DISORDERS OP THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 253 



light-colored when the dog chews up bones, owing to the 

 presence of lime salts derived from them. The faeces 

 should never be so stiff as to cause the dog to strain to 

 pass them, nor so fluid as to run from him in a stream. 

 When of a pasty consistence and a dirty-whitish color, 

 an absence of bile pigment may be inferred, and that the 

 liver is at fault. Of course, the appetite soon tells a tale 

 when any part of the tract is disordered. In a dog well 

 managed, however, purely functional gastric dyspepsia is 

 rare. 



Irregularities of the Bowels as diarrhma and constipa- 

 tion are also, as may be inferred from what has already 

 been said, usually evidence of injudicious management, 

 mostly from too much or too little exercise, bad feed- 

 ing, etc. 



Diarrhoea arises from an excessive peristaltic action of 

 the bowels, causing frequent evacuations, which must of 

 necessity be of improper consistence. Generally this is 

 due to the presence of unsuitable food or food in excess, 

 giving rise to fermentation and its irritating products ; 

 sometimes to contact with the damp, cold earth, to draughts, 

 etc. It is an effort on the part of Nature to get rid of 

 offending material, and should not be arrested at once; 

 in fact, only when there is danger of harm as inflam- 

 mation, weakness, etc. A diarrhoea may be caused by 

 excessive discharge of bile, which is a more serious 

 matter. 



If diarrhoea is not checked by quiet and rest or by diet- 

 ing, other measures may be necessary, especially if blood 

 appears or much mucus. Easily digested food is, of course, 

 indicated. Opiates and astringents should only be tried 



