Diseases of the Digestive Tract 275 



numerable, but a very common one in young hound 

 puppies arises through the presence of numerous 

 round worms, as Ascaris marginata. These parasites 

 may be so plentiful in the bowel even a few days 

 after birth as to completely occlude the canal and 

 set up acute enteritis. Unfortunately for dogs these 

 are not the only cause of the trouble under considera- 

 tion, a fairly common cause being some form of 

 irritant poison, such as arsenic, antimony, phosphor 

 paste, strychnine, etc., but superadded to the ente- 

 ritis there is usually gastritis or inflammation of the 

 stomach. (See '' Poisons.") A lesion of the bowels, 

 especially in puppies, is one known as intussusception 

 or the telescoping of one part of the bowel into 

 another, which leads to inflammation and subsequent 

 mortification of the invaginated portion of the 

 bowel. Twist of the bowel is another cause of 

 enteritis, whilst obstruction produced in variable 

 ways may lead to a similar result. Very little can 

 be done under these circumstances; in fact it is 

 questionable whether any treatment is of real utility 

 in a disease of this kind. The leading symptoms 

 are pain in the belly, vomiting, thirst, prostration, 

 injection of the visible mucous membranes, together 

 with other signs of severe illness. As a general 

 remedial agent ordinary chlorodyne, given every 

 three hours, in doses of twenty or thirty drops, com- 

 bined with a tablespoonful of water, proves service- 



