ACUTE DILATATION OF THE STOMACH 153 



some green foods, grains, etc., are the ones most liable to 

 produce the condition. Dogs when very hungry, will often 

 eat an entire bird, rat or mouse, without masticating it. 

 When the mass reaches the stomach it will cause a sudden 

 dilatation. 



Debilitating Condition.— Both general and local, such as 

 rachitis, anemia, toxic conditions, infections, diseases of the 

 heart, etc. These conditions may be the result of various 

 influences which alter the tone of the muscular wall, either 

 indirectly by affecting nervous control, or more directly by 

 toxic action on the muscle. 



Previous gastric diseases often predispose to the condition, 

 usually through fermentation, distending the walls leading to 

 the gaseous form of acute dilatation. Excessive secretions 

 at the same time will assist in the dilatation. 



Injuries.— Such as blows on the abdomen, being run over 

 by vehicles, spinal injuries, abdominal operations (ovari- 

 otomy) have been known to produce dilatation. 



Pathology. —The stomach is usually of enormous size, 

 extending back nearly to the pelvis. The color is bluish, 

 purple-red, or pale, and the wall is often very thin. The 

 dilatation not infrequently involves the duodenum and in 

 some cases may extend to the other small intestines. At 

 times the stomach will be found distended with hard, undi- 

 gested food masses, and in rabbits rupture of the stomach at 

 the greater curvature often takes place from the distention 

 with food and gases. 



Symptoms.— Vomiting is one of the early symptoms and 

 the vomitus consists in many cases of particles of hard food 

 masses, fluids, etc. Owing to the act of vomiting taking place 

 early, some of the material will be ejected, so that in many 

 cases this will be the principal symptom noticeable. However, 

 in some cases where the stomach contents are not removed by 

 vomiting, more serious symptoms develop. There is profuse 

 ptyalism, accelerated pulse, dyspnea, evidences of severe pain 

 such as howling, excitement, etc. In severe cases fermentation 

 often takes place in the intestinal tract, producing severe dysp- 

 nea and death in a short time. In rabbits and some breeds 

 of dogs, by palpation, the stomach will often be found greatly 



