208 Veterinary Medicine. 



obstinate cases a second dose of the salts, or i quart of castor oil 

 may be given with the addition of 20 drops of croton oil. 



When relief has been obtained, a laxative and nutritive diet 

 and a course of bitters should follow. 



INDIGESTION WITH OBSTRUCTION OF THE COLON 



IN SWINE. 



Causes: green leguminosae, dew, rain, dry indigestible food, lack of water 

 or exercise, debility, torpid liver. Symptoms : firm, small, coated stools, 

 obstruction, straining, tympany, rumbling, vomiting, anorexia, lies on belly, 

 secludes himself, restless, grinding teeth, diarrhoea. Diagnosis from hog 

 cholera. Treatment : laxatives, enemata. antiferments, rubbing, massage,, 

 mechanical unloading of rectum, puncture, dieting, bitters. 



Causes. The leguminosae in their green state are liable to pro- 

 duce indigestion and flatulence in the pig. If covered by dew or 

 rain this tendency is increased. Dry, fibrous or indigestible 

 food with privation of water and of exercise tends to intestinal 

 impaction. Debility from any cause, by weakening the con- 

 tractility and secretory power of the bowel strongly predisposes- 

 to this condition. Torpid liver with diminished secretion of bile 

 is another common factor. 



Symptoms. The defecations are infrequent, and small, and 

 covered by a mucus film on a glazed surface. This L.creases- 

 steadily until they cease altogether, when straining, tympany, 

 rumbling and vomiting follow. The animal refuses food, and 

 lies on its belly, hiding under the straw when that is available. 

 Restlessness with frequent change of place and grinding of the 

 teeth are noticed. A spontaneous cure may take place by a free 

 secretion of liquid in which the impacted mass is loosened, disin- 

 tegrated and floated off, the costiveness being succeeded by diar- 

 rhoea. Once established this diarrhoea may become persistent, 

 causing serious loss of condition, and simulating hog cholera. 

 It may be distinguished by the fact that it occurred without 

 the introduction of a contagium, is easily accounted for by the 

 nature of the food and is not communicated to adjacent herds 

 treated in a different way. There is also the absence of the 



