168 DISEASES OF THE INTESTINES 



as the upper portion of the large bowel. In small animals it 

 is impossible from a clinical standpoint to recognize the 

 condition as affecting different parts of the bowels as: 

 Duodenitis, ileitis, jejunitis, etc. Enteritis very frequently 

 accompanies acute gastritis, the causes producing acute 

 gastritis often extending into the intestines. 



Etiology.— The etiology is in many respects similar to that 

 of acute gastritis: (a) Foreign bodies which irritate, such 

 as sharp pieces of bone, needles, pins, etc. These when swal- 

 lowed pass through the stomach into the intestines, often 

 producing extensive irritation to the mucosa, resulting in an 

 acute inflammation. Enteritis may result also from opera- 

 tions, such as laparotomy when the bowels are roughly 

 handled, rectal injections and manipulations, etc. Powdered 

 glass is sometimes given intentionally to small animals, and 

 it produces a very severe form of enteritis. 

 ■ (b) Chemical substances (carbolic acid, arsenic, phos- 

 phorus, mercury, etc.) produce a very severe form of enteritis 

 by their corrosive action on the mucous membrane. Chemical 

 irritants contained in food when eaten by the animals will 

 produce the same condition. Sometimes excessive quantities 

 of foods, or digestive disturbance may occasion fermentation 

 in the intestinal tract and the formation of irritants that 

 directly excite an inflammatory condition. Also foods (meat, 

 fish) may contain preformed toxic bodies, such as ptomaines 

 or other products of bacterial action, which may occasion 

 violent inflammation of the bowels. Cats are frequently 

 affected by eating fish partially decomposed. Birds, from 

 eating substances containing rather large quantities of 

 sodium chlorid, suffer from a severe form of inflammation 

 of the bowels as the result. 



(c) Exposure to cold, or sudden cooling of the surface of 

 the body may produce an enteritis by interfering with the 

 innervation and circulation in the intestinal walls; also 

 taking large quantities of cold water, frozen or very cold 

 foods will induce it. 



(d) Bacteria probably rarely cause inflammation of the 

 bowels directly, but their action upon the intestinal contents 

 causing fermentative changes are causes of enteritis. Ente- 



