CHRONIC GASTRITIS. 553 



the animal can drink, let him have plenty of milk or gruel, cooled by ice, the colder the better 

 He must not drink much at a time, however. 



When he is getting better nothing must be allowed to be eaten of a meaty or stimulating 

 character for a time. The diet must be entirely farinaceous for some time to come ; and if 

 aperients are needed they must be of the very mildest description, or, better still, purgative 

 clysters may be used. 



3. GastorrJicea. 



Gastorrhoea, or Chronic Gastritis, or Stomach Catarrh, is a disease much more common 

 than Acute Gastritis. 



Causes. The primary cause of this disorder, which is more commonly found in petted 

 and pampered dogs, is bad feeding, which weakens the digestive powers ; and the disease 

 culminates probably from the animal having eaten some garbage which has disagreed with 

 him, or probably from exposure to an amount of cold and wet to which he had been hitherto 

 a stranger. 



Patlwlogy. The disorder consists in a very irritable or sub-inflammatory condition of the 

 mucous membrane of the stomach, combined with a congested state of the liver. 



Symptoms. Loss of appetite, quickened breathing, sighing, and restlessness, hot dry nose 

 and mouth, and breath likewise hot ; thirst, and frequent vomiting, or rather retching. What 

 he does bring up is partly bile, partly frothy mucus. There is pain and tenderness in the 

 abdominal region, and constipation. The vomit is often tinged with blood, so, likev/ise, are the 

 stools. The pain seems to be most severe in the upper region of the abdomen, or epigastrium, 

 and the vomiting rather increases than diminishes it. If the animal is not relieved prostration 

 ensues, the pulse gets feeble and almost imperceptible, and death ensues. 



Treatment. The indications of treatment are twofold : to relieve pain, and subdue con- 

 gestion. It would be well to get the bowels to act ; but purgatives given by the mouth 

 rather add to the mischief. Give, therefore, a castor-oil enema 



R Olei Ricini ... ... 5 ij. ad J j. 



Olei Oliv. ... ... 5iij. ad 3 j. 



Decoct. Avena ... 5 ij. ad 5 vj. 



Misce et ft. enema. 



This will aid in relieving the liver. Place a large mustard poultice over the abdomen, and 

 frequently foment with hot water. With small dogs the warm bath may be used with 

 advantage. 



To allay the irritation of the stomach, we must trust to alkalies, and dilute hydrocyanic 

 acid ; small doses of bi-carbonate of potash, and from one to five drops of the acid every 

 four hours. If the animal seems very low indeed, his strength must be kept up by injections 

 of port wine and starch ; and small quantities of diluted wine should be given by the mouth. 



N.B. If poisoning be suspected, the ejections ought to be kept and forwarded to an analy- 

 tical chemist. The symptoms are very similar to those produced by some irritant poisons, 

 although poisoning is more quickly fatal. However, when a person sees his dog ill retching, 

 and perhaps bringing blood up he is very apt to jump to the conclusion that the animal has 

 " picked up something." 



Great care must be taken during convalescence, and nothing given that is in the least likely 

 to disagree. 

 70 



