104 THEORY AND PRACTICE 



In severe cases of tympanitis accompanying choke in cattle 

 you may have to tap the rumen. 



In choke in dogs and cats, hold the mouth open and go after 

 the obstruction with a pair of forceps. 



In the chicken give them a dish of water and they will help 

 themselves. 



ORGANIC DISEASES OF THE OESOPHAGUS. 



An organic disease of the oesophagus is the change in struct- 

 ure of the wall caused by a stricture. The causes of a stricture 

 are: 



1. Irritation. 



2. Congestion. 



3. Inflammation. 



4. Organization. 



These changes occurring in the wall lessens its tube lumen, 

 thickens the wall, and destroys its dilatibility. Immediately an- 

 terior to the stricture there will be a dilatation ; the older the case 

 the larger this will be. In connection with the stricture is more 

 or less degeneration of tissue. 



Symptoms. — There are frequent choking, slow deglutition, 

 contents of the dilatation frequently thrown out and occasionally 

 streaked with blood. 



Prognosis. — The prognosis is unfavorable because you can- 

 not dilate the stricture nor reduce the dilatation. The ultimate 

 end is oesophagitis with a choke that cannot be removed. 



Treatment. — Drench the animal with small doses of some- 

 thing that will tend to cure the inflammation — saturated solution 

 of borax, chlorate of potash or sodium bicarbonate. These 

 should be given several times a day. Give the animal sloppy 

 food and compel him to eat slowly. 



In order to make a horse eat slowly put stones in his feed 

 box, and these will hinder him from getting his food so fast. If 

 this fails there are patent boxes which can be used for this pur- 

 pose. 



