36 RURAL VETERINARY SECRETS 



eral condition of the patient, due to the loss of appetite and attend- 

 ing infection or intoxication grows bad. The patient emaciates, 

 becomes anemic, weak, and may suffer from diarrhea. 



The course in traumatic pericarditis is usually a prolonged one, 

 the condition lasting often several weeks or even months. Exacer- 

 bations and remissions are very common. As a general rule, how- 

 ever, there is a slow but steady decHne. The disease may assume 

 the form of a pyemia (pus absorption) leading to enlargement of 

 the joints, lameness, etc. Pneumonia and pleurisy and gastrointes- 

 tinal catarrh are frequent complications. Death may occur at any 

 time during the disease from the foreign body penetrating the heart 

 muscle or from injury to the coronary blood vessels, causing fatal 

 hemorrhage. The patient may also die from the attending sapremia. 

 Occasionally cases occur in which great improvement in the con- 

 dition is noted, the patient gaining in flesh, appetite and strength. 

 Usually, however, the improvement is only temporary. Rarer still 

 are those instances where a spontaneous recovery follows the escape 

 of the foreign body through an abscess to the outside world. 



HOW THE DISEASE IS RECOGNIZED 



While in typical and advanced cases the diagnosis is easy, trau- 

 matic pericarditis in the earlier stage may be exceedingly difficult 

 to recognize. Eber recommends, where the condition is suspected 

 and fever exists, to give acetanilid (3 ounces) daily. This reduces 

 the temperature but not the pulse, which remains high (100 to 120) 

 if pericarditis is present. In doubtful cases an explorative puncturt- 

 of the pericardium will determine the presence of fluid. 



TREATMENT 



As nearly all cases are fatal, the immediate slaughter of tlu> 

 animal is recommended. In very valuable pregnant animals an 

 effort to prolong Ufe may be made by the use of such thugs as 

 digitalis (J4 ounce); caffein (1 dram), or oil camphor (1 ounce) 

 subcutaneously. Stimulants (alcohol and ether) are also in order. 

 In Europe puncturing the pericardium with a trocar has been 

 employed. 



