PERITONITIS 97 



and adhesions form, with the intestines and the adjacent organs, at times 

 contracting the intestinal walls and causing a lessening of the diameter of 

 the intestinal canal. In the chronic form the exudate is not purulent, as 

 a rule, but is composed of a thick, hemorrhagic serum. In the dog, we 

 sometimes observe a form of ascites (see under that head) in which we 

 have a chronic thickening of the peritoneum and a collection of a turbid, 

 fibrinous exudate (inflammator}' ascites). 



Circumscribed Peritonitis may be caused by any irritation of the 

 viscera, such as inflammatory and suppurative processes of the stomach, 

 intestines or uterus, classed as perigastritis, perienteritis and perime- 

 tritis and the irritation extend to the serous coat. We often find small 

 circumscribed deposits on the liver, occasionally on the spleen and other 

 alDdominal organs, that have originated from slight peritonitis. In 

 cases where there is a small amount of purulent peritonitis, the inflam- 

 mation remains in one locality and becomes encysted. As a rule, with 

 the exception of circumscribed peritonitis, death generally occurs in the 

 first stages of the disease, and it is only in the mild cases, where the 

 exudation is very slight, that there is any chance of recovery. The exu- 

 date breaks down and is re-absorbed but, as a rule, there is such an ex- 

 tensive alteration and adhesion formed that it is only in rare cases that 

 the animal ever is restored to perfect health. 



Clinical Symptoms and Course of the Disease. — (1) Acute diffuse 

 peritonitis. When the disease is caused by some traumatism, by perfora- 

 tion, either from the intestines or externally, the symptoms appear very 

 rapidly. At first there is colic, great restlessness, and a stiff, unnatural 

 gait. The posterior extremities are carried out from the body and are 

 not flexed. The animal groans and cries. The pain is continual, the 

 abdomen is very sensitive on manipulation, the slightest touch produces 

 intense pain. There are some cases in this disease, however, where the 

 animal shows very little pain, but this is only seen where there is 

 great debility. The abdomen becomes distended in the early stages of 

 the disease, due to inflation of the intestinal tract from gas and later on 

 by the collection of the exudate. When the abdomen is distended, if 

 gas is present, on percussion, the sound is hollow^, and when exudate is 

 present, the sound is dull. The exudate, of course, lies on the floor of the 

 abdominal cavity; but where the exudate forms very rapidly, the whole 

 abdomen is filled up, pressing on the diaphragm, compressing the lungs 

 and causing great dyspncea. 



In the early stages the abdomen is tucked up, the walls tense, firm 

 and painful to the touch, and it is generally some time before the abdomen 

 begins to enlarge from the collection of the exudate. As a rule, the bowels 

 are constipated except where there has been some diarrhoea, or diar- 

 rha'a alternated with constipation, present before the disease started, 

 7 



