Diseases of the Digestive Organs. 169 



IMPERFOEATE ANUS. 



This is not uncommon in young animals and may be 

 relieved by a free incision as soon as the accjumulation of 

 dung in the end of the rectum furnishes a firm pad on 

 ■which to cut. The incision must be made in the centre 

 of the firm muscular ring that should have encircled the 

 opening, and which may be easily felt. In mares sponta- 

 neous rehef is often obtained by a rupture into the vagina. 

 If the gut as well as the opening is wanting, there is no 

 remedy. 



PERITONITIS. INFLAMMATION OP THE LINING MEMBRANE OF 

 THE ABDOMEN. 



This occurs in all domestic animals and may be hmited 

 to a particular part or may be general. It 'is mostly 

 caused by mechanical injuries, as wounds of the abdom- 

 inal walls — surgical or otherwise, or by rupture of an ab- 

 scess, of the stomach, intestine, bladder or womb. It 

 may also result from sudden changes of weather, chills 

 from exposure to excessive cold, to frigid showers or dews 

 or to a wet bed after perspiration and fatigue. This is of 

 course most frequent in horses and oxen. Similar expos- 

 ure to cold is a common cause of peritonitis after wounds 

 of the abdomen, as in castration. 



Symptoms. If very circumscribed there may be simply 

 shght colic, worse at one time than another, with acute 

 pain when the aiFected part is pressed. When more gen- 

 eral there is shivering followed by a hot stage, coHc, stiff- 

 ness of the hind limbs, especially in the smaller animals, 

 swelling, tension and great tenderness of the abdomen, 

 constipation, or in rare cases, watery or even bloody diar- 

 rhoea, complete loss of appetite, vomiting in animals capa- 

 ble of this act, quick, catching breathing and rapid hard 

 pulse, becoming softer, weaker and smaller when serous 

 effasion takes place. Effusion is further attended by a 

 relief from the colics and tenderness, a more sunken eye, 

 palHd mucous membranes, deeper breathing, and a moie 

 1^ 



