190 Veterinary Medicine. 



and slow, and the pulse is small and thready. The abdomen is 

 tender. The animal stands, dull, and breathes with great effort. 

 If made to walk it is done slowly, stiffly and with head extended, 

 mouth open and tongue protruding. There is no sign of vomit- 

 ing and this cannot be brought about by tickling the fauces, or 

 even by giving apomorphia subcutem, though retching may be 

 induced. 



Course. The disease may develop into dullness and anorexia 

 in two hours after boisterous health ; in twelve hours there may 

 be considerable tympany and dyspnoea ; and a fatal result is 

 reached in about thirty-six hours. 



Diagnosis. This is based on the transition from vigorous 

 health to sudden illness, with complete anorexia, inability to 

 swallow or to vomit, tympany of the stomach as shown by per- 

 cussion, tenderness of the abdomen, dyspnoea, disturbed heart- 

 functions, and inactivity of the bowels. With intestinal obstruc- 

 tion, on the other hand, there is free vomiting of bilious and fecu- 

 lent matters. With peritonitis there is much greater and more 

 uniform abdominal tenderness, vomiting and high fever, but 

 less tympany in the anterior abdominal region, and no such com- 

 plete suspension of defecation. With choking there is no such 

 progressive tympany, appetite and defecation are not so com- 

 pletely suspended, and liquids may often pass the obstruction in 

 small quantities in both deglutition and vomiting. Choking is 

 by no means so speedily fatal. 



Treatment is essentially surgical. When tympany is already 

 established the gas must be evacuated by a small cannula and 

 trochar. Then resort is had to laparotomy, the incision is made 

 on the right side large enough to introduce the fingers, which 

 must follow the great curvature of the stomach as far as the 

 pylorus which is pulled back into its normal position on the , 

 right. The incision is now closed by an ordinary contingous 

 suture. 



