136 DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND BOWELS 



Chronic Tympany, — Definition. — A tendency to bloat noted 

 in some cattle due to conditions affecting the esophagus, 

 stomach or bowels, which interfere with belching. It is 

 therefore secondary. 



Etiology. — ^The causes are: (a) Esophageal. Compres- 

 sion of the esophagus from tubercular mediastinal lymph 

 glands; stenosis of the esophagus, (b) Gastric. Atony of 

 the forestomachs. (c) Adhesions, the result of traumatic 

 gastritis, (d) Hair balls in cattle and wool balls in sheep 

 (infrequent), (e) Intestinal. Stenosis or impaction of the 

 intestines (rare). 



Symptoms. — ^The symptoms consist in a gradually devel- 

 oping usually moderate distention of the left flank. The 

 condition is usually an intermittent one and an attack 

 follows the ingestion of food which easily ferments. In a 

 few individuals the distention may be permanent. There 

 is usually not much disturbance of the general condition. 

 The animal may eat, ruminate and seem in normal health 

 except for the distention of the abdomen. In some cases 

 the patient may show symptoms of indigestion. 



Diagnosis. — ^The diagnosis of chronic tympany is usually not 

 difficult, although to determine the exact cause of it during 

 the life of the patient may be impossible. It is advisable 

 in all cases to test the animal with tuberculin, and at the same 

 time carefully sound the esophagus with a probang to see 

 whether tuberculosis exists or not. 



Prognosis. — While chronic tympany usually does not lead 

 to immediate death the prognosis is more serious than in 

 acute primary bloating as the causes cannot always be 

 removed. 



Treatment. — The treatment is practically the same as 

 that suggested for acute tympany to relieve bloating. This 

 may be followed by the treatment advised for indigestion 

 in cattle. Where there is reason to believe that the inter- 

 mittent bloating is due to some foreign body in the stomach, 

 rumenotomy may be performed for relief. This is especially 

 indicated in periodic tympany of calves. 



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