164 DISEASES OF THE CIRCULATORY APPARATUS 



Chronic Myocarditis, Indurative Degeneration of the Heart, Inflam- 

 matory Myocarditis. — This condition may follow an attack of acute 

 distemper and is often mistaken for valvular defects. In this con- 

 dition the heart is greatly enlarged and dilated, and the walls are 

 hypertrophied. The body of the heart muscle is filled with a number 

 of whitish hard bodies which on examination are found to be cicatricial 

 connective tissue. 



The cause of the existence of these bodies has not been fully deter- 

 mined, but they are due either to myocarditis or to defective nutrition 

 of the heart muscle, as a consequence of contraction or atrophy of the 

 coronary artery. 



The clinical symptoms presented are as follows: Weak heart, 

 palpitation, dizziness, vertigo, increase in the numljer of pulse, and drop- 

 sical effusions. 



Auscultation gives nothing but pure heart sounds, and with the above 

 symptoms there may be a callous degeneration of the heart or a pure idio- 

 pathic hypertrophy, as during life it is impossil^le to determine which, and 

 treatment in both cases is the same. Treatment is of no practical value; 

 it consists of protection against excitement or great bodily exertion; 

 give nutritive, easily digested food, and, if the heart is irregular, heart 

 tonics. 



Other Diseases of the Heart. 



Nervous Palpitation, Palpitation of the Heart. — In this condition the 

 physical examination reveals no anatomical alteration of the heart. The 

 heart beats with great force, so that it can be noticed distinctly 

 on the external thoracic walls; the beat is clear and in cases where the 

 palpitation is great, the heart makes only one sound; the respirations 

 are accelerated and shallow, the animal is anxious and restless, but, as a 

 rule, if kept quiet, the attack soon passes off. If continued apply cold 

 compresses in the region of the heart and give a hypodermic solution of 

 morphine or administer sodium bromide, chloral hydrate, etc. 



Tumors of the Heart. — These mentioned by a number of avithors are 

 cither of sarcomatous or fibrous nature, are usually never diagnosed 

 during life, but may be seen on the post-mortem of an animal dying 

 suddenly. 



Parasite^ in the Heart Muscles. — Cysticercus or bladder worms are 

 foiuid 1x1 ine heart. Lindmere found in the external strata of the tissue 

 in the heart of a dog a number of cysts al:)out the size of a hazelnut 

 which were filled with a clear fluid, which seemed to be the cysticercus 

 cellulosse. There was nothing to indicate that these parasites caused the 

 heart the sliohtest irritation. 



