122 DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND BOWELS 



sets in; profuse quantities of miscolored, liquid feces are 

 voided. Depending upon the form of inflammation, the 

 feces may be admixed with blood (hemorrhagic enteritis), 

 pus (abscess, purulent enteritis), fibrinous masses (fibrinous 

 enteritis), necrotic tissue (diphtheritic enteritis), and mucus 

 (proctitis). The pulse reaches 70 to 90 (in horse) and 

 becomes weak, small and hard in character. The mucous 

 membranes (eyelid) grow cyanotic (toxemia). The tem- 

 perature is elevated (104° to 106° F.) and the type of fever 

 intermittent in prolonged cases. Toward the end the temper- 

 ature is subnormal. 



The general condition of the patient is that of great pros- 

 tration. The body may be wet with sweat, the countenance 

 relaxed, eyes staring, legs and ears cold, and gait staggering. 

 The pulse becomes very weak, finally imperceptible, the 

 mucous membranes grow cyanotic, and toward the end the 

 patients are down in a soporous condition and may show 

 convulsive movements of the legs. 



Diagnosis. — Simple gastro-enteritis is characterized by its 

 sudden onset, rapid,, fatal course, and the gravity of its 

 symptoms of abdominal pain (colic), tender, "tucked-up" 

 abdomen, obstinate diarrhea, weak, wiry, frequent pulse, 

 fever, and in the last stages the marked mental depression 

 (sometimes excitement) and exhaustion. It might be con- 

 fused with certain poisonings (toxic gastro-enteritis). The 

 history of the case, number of animals affected, and the special 

 symptoms which accompany each form of poisoning generally 

 sufl&ce for differentiation. In some cases, however, only the 

 necropsy and chemical analysis of the ingesta will finally 

 determine. 



Gastro-enteritis may be secondary to many disorders of 

 the stomach and bowels, such as colic, helminthiasis (Strongy- 

 lus armatus inducing thrombi and emboli), latent bowel 

 ulcers following an attack of influenza or strangles, and more 

 rarely may be due to enteroliths. In the above cited 

 instances usually the grave symptoms of severe inflammation 

 are preceded by milder symptoms of digestive disorder. 



Course. — ^The course is usually rapid, death occurring in 

 one to three days. Some patients die in a few hours after the 



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