564 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



The rectum is subject not only to cancer, but to non-malignant tumours of other sorts, 

 which sometimes require the use of the knife. 



Polypi are to be treated by the ligature, and a surgeon must be applied to, as dilatation 

 by a particular instrument is usually required, unless, indeed, they protrude, when it is easy to 

 transfix the neck with a needle, and tie the two ends one at each side. Or the silken ligature 

 may simply be tied tightly round the neck, when in a day or two the polypus will drop off. 

 This treatment is preferable to that of excision by the knife, as in the latter operation there is 

 apt to be considerable haemorrhage. N.B. A polypus must not be confounded with a pile, 

 the latter is broad at the base, the former has a neck. 



Prolapsus ani, or a coming down or falling out of the rectum, is occasionally met with in 

 dogs of a weakly disposition ; and if not understood, or improperly treated, it may end in gangrene, 

 sloughing, and death. This protrusion of the rectum is caused at times by quantities of 

 hardened faeces being retained in the rectum. The rectum is stretched, and loses tone ; the 

 muscular walls and mucuous membrane relax, and hence the liability to protrusion. At first 

 the prolapsus only occurs during defecation ; but latterly the rectum protrudes at any time, 

 and is generally more or less inflamed and excoriated. 



Treatment. At first, along with the usual constitutional treatment, and the careful regu- 

 lation of the bowels with the simplest laxatives, or by means of food, fresh air, and gentle 

 exercise, it is advisable to employ cold water enemas containing three or four drops of the 

 tincture of iron to an ounce. Not more than from half an ounce to three ounces should be 

 injected, as it is meant to be retained. Do this three or four times a day. Or the sulphate 

 of iron may do as well, two or three grains to an ounce of water. 



Any loose, baggy portions of mucous membrane, or the remains of former piles, may be 

 ligatured and allowed to drop off, after which the part may be touched with nitrate of silver 

 or blue-stone. 



The protruded portion of the gut is to be carefully returned before the injection is used. 



14. Enteritis. 



Enteritis, or inflammation of the bowels, is one of the most painful as well as dangerous 

 diseases with which the canine race are afflicted, and unhappily it is far from rare. 



Causes. In nine cases out of ten it is the owner's own fault that his poor dog suffers from 

 enteritis. The dog has been ill-treated in some way. Perhaps he has been over-pampered, over- 

 fed, his constitution rendered weak killed, in fact, by kindness. Or he may have been over-run, 

 over-worked, or allowed to disport himself in the water too much, and afterwards exposed to cold. 



Unwholesome food will also produce enteritis; and direct violence, as from kicks or blows. 

 It may also proceed from the extension of inflammation from the stomach, and from over-doses of 

 irritant poisons the abuse of tartar emetic, for example. Again, neglected colics may end in 

 inflammation, so may impaction of the bowel. 



Or enteritis may have a constitutional origin, that is, it may arise from mange, or the poison 

 of distemper ; but from whatever cause it proceeds, its symptoms are unmistakable, and the 

 disease, as a rule, very speedily fatal. 



Pathology. There is some dispute about the exact pathology of this disease among learned 

 practitioners, some affirming that it is the muscular coat that is the seat of inflammation, others 

 that it is the mucous. Probably both these coats are affected, but the mucous coat much more so 

 than the muscular. Ulceration is often found in the bowel just what one would naturally expect 

 and often gangrene. 



