ANEURYSM OF THE AORTA 85 



(/) Aortal Stenosis: Systolic bruits with a very small, 

 slow pulse in horse and dog. Vertigo from brain anemia. 



(fit) Pulmonary InsufBcieney : Diastolic bruits (very rare) . 



(h) Pulmonary Stenosis: Systolic bruits (very rare). 



Prognosis.— Unfavorable. The usual case of chronic endo- 

 carditis does not reach the veterinarian until so advanced that 

 treatment is no longer economical. 



Treatment. — ^Treatment of chronic endocarditis and valvu- 

 lar failure is indicated only in the stage of disturbance in 

 compensation. Here the most valuable agent is digitalis, 

 given in the form of Squibb's fluidextract (31). Associated 

 with this, strychnin is often used (gr. i to | subcutaneously). 

 When dropsy sets in such drugs as caffein, diuretin and 

 strophanthus are indicated. 



RUPTURE OF THE HEART. 



Rupture of the heart, when not due to traumatism, is the 

 result of pathological changes in the myocardium (fatty 

 degeneration, aneurysms, myomalacia, echinococcus) . The 

 predisposing causes are conditions which increase blood 

 pressure, such as excitement (operations, coitus, etc.); 

 tympanitis or severe concussion of the body due to falls, 

 blows, etc. Heart rupture leads to apoplectic death under 

 symptoms of internal hemorrhage. 



ANEURYSM OF THE AORTA. 



This is a rare condition in animals due to arteriosclerosis. 

 In horses it occurs most commonly at the root of the aorta 

 near the bifurcation. Aneurysm also occiu-s in the anterior 

 mesenteric and the external iliac arteries in the horse. 

 Usually they produce no symptoms during life. In a few ~ 

 cases there may develop symptoms of heart hypertrophy 

 with disturbed compensation and on auscultation over 

 the region of the spinal column a peculiar buzzing sound is 

 heard. The patient may also show epileptiform attacks. 

 Usually death results suddenly and without warning from 

 internal hemorrhage. 



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