227 



Endocarditis may be ushered in by a cbill, with sudden and marked 

 rise in temperature. Tlie pulse rapidly decreases in strength or may 

 become irregular, while the heart beats more or less tumultuously. In 

 the early stages soft blowing sounds may be heard by placing the ear 

 over the heart on the left side, which correspond in number and rhythm 

 to the heart's action. Excessive pain, though not so great as in acute 

 pleuritis, is manifested when the animal is compelled to trot; very often 

 difficulty in breathing— shortness of breath— on the slightest exertion 

 develops early in the attack. When the valves are involved in the in- 

 flammatory process the visible mucous membranes become either very 

 pale or very dark colored, and fainting may occur when the head is 

 suddenly elevated. When the valves of the right side are afiected we 

 may have a regurgitant pulsation in the jugular vein. In some cases 

 we find marked lameness of the left shoulder, and when the animal is 

 turned short to the left side he may groan with pain, and the heart's 

 action become violently excited, although pressure against the chest- 

 wall will not produce pain unless roughly api^lied. The animal is not 

 disposed to eat or drink much ; the surface of the body and legs are 

 cold— rarely excessively hot -and frequently the body of the animal is 

 in a subdued tremor. In nearly all cases there is partial suppression 

 of the urinary secretion. The symptoms may continue with very little 

 modification for three or four days, sometimes seven days, without 

 any marked changes. If fibrinous clots lorm in the heart the change 

 will be sudden and quickly prove fatal unless they become loosened and 

 are carried away in the circulation; then apoplexy may result from the 

 plugging of arteries too small to give further transmission. If the ani- 

 mal manifests symptoms of improvement, the changes usually are slow 

 and steady until he feels apparently as well as ever, eats well, and 

 moves freely in his stall or yard. When he is taken out, however, the 

 seeming strength often proves deceptive, as he may quickly weaken if 

 urged into a fast gait, the breathing become quickened with a double 

 flank movement as in heaves, and all the former symptoms reappear in 

 a modified degree. An examination at this stage may reveal valvular 

 insufficiency, cardiac hypertrophy, or pulmonary engorgement. 



In fatal cases of endocarditis death often occurs about the fourth day, 

 from the formation of heart clot or too great embarrassment of the 

 circulation. Endocarditis may be suspected in all cases where plain 

 symptoms of cardiac affection are manifested in animals affected with 

 influenza, rheumatism, or any disease in which the blood may convey 

 septic matter. 



Acute endocardial inflammation may be distinguished from pleuritis 

 by the absence of any friction murmer, absence of pain when the chest 

 wall is percussed, and the absence of effusion in the cavity of the chest. 

 It may be distinguished from pericarditis by the absence of the friction 

 sounds and want of an enlarged area of dullness on percussion. 



Treatment— The treatment will be similar in both myocarditis and 



