PERITONITIS 



95 



chocephalus depressiusculus is found in the caecum (Fig. 50) . This parasite, 

 according to a number of authors, may produce a catarrh or hemorrhagic 

 condition of the intestines and invagination of the caecum. Animals af- 



FiG. 50. — Wall of the csecum with numerous Trichocephalus depressiusculus. 



fected with these parasites suffer from dochmiasis or anaemia. This 

 distomum heterophytes was found in an animal presenting symptoms of 

 rabies. 



DISEASES OF THE PERITONEUM. 



Inflammation of the Peritoneiun — Peritonitis. 



Etiology. — Peritonitis is comparatively rare in dogs and is generally 

 seen as a secondary disease; due originally to some irritation or in- 

 jury of some of the other organs of the abdomen, the stomach, intes- 

 tines, spleen, liver, kidneys, bladder, prostate, or the uterus. From 

 toxic gastro-enteritis, ulceration of the stomach or intestines, accumula- 

 tions of faecal matter in the intestines; from metritis or parametritis 

 after labor; from inflammation or abscess of the liver; from purulent inflam- 

 mation of the kidneys, or from purulent pleuritis; from rupture of the ab- 

 dominal viscera and the escape of food, faeces, gas, bile, pus, parasites 

 perforating the intestinal mucous membrane, and in rare instances from 

 the presence of parasites (Plerocerooides barletti) in the abdominal 

 cavity. It may also occur from a general inflammation of all the ser- 

 ous membranes of the body, as is sometimes observed in infectious dis- 

 eases; to pyaemia or metastatic peritonitis; from the breaking down of 

 tubercular masses that have collected on the peritoneum, or from can- 

 cer. Primary peritonitis is always caused by some injury to the ab- 



