192 Diseases of the Digestive System. 
sign of worms. Puppies suffer frequently from changes 
in the quality of the mother’s milk, and it also appears 
in pregnant bitches as a result of pressure on the neck of 
the bladder. 
The Symptoms usually arise suddenly, the animal ex- 
hibiting signs of discomfort by moaning. The sleep is 
disturbed and he cries, rises, turns round, draws himself 
together, again lies down, but soon rises and repeats the 
various acts. Increase of pain is betokened by sharp and 
frequent cries; he is more restless and assumes every 
variety of position; the back is arched upwards, and the 
abdomen is distended when the colic is due to flatulence, 
or small, hard, and contracted in obstinate constipation, 
Fever is not present in true or simple colic. 
Treatment.—Some practitioners resort to an emetic in 
the first instance. Others prefer to put the animal at 
once into a warm bath (go° to 104° F.), which frequently 
reduces the spasm, and promotes free action of the 
bowels, especially when conjoined with smart friction 
over the surface. If the pain is severe, anti-spasmodic 
draught No. 2 may be given at intervals of two or three 
hours; and mustard plasters may be applied to the sur- 
face of the abdomen, or a stimulating liniment should be 
rubbed in. When, however, some known irritant is 
present, an oleaginous aperient should be given in the 
first instance, as removal of the cause is specially 
curative. 
Diarrhoea consists ef a frequent passing of liquid 
feeces, attended with pain, spasm, or colic, and more or 
less straining. Acute cases have their origin in the 
presence of some irritant, which induces a catarrhal state 
of the mucous membrane, and inordinate secretion from 
the numerous intestinal glands as well as the membrane 
itself. Such irritants are food, intestinal worms, &c. 
Diarrhoea is also the result of blood disorder, terminating 
in wasting disease, or “breaking up of the system.” It 
also depends upon an excessive secretion of bile, and 
may be caused by repeated overdoses of purgative 
medicines, inducing super-purgation. Chronic cases are 
denoted by intractable indigestion, and great debility in 
