THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 211 



and if not slaughtered early the animal dies from inanition. Alkaline 

 tonics can be tried, with daily doses of 1 wineglassful of cod- liver 

 oil given in milk. 



319. Gall-Stones. — These are extremely rare, either in horses or 

 cattle. Some years ago I had a case at the late G. T. Carr's, then at 

 Silloth Farm, Cumberland, the subject being the hunting sire • Best 

 Returns.' It commenced with all the indications of subacute inflam- 

 mation of the bowels, with severe colicky pains. The acute symptoms 

 were got over, and the case settled down into a chronic form, and for 

 fully five or six weeks the bowels were very irregular — sometimes 

 slightly purged, and at others only costive, dry, hard, primrose- 

 coloured pellets being excreted. At length it was seized with all the 

 symptoms of uraemic poisoning, the head being pendulous and 

 oscillating ; fore-feet stiffly pushed forward, and legs occasionally 

 bended at the knees ; hind-legs placed wide apart ; pulse very full, 

 with slight colicky pains, and if made to move, it tumbled against the 

 side of the box, which had to be padded with sacks of straw. Bleed- 

 ing had a wonderful effect, and was frequently resorted to ; in fact, 

 it was the only thing which gave any relief. At last it was found 

 dead in the box, and the post-mortem showed a gall-stone of a 

 beautiful chrome-yellow colour, about the size of a pullet's egg, 

 situated in the hepatic duct, close to its opening into the intestine. 

 It was made up of concentric layers of a very delicate nature, which 

 fleeced off on the slightest touch. 



320. Liver complications are more common in the dog than in any 

 other of the domestic animals, more particularly the overfed petted 

 dog, that is being continually stuffed on sweet and fancy foods, 

 which are apt to set up various derangements and diseases of the 

 liver, such as congestion, enlargement, hardening, scirrhus, etc., 

 and which creep on very insidiously, being frequently accompanied 

 with asthma and shortness of breath. Symptoms of the different 

 forms of liver complication in the dog are not well defined. The first 

 symptom generally to be noticed is that the skin and coat begin to 

 look dry and harsh, the mouth and the tongue lose their bright rose 

 colour, the breath becomes fcetid, and the eye is dull and sleepy-look- 



