610 PARALYSIS OF THE RECTUM. 



the posterior portions of the spinal cord. The observations of others and 

 the above-described post-mortem appearances support this vew. Peters 

 saw the disease associated with paralysis of the bladder in a mare. 

 Schwarznecker observed the same condition in a pregnant mare, which 

 later died from paraplegia ; the post-mortem gave a negative result. 

 Deigendesch reports a similar case ; the mare died from rupture of the 

 bladder. Dollar has seen the condition after severe attacks of contagious 

 pneumonia (influenza). 



Symptoms. Abnormal dilatation of the rectum first attracts 

 notice on account of the large quantities of faeces which are passed, 

 and the long intervals between the acts of defaecation, which only 

 becomes difficult when actual paralysis has occurred ; the rectum 

 is then distended with dung, which requires to be removed manually. 

 Cases occur which require to be daily assisted in this way. Some- 

 times paralysis of the levator coccygis exists simultaneously, and 

 then the tail swings to and fro as the animal walks, and the hair 

 becomes soiled with faeces. After a certain time incontinence of 

 urine sets in, the bladder becomes distended, and urine flows away 

 continuously (ischuria paradoxa) ; still later sacral paralysis with 

 atrophy of the muscles of the haunch occurs (compare with sacral 

 paralysis). Sometimes pruritus exists about the hind-quarters. 



The disease takes a chronic course and treatment has no visible 

 effect, but however slow its progress, the animals finally become 

 useless, and may even die of the disease. 



Dilatation of the anus is commonest in animals which have long 

 suffered from severe diarrhoea, or been much weakened by internal 

 diseases. Even after prolonged rectal examination, when the arm has 

 been in the bowel for a considerable time, paralysis of the sphincter ani 

 may persist for several days ; the anus remaining open, and the air, 

 which streams in and out during breathing, producing a loud noise. 



Stenosis of the anus and rectum soon impedes defaecation and 

 attracts notice ; the position, degree, and extent of the condition 

 are at once recognised on local examination. Honisch saw a horse 

 which had long shown difficulty in passing faeces ; it placed the hind 

 feet as far forward as possible and discharged single small, hard masses. 

 The post-mortem discovered cicatricial stricture and thickening of 

 the rectum, which extended about 5 inches forwards from the anus. 

 It has been said that chronic inflammation in the paraproctal con- 

 nective tissue may cause stenosis, but as a rule the cases published 

 throw no light on the question. 



Prognosis is guided by the above-mentioned facts. Though 

 usually unfavourable, the animal's usefulness depends on the primary 

 disease and the work to be done. Complete and lasting cure is seldom 



