OTHER DISORDERS OF THE STOMACH 55 



the food is of a poor indigestible character. If the stomach is not 

 emptied by an emetic, the abdomen becomes greatly distended, particu- 

 larly in the epigastric region. The animal is restless, moving from one 

 place to another, the expression is haggard and indicates pain, there is 

 quick catchy respiration, and the pulse greatly increased in number. 

 In severe cases the animals die with dyspnoea. In less acute cases the 

 animals slowly recover or it is followed by an attack of acute gastric 

 catarrh. 



The treatment consists in administration of an emetic, such as a 

 hypodermic of apomorphia. 



A chronic dilatation of the stomach is frequently seen in dogs that 

 are fed on poor food and in animals that gulp down their food, partic- 

 ularly when they are only fed once daily. It may also occur from contrac- 

 tion of the pyloric end of the stomach or duodenum, from cicatricial con- 

 traction, the presence of carcinoma, or from weakness of the walls of the 

 stomach; this latter condition is rarely seen. In chronic dilatation of 

 the stomach there are all the indications of chronic catarrh with more or 

 less distention of the abdomen, particularly in the epigastric region. 

 On percussion of the region of the stomach a dull tympanic sound is 

 heard, which disappears when the animal eats any food; then palpation 

 of the stomach produces a splashing sound. 



The treatment consists in giving the animal smaller quantities at 

 shorter intervals and the same medical treatment as is advised under 

 chronic dyspepsia. If it is suspected or diagnosed that there is pyloric 

 stenosis, you should try to remove it by surgical means. 



Reversion or Inverted Stomach, Torsio Ventriculi, Volvulus Ventric- 

 uli. — This is observed where the stomach is turned on its axis and, as a 

 rule, occurs in the larger breeds of dogs. The stomach is completely re- 

 versed, so that the pyloric end is found in the left epigastric region instead 

 of the right, and the large curvature, instead of being on the left, is found 

 on the right and the oesophagus has a twist in it. On making an ab- 

 dominal incision the stomach is found to be greatly distended and the 

 spleen is greatly enlarged. The causes that may produce this condition 

 are violent exercise, particularly running up and down steps with an 

 empty stomach (Cadiac) , or the same exercise with a greatly distended 

 stomach (Jensen) . The symptoms come on very quickly, great distention 

 of the abdomen, dyspnoea, cyanosis, pain on pressure of the region of the 

 stomach, colicky pains and vomiting. Death generally occvirs in from 30 

 to 40 hours, either by suffocation or paralysis of the heart. The treat- 

 ment recommended by Cadiac is to gradually remove the gas from the 

 stomach by means of a trocar and opening the abdomen and returning 

 the stomach to its original position. 



Foreign Bodies in the Stomach. — By this we mean stones, glass, 



