ANEMIA 321 



rough, and the eyes sunken. The animal is easily fatigued, 

 and unsteady in its movements. It will lie down much of 

 the time and refuses to move or get up when called. The 

 mucous membranes are pale or colorless. The heart action 

 is irregular, the pulse weak, and the respirations shallow and 

 accelerated. The appetite becomes variable and entirely 

 suppressed in some cases; in others it is retained but weakness 

 and emaciation continue. The blood when examined will 

 show a reduction in hemoglobin content and the number of 

 red corpuscles diminished in proportion to the number of 

 white. Later as the disease progresses edematous swellings 

 are found along the abdomen, under the neck, and on the 

 limbs. Other symptoms may be present depending upon the 

 complicating conditions present. 



Course.— The course of acute anemia is short, lasting in the 

 majority of cases only a few hours. In the chronic form the 

 course is much longer lasting for' several weeks or months. 

 In this case the course will depend very largely upon the 

 cause of the condition. 



Diagnosis.— The diagnosis does not present any difficulty. 

 This is particularly true in the acute form. A differential 

 diagnosis is necessary in some cases to distinguish it from 

 diseases of the heart, or leukemia. In the former the 

 examination of the heart will reveal the difference, while in 

 the latter case an examination of the blood will at once make 

 clear the distinction between the two conditions. 



Prognosis.— The acute form, providing the animal does 

 not succumb from the hemorrhage, will disappear promptly. 

 The elements of the blood will soon be normal from the 

 drinking of large quantities of water and ingesting nutritious 

 foods. 



In the chronic form the prognosis is not considered very 

 favorable. It will depend largely upon the primary factor 

 producing the anemia. A careful examination should be 

 made in all cases to determine if possible the actual condi- 

 tions. Many patients will recover completely after the 

 elimination of the causative factor. 



Treatment.— In acute anemia when hemorrhage is taking 

 place an attempt should be made to arrest it at once. If it is 

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