340 INFLAMMATIONS. 



this there is no evidence during life. If there were, no remedy would 

 avail short of opening the belly with the knife and drawing out 

 the inverted portion with the hand. Diarrhoea, or inflammation 

 of the mucous membrane of the bowels, is a constant visitor to the 

 kennel. The symptoms are too plain to need description, further 

 than to remark that the motions may be merely loose, marking 

 slight irritation, or there may be a good deal of mucus, which is an 

 evidence of great irritation of the membrane ; or, again, there may 

 be shreds or lumps of a white substance resembling the boiled 

 white of an egg, in which case the inflammation has run very hi^h. 

 Lastly, blood may be poured out, marking either ulceration of the 

 bowels, when the blood is bright in color, or an oozing from the 

 small intestines, when it is of a pitchy consistence and chocolate 

 color. The treatment varies. If there is reason to believe that 

 irritation from improper food exists, a dose of oil (15) will clear all 

 away and nothing more is needed. In slight cases of mucous 

 diarrhoea, laudanum may be added to a small dose of oil (7). If 

 this does not have the desired effect, try (6), (8), or (9). Bleeding 

 from an ulcerated surface or from the small intestines seldom oc- 

 curs except in distemper, and can rarely be restrained when severe. 

 Relief may be attempted by the bolus (18) or the pill (19), but the 

 shock to the system is generally too great to allow of perfect 

 health being restored. In case of bleeding from the large intes- 

 tines, the chalk mixture (6), together with the bolus (18), will often 

 avail. Rice water should be given as the only drink, and well- 

 boiled rice flavored with milk as the only solid food. 



Chronic inflammation with constipation is very liable to occur in 

 dogs which are not exercised, and are fed with biscuit or meal 

 without vegetables. The treatment of habitual constipation should 

 be regular exercise and green vegetables with food. Coarse oat- 

 meal will generally act gently on the bowels of* the dog, and a cos- 

 tive animal may be fed upon porridge with great advantage, mixed 

 with wheat-flour or Indian meal. It is better to avoid opening 

 medicine as a rule, though there is no objection to an occasional 

 dose of a mild drug like castor oil. If the faeces are impacted, 

 throw up warm water or gruel repeatedly, until they are softened, 



