THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES 183 



should be kept as quiet as possible for some da3's, and to 

 insure this the patient should receive doses of opium either 

 b}' the mouth or in the form of suppositor}-. The dietary 

 and other treatment should be as described on p. 179, exercise 

 and excitement of any kind being forbidden. 



Fsecal Impaction of the Intestine. 



Obstinate constipation and impaction of the intestine by 

 hardened faeces are very common troubles in the dog and cat, 

 especially those of unclean habits and belonging to inatten- 

 tive owners. The administration of laxative or purgative 

 medicine and the use of the enema sA'ringe are usually 

 sufficient to put matters right, but occasionalh- surgical aid 

 has to be invoked. A ver)- obstinate impaction of the 

 intestine is particularh" met with in the shooting breeds of 

 dogs, although by no means solely confined to these varieties, 

 being caused by over-indulgence in game and rabbit bones. 

 These, matted together with hair or fur, form a hard, bon)- 

 mass which it is extremelj- difficult to dislodge. 



In two cases met with by the author, the animals (retrievers) 

 had passed no faeces for at least three weeks. "^ 



The obstruction usualh" occurs in the colon, and it may 

 extend up^^'ards for a considerable distance into the small 

 intestine. In one of the retrievers above mentioned, fully a 

 foot of intestine was involved by a mass as hard as a stone, 

 the small intestine in front being enormousl}- dilated and full 

 of semi-fluid faeculent material. 



Symptoms. — The patient becomes dull, refuses food, vomits 

 occasional!)-, and is observed to strain continually in an 

 attempt to pass faeces, the effort being utterly ineffectual 

 and accompanied by pain. After an attempt the poor beast 

 will look around at its flanks and stand rigidl}' still, looking 



1 Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics, vol. xii., p. 261 

 (Dunstan and Hobday). 



