164 DISEASES OF THE STOMACH 



Symptoms.— The parasites which are proper to the stomach 

 of small animals and to the anterior part of the digestive 

 canal of birds do not as a rule produce any marked symptoms 

 unless present in very large numbers. The Spiroptera 

 sanguinolenta of the dog may give rise to a chronic gastritis 

 with frequent vomiting, an irregular appetite and resulting 

 emaciation. The tumor-like masses in which the parasites 

 live may perforate the peritoneum and occasion a fatal peri- 

 tonitis. Large numbers of the Ollulanus tricuspis in the cat's 

 stomach cause a thickening and ecchymosed condition in 

 the mucous membrane with severe gastric disturbance. As 

 the larvae of this parasite migrate into the adjacent tissues, 

 they can produce extensive inflammatory processes and give 

 rise to pleuritis, peritonitis, bronchitis, etc. The Strongylus 

 strigosus produces a severe anemia in rabbits by abstracting 

 blood from the mucous membrane of the stomach, and by 

 so doing produces a disturbance in the function of the stomach 

 with inanition as a result. In warren rabbits where they are 

 continually subjected to reinfection, this anemia often 

 terminates fatally, at times being epizootic in its extent. 



The parasites of birds produce the most serious disturb- 

 ance by burrowing in the walls of the esophagus and crop. 

 The food when swallowed becomes impacted through loss 

 of propelling action of the organ and dilatation results often 

 with fatal termination. 



Diagnosis.— An accurate diagnosis of the stomach parasites 

 of the dog and cat is difficult. A microscopical examination 

 of the feces and vomitus for the larvae may reveal their 

 presence. When the general symptoms are indicative of 

 parasitism laparotomy and possibly gastrotomy should be 

 performed, and a direct examination of the tumor-like masses 

 made. In rabbits and birds, as several are usually affected, a 

 postmortem examination of one or two of the most typical 

 cases is recommended. 



Prognosis.— Unfavorable in all cases of severe infestation. 

 Mild cases in dog, cat and rabbit often recover spontaneously 

 or with ordinary treatment. In birds, however, the injury 

 to the walls soon leads to dilatation and quite often to a 

 fatal termination. 



