134 DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND BOWELS 



pneumatic tire. On percussion a hyperresonant tone is 

 emitted. On auscultation no peristalsis is audible. The 

 patient is usually quite dyspneic (mechanical compression 

 of lungs, CO2 intoxication) breathing with open mouth 

 and tongue protruding. The mucous membranes become 

 cyanotic, there is restlessness, loss of appetite, suppressed 

 rumination and eructation of gas through the esophagus. 

 Regurgitation of food masses occurs occasionally. 



Diagnosis. — Usually easy. The rapid distention of the 

 abdomen, characteristic indications of gas on percussion, 

 dyspnea and anxiety suffice for a diagnosis. Chronic bloat 

 is much slower in development and does not lead to serious 

 distention. The bloating which attends choke has a differ- 

 ent history, belching is absent and by using the prob'ang 

 the obstruction is encountered. 



Course. — The course is rapid in some cases the accumu- 

 lation of gas, which occupies only an hour or so, leads to 

 death from asphyxia (CO2 intoxication) in a few hours. 

 Other cases develop slower, the excess gas being belched 

 out from time to time, eventually leading to spontaneous 

 recovery. 



Prognosis. — Acute bloating is always serious, especially 

 in sheep. If, however, treatment is prompt and properly 

 administered recovery soon follows. 



Treatment. — Various methods of relieving bloating are 

 recommended. Generally speaking they may be placed in 

 one of two groups: 1. Palliative; 2. radical. 



1. Among palliative measures are: (a) Kneading the 

 abdomen. The abdomen is gently but firmly massaged by 

 the knee of the operator, the foreparts being elevated by 

 standing the patient on a steep incline. Sheep may be 

 made to stand on their hind legs. Driving the patient up 

 a steep hill yields good results in milder cases, (b) Cold 

 water irrigation to the flanks. Bloated sheep may be 

 driven through a stream of water, (c) Inducing belching 

 by irritating the throat with a blunt instrument inserted 

 through the mouth, the tongue being drawn forward. Less 

 efficient is the use of a bit made of twisted straw and 

 smeared with tar. (d) Passing a hollow probang is rarely 



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