124 DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND BOWELS 



Occurrence. — The disorder is not common, although iso- 

 lated cases are noted in cattle, especially young, fat bulls and 

 pregnant cows. Croupous enteritis has also been observed 

 in horses and sheep. Cattle which are turned out to grass 

 very early in the spring are most often attacked. 



Etiology. — ^The exciting cause, which is probably bacterial, 

 is not known. Predisposing causes are refrigeration (cold, 

 damp weather), irritant foods (mustard grass), and the 

 ingestion of such drugs as strong camphor and cantharides. 



The seat of the lesions is generally in the small bowels, 

 which on necropsy are Uned by a grayish-yellow, rather 

 friable, and easily removable mass under which the mucosa is 

 catarrhally inflamed. 



Symptoms. — ^The early symptoms are those of gastro- 

 intestinal catarrh (lost or impaired appetite, suppressed 

 rumination, constipation, etc.). Some patients show colic 

 attacks (switching of tail, kicking hind legs against abdomen, 

 or more rarely rolling) . The symptoms of colic temporarily 

 recede in twelve to fourteen hours. The patients show 

 marked constipation, which usually lasts one to two weeks, 

 at the end of which time the symptoms of abdominal pain 

 return and diarrhea sets in. The liquid feces are brown in 

 color, quite fetid, and eventually admixed with yellowish- 

 gray croupous masses in the form of shreds, flakes, or some- 

 times cylinders several feet in length. These tubular masses 

 appear to the novice as portions of the intestines from which 

 they are differentiated by their homogeneous structure, 

 absence of mesentery, and bloodvessels. The cylinders often 

 contain feces. 



In some mild cases the passage of croupous masses is not 

 preceded by symptoms of ill health beyond those of a mild 

 indigestion. In other cases the prodromal symptoms are. 

 those of a severe gastro-enteritis, with great prostration, lost 

 appetite, high fever, bowel hemorrhage, etc. 



Diagnosis. — A diagnosis is only possible when croupous 

 membranes are found mixed with the feces. Shreds of the 

 pseudomembranes may be mistaken for worms, prolapsed 

 bowel, and portions of tendons accidentally swallowed. 



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