OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 149 



I 



Post Mortem. — The capsule of the liver is thickened due to 

 cell proliferation. The interlobular connective tissues is also 

 thickened. Liver abscesses are usually associated with some 

 other disease as glanders, strangles, etc. 



CHRONIC HEPATITIS. 



This is seen in one or two degenerations of the organ, viz. 

 cirrhosis and fatty degeneration. Cirrhosis of the liver is the 

 result of a subacute running into a chronic inflammation of the 

 liver, affecting the interlobular fibrous connective tissue. The 

 liver is large and hardened and the edges are rounded and thick- 

 ened. The color is lighter than normal, more of a bluish color 

 than the usual brick red. This condition is found in old animals 

 which are starving because their teeth are too poor to grind the 

 food given them. 



Special Pathology. — Hypertrophy of the connective tissue pro- 

 duces pressure upon the biliary ducts and lobules and as a result 

 we find yellow markings through the liver. The liver is brown 

 in patches and the lobules are anaemic. The capsule is as hard 

 as cartilage. This produces pressure upon the veins and portal 

 circulation causing ascites. The word cirrhosis comes from the 

 Greek kirros, meaning orange-yellow and refers to the yellow 

 condition of the Hver which is the result of the 'fibrous condition. 

 This hardening may be applied to any organ but it more properly 

 belongs to the liver. The hypertrophy of the connective tissue 

 may produce atrophy of the parenchyma, that is, the epithelial 

 cells which make up the lobules. It is often the primary lesion 

 of ascites of old dogs. 



Treatment. — This should be directed toward putting the ani- 

 mal in a better condition. Attend to its teeth, give him better 

 and more easily digested food; give him potassium acid tartrate 

 in his feed. 



