560 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



or other. It is a rare accident, from the simple fact that a dog can vomit so very easily. Some 

 dogs have a craze for chewing old wood, a symptom of dyspepsia which should be seen to. 



We usually have the history of cases of impaction to guide us, and the symptoms generally 

 found are a swollen and somewhat tender stomach, some degree of fever with dulness, a hot 

 nose, colicky pains, and constant efforts at vomiting without any result. In puppies you may 

 even have convulsions. One case of stomach impaction was occasioned in a Mastiff by his 

 swallowing shavings, another case by the dog gorging himself on uncooked bullock's lights. The 

 distress of the latter was very great, until relieved, then great heat and pain in the stomach 

 continued for many hours, which the animal endeavoured to relieve by licking snow constantly. 



Treatment. If the dog fails to relieve himself by natural means, an emetic must be given. 

 The speediest is tartar emetic, from a quarter of a grain for a very small dog up to five 

 grains for a large-sized Mastiff. An enema might do no harm afterwards ; but do not give any 

 purgative by the mouth for some time at least. Give the animal plenty of cold water to drink, 

 and if much distress of stomach continues try the dilute hydrocyanic acid ; dose, one to five drops. 



Impaction in some portion of the Bowels. A case of this kind occurred not long since in 

 the practice of a country veterinary surgeon. There were dulness, loss of appetite, colicky pains, 

 and obstinate constipation, but no fever at first. The case was treated so " heroically " that 

 inflammation of the gut, ending in gangrene, was the result. The post-mortem revealed the cause 

 of the mischief namely, the firm impaction of the joint of a ham-bone in the small intestine. 

 This case speaks for itself. 



But impaction in the bowels of a dog may occur from other matters as well as from bones ; 

 pieces of half-chewed sticks may find their way into the intestine and cause obstruction. Again, 

 gall-stones may cause occlusion of the gut, as well as intestinal concretions, formed perhaps of 

 hair swallowed, and hardened fceces. 



Intussusception, or invagination of the bowel, is the name given to that internal accident in 

 which one portion of the bowel is received into the other. This will not only result in obstruc- 

 tion of the bowel, but of strangulation of the part itself and its blood-vessels, and consequent 

 gangrene. 



Volvulus. By this term is meant that a loop of gut gets turned round, so to speak, on 

 itself. 



Now, both intussusception and volvulus, along with internal hernias of different kinds, and 

 indeed occlusion of the bowel from concretions of any kind, must be looked upon as most 

 dangerous and generally fatal accidents. They are, too, most difficult to diagnose. Post-mortem 

 examination only can at times prove what the complaint has been. In the dog, the retching is 

 so severe at times that the contents of a portion of the gut are brought up. In cases of this 

 sort veterinary aid ought at once to be called in, for there is just a chance for the dog, as the 

 case may be one of strangulated external hernia, which in a valuable animal ought to be 

 submitted to operation. 



It must be noted that in obstruction from intussusception, volvulus, invagination, or internal 

 hernia, diaphragmatic or otherwise (the diaphragm, or midriff, is that thin muscular partition 

 which separates or divides the contents of the chest from those of the abdomen, and a loop of 

 gut sometimes breaks or forces its way through into the chest cavity, and becomes strangulated) 

 in the accidents above mentioned the symptoms are both more sudden and more acute than 

 those of simple or chronic obstruction of the bowels. Vomiting quickly ensues, and after a 

 time may become feculent. There is also a tympanitic or blown-up condition of the bowel on 

 the side in which the obstruction is, which contrasts markedly with the flattened appearance of 



