is more or less 

 intensely reddened. 



Injuries to the anus may be directly seen ; and where the hairs 

 have become adherent and occluded the orifice, the neighbouring 

 skin appears reddened and often excoriated. 



Disease of the anal glands may be recognised by inflammatory 

 swelling ; compression of the glands causes spurting of a purulent 

 or haemorrhagic fluid ; def secation is painful and often repressed ; 

 after some time fluctuation and perforation occur, and the swelling 

 subsides, though relapses are common and sometimes cause laymen 

 to suspect haemorrhoids. 



These conditions are seldom dangerous, but occlusion of the 

 rectum and of the anus may result from chronic catarrh in young 

 animals. Injuries sometimes lead to inflammation of the perineal 

 or paraproctal connective tissue and thus cause trouble. 



Treatment. Inflammation of the rectal mucous membrane is 

 treated with mucilaginous and oily clysters ; in larger animals starch 

 paste is suitable. In dogs, lukewarm oil may be used, and when 

 tenesmus is marked, opium can be added. Foreign bodies and hard 

 masses of faeces should be removed cautiously. The long adherent 

 hairs about the anus must be cut away with scissors, the anus cleansed, 

 and powdered with some material like iodoform and tannin or boracic 

 acid. 



Suppurating anal glands must be opened, the contents removed, 

 and, after thoroughly cleansing, the parts are dressed with iodoform, or 

 boric vaseline. For inflammation produced by parasites, or by oestrus 

 larvae, lukewarm lotions and dusting powders are recommended. 

 In all these diseases it is of importance to render defaecation as easy 

 as possible. For this purpose suitable nourishment should be given, 

 and clysters and laxatives administered. 



IV.— INFLAMMATION OF THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE SURROUNDING 

 THE RECTUM (PERIPROCTITIS OR PARAPROCTITIS). 



This disease, though not common, is sometimes seen in large 

 animals, and is caused by wounds of the posterior portion of the 



