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Enteritis is an inflammation of the mneous membrane lining the 

 bowels. This inflammation may extend and involve the mnsculai- or 

 even serous coats. From my observations enteritis is exceedingly 

 rare in the horse imless caused by irritants or corrosive i>oisons, or 

 following from inAagination, twisting of the bowels, etc. In fact, 

 I can not remember ever to have seen but one case of enteritis apart 

 from these or similar causes. It is claimed, however, by some that 

 enteritis may be x)roduced bj' drinking when warm large quantities of 

 cold water, driving through deep streams when the animal is heated, 

 washing the entire surface of the lx)d3" at such a time, and bj' feeding 

 moldy or musty foods, or keej)iug the horse in damp cellar stables. 



Symptoms. — Febrile symptoms, from the onset, mark all attacks of 

 idiopathic enteritis. The membranes of the nose, mouth, and eyes 

 are congested and reddened, the mouth is hot and dry, respirations 

 are increased, the pulse is hard and rapid, temperature is elevated to 

 103° or 105° Fall. Colicky pains are continuous. The horse walks 

 about the stall, paws, lies down carefully, and most frequentlj- tui-ns 

 himself uj)on his back by the side of the stall and remains in this posi- 

 tion for some time. Thii*st is present. As a rule, the bowels are 

 sluggish oj" even entirely inactive, but "when this disease is due to 

 irritant foods or medicines i^urging and tymxianites may be present. 

 The inflammatory pulse, high temperature, continuous pain, which is 

 increased upon pressure, position of the horse when down, coldness 

 of ears and legs, etc., will enable us to dignose a case of enteritis. 

 Where enteritis follows as a complication of diseases before described, 

 the symptoms will depend upon the character of the original intestinal 

 disorder. 



Treatment. — We must rely almost wholly upon opium iuternally. 

 Give 1 or 2 drams of powdered opium every three or four hours. One 

 dram of extract of belladonna should be added to the above doses of 

 opium. Calomel in 1-dram doses twice a day is also recommended. 

 As a rule, purgatives and enemas are not to be given; our object is to 

 keep the bowels as quiet as possible. Hot blankets applied to the 

 l)elly, or counter-irritants to abdominal walls, are ad\isable. Give 

 mucilaginous drinks, as linseed tea, oatmeal gruel, and starch water. 

 Avoid all solid foods that are in the least hard, dry, and indigestible. 

 If, when the sj'mjitoms of inflammation subside, tlie bowels do not act, 

 try to encourage this l)y means of walking exercise and iujections per 

 rectum. Should tliese fail a mild cathartic is indicated. 



Another form of disease, described by some as enteritis, by others 

 us nnico-enteritis and '''■ (ipopJexij <^>f the large h on-' els," in much uiorc 

 common. It is perhaps the most raj)idly fatal of all l)owel diseases, 

 and is seen most frequentlj' in heavy draught horses. Its causes are 

 hard to determine, but it may follow exposure to cold storms, immers- 

 ing llie body in cold water, and in fact about the same causes that j)ro- 

 duce true enteritis. In this disease we And in the large bowels mostly 



