Ascites in Carnivora. 403 



abdomen,, and is not confined to the womb. On rectal explora- 

 tion the outline of the empty womb is made out. 



Lesions. Besides the lesions described for solipeds, one finds 

 in cattle, tuberculosis of the liver, spleen, and lymph glands, and 

 extensive clusters of tubercles on the peritoneum. In sheep the 

 white branching lines on the back of the liver may indicate the 

 distension of gall ducts infested by distomata. 



Treatment does not differ from that recommended for solipeds. 

 In tuberculous cases, sanitary considerations demand the destruc- 

 tion of the animal and disinfection of the carcass. In distomato- 

 sis treatment must be preventive, as the distomata are difficult to 

 reach with vermifuges. 



ASCITES IN CARNIVORA. 



Causes : obstructed flow of blood in hepatic, portal or renal veins, or iii 

 vena cava, renal, heart, liver or splenic diseases, pulmonary congestion, 

 asthma, tuberculosis. Symptoms : pot-belly, hollow above, drooping back 

 and loins, flat percussion sound and fluctuation, change of position changes 

 area of flatness, anaemia, debility, scanty urine, diarrhoea, no fever. 

 Diagnosis : absence of fever, general fluctuation changing its seat by turn- 

 ing the patient, not confined to a given organ like the bladder or womb. 

 Lesions : quantity and composition of liquid, lesions of primary diseases. 

 Treatment : Correct if possible the primary disease, evacuate the liquid, 

 compress on abdomen, iodine solution for irrigation, saline purgatives, 

 diuretics, pilocarpine, bitters, iron, sunshine. 



Causes. Ascites is generally the result of some obstruction to 

 the return of blood from some abdominal organ, but may also 

 come from renal disease, of hydrosemia in which general dropsy is 

 likely to occur. The dog is specially subject to heart disease, and 

 disease of the right heart (tricuspid insufficiency, dilatation, 

 hydro-pericarditis, fatty degeneration, etc.) throws the blood 

 back on the whole venous system and the extensive and dilatable 

 portal veins are especially liable to suffer. Diseases of the liver, 

 so common in pampered house dogs, still more directly block the 

 portal circulation and induce ascites. Tumors in the liver or 

 spleen or in the lymph glands of the porta act in this way, also- 

 cirrhosis, tuberculosis, cancer, hepatic congestion, and degenera- 

 tion. Constrictions of the vena portse by false membranes the 



