GASTRO-INTESTINAL CATARRH OF SUCKLINGS 145 



usually occurring in the first few days (two to ten) after 

 birth. 



Occurrence. — ^A very common disease among sucklings, 

 especially those which are "raised by hand," or where the 

 young animal is permitted to suck its dam only at long 

 intervals. 



Etiology. — ^The cause of gastro-intestinal catarrh is un- 

 doubtedly bacterial. Probably the Bacillus coli communis 

 is an important factor. While this germ is Regularly present 

 in the bowels of sucklings, and usually does no harm, once 

 the resistance of its host is lowered by error of diet, expos- 

 m-e, etc., it can become pathogenic. Other intestinal 

 bacteria may assume a similar role. In a few outbreaks the 

 abortion bacillus has been found. This has led some 

 observers to believe that the diarrhea of calves is identical 

 with the infectious dysentery of the newborn, the disease 

 assuming a milder type due to the greater age of the calf 

 attacked. In the light of present knowledge no one germ 

 can be accused of producing all cases; probably a great 

 many different bacteria produce gastro-intestinal catarrh of 

 sucklings. 



Predisposing causes are: (a) Weaning too early; (b) feed- 

 ing boiled milk (destroys ferments in milk which aid diges- 

 tion), or substitutes (flour, linseed, cotton seed) for milk; 

 (c) feeding spoiled, contaminated (sour, putrid) milk out of 

 filthy vessels; (d) overfeeding, allowing the hungry suckling 

 to gorge itself with milk after too long a period of fasting, 

 as in the case with foals of working mares; (e) sucking the 

 diseased udder (various forms of mastitis); (/) the eating 

 of solid foods by the newborn animal, which it is unable 

 to digest, such as hay, straw, etc.; (g) preventing the suck- 

 ling from obtaining the colostrum, which removes the 

 meconium from the bowel; (A) refrigeration (cold, damp 

 stables) . 



Symptoms. — ^The first symptom is usually refusal to suck 

 or, if weaned, to drink the milk offered. The little patient 

 is languid, depressed. Colicky symptoms are not rare. 

 There is often bloating. The most marked symptom is 

 diarrhea. The feces are thin, yellowish or dirty white in 

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