THE STOMACH AND INTEST/NES 199 



Strang-ulation of the Intestine. 



This condition may be caused bj' volvulus, hernia, or 

 through the presence of peritoneal bands or of a Meckel's 

 di^'e^ticulum. 



The two former are described elsewhere (pp. 198 and 224) 

 in detail ; the latter are rarelj' recorded, although possibl}' 

 the}' are sometimes overlooked. The author has met with 

 two distinct instances. 



Meckel's diverticulum is a congenital abnormalit}- oc- 

 curring as a fibrous cord with one end attached to the 

 lower end of the mesenterj' of the ileum, and the other end 

 floating loose in the abdomen for about an inch or more. 

 It is realh- an abnormal condition of the omphalo-mesenteric 

 duct, \\-hich, instead of lying close to the peritoneal wall and 

 becoming entirely obliterated, has become detached. The free 

 end becomes adherent to the abdominal wall, or even the gut 

 itself, and if there is a portion of intestine enclosed within 

 the loop, as the gut grows it becomes impinged upon and 

 strangulated. 



Peritoneal bands maj- be caused by detached p.ieces of 

 omentum, the constant drag upon them during peristalsis 

 causing them to become cord-like, or as a sequel to an old 

 peritonitis. 



The Symptoms and Treatment are as already described above 

 (see A'oh'ulus), and it is onl}- by an explorator}- laparotomy 

 that their presence can be discovered. 



Tumours of the Stomach and Intestines. 



Tumours of the stomach and intestine of the dog and cat 

 are not common. Carcinomata and sarcomata -"^ (Fig- 41) are 

 occasional!}' met with, but e\'en these malignant growths, so 

 frequently seen in the stomach or lower bowel of man, are 

 \erx rare in this situation in the dog and cat, although 

 occasionally the testicles and ovaries are affected (see pp. 276 

 1 Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics, vol. x., p. 1 73. 



