OTHER DISORDERS OF THE STOMACH 57 



The animal must be fed on the lightest of liquid food for at least a week 

 after the operation 



Ulceration of the Stomach (Ulcus Ventriculi). — When bleeding occurs 

 from the stomach as the result of some acute inflammatory condition of 

 that organ, it always leaves an erosion of the mucous membrane. As a 

 rule, this heals up very rapidly in the dog, rarely leaving any cicatrix on 

 the membrane; abrasions of the mucous membrane from sharp pieces of 

 bone, splinters, or caustic agents also heal up very rapidly. 



Ocasionall}^, however, we see true ulceration of the stomach. The 

 real cause of this condition has not yet been satisfactorily explained, 

 although many investigations have been made on the subject. 



The ulcer in the beginning is an inflamed circular spot, from which 

 the mucous membrane peels, and gradually disappears, extending to the 

 deeper tissues where it forms a yellowish-red, unhealthy surface, with an 

 irregular, hard, indurated border. Very often they heal up, leaving an 

 irregular cicatrix, usually circular in shape. 



In the dog, as in man, we find that in rare instances the ulceration is 

 so extensive as to perforate the stomach to the serous membrane and 

 form adhesions to the adjacent organs. 



This condition may be present without presenting any symptoms 

 that can be recognized, and it is only on post-mortem that it is rec- 

 ognized, either by the presence of the ulcer, or a cicatrix is seen on the 

 mucous membrane of the stomach. The symptoms recognized are 

 generally those of gastric catarrh, with vomiting of blood at irregular 

 intervals. The treatment consists in administering bicarbonate of 

 sodium, argenti nitras or, better, some of the organic compounds of 

 silver, or subnitrate of bismuth is useful, but the use of hydrochloric 

 acid or a stomach-pump is contraindicated. 



Cancer of the Stomach : Carcinoma Ventriculi. — Cancer of the stom- 

 ach is very rare. Symptoms consist of irregular attacks of gastric catarrh 

 with possibly vomiting and gradual loss of flesh, and if the carcinoma is 

 located in the pyloric end of the stomach, we would be apt to find pyloric 

 stenosis and dilatation of the stomach. Eberlin describes a case in which 

 a carcinoma was present in the pylorus and duodenum and accompanied 

 with acute icterus. It is almost impossible to detect with any degree of 

 certainty such a cancer by palpation. Parascandolo performed gas- 

 trectomy and removed a cancer from the stomach with complete success. 



Parasites of the Stomach. — The spiroptera sanguinolenta is fre- 

 quently the cause of stenosis of the cesophagus (see Fig. 20 and Plate). 

 In the adult form this parasite is from 3 to 7 cm., the male 3 to 4 and the 

 female 6 to 7 cm., and are blood red in color. They may be solitary, or 

 several may occur in one ulcer. This nodule is frequently the size of a 

 pigeon's egg. The parasite is found in the submucous tissue with a 



