CHAPTER V. 
DISEASES OF THE BOWELS. 
CONSTIPATION, COLIC, 
DIARRHGA, ENTERITIS, 
DYSENTERY, PERITONITIS, 
INTUS-SUSCEPTION, PILES, 
HERNIA, PROLAPSUS ANI, 
WORMS, . FISTULA IN ANO. 
CONSTIPATION. 
THE dog has a natural tendency to constipation, the evacua- 
tions being usually dry and solid, and attended with more or 
less straining ; nevertheless,as Mr. Youatt correctly observes, 
“Costiveness is a disease when it becomes habitual,” and 
to prevent such an occurrence due attention to the causes 
is requisite. Constipation is dependent to a great extent 
on the food, especially an over-supply of bones or other 
dry matter: confinement and denial of exercise have a like 
result, and the fear of a breach of cleanly habits with house- 
dogs has an equal tendency to produce it. Constipation 
may occur from a deficiency in the intestinal secretion, or 
impaired peristaltic action, as in chorea, paralysis, or tetanus 
or from piles and fistula. 
Symptoms.—The symptoms of constipation are usually 
denoted by the character of the stool, and the difficulty and 
pain in evacuating it; where constipation is long and pro- 
tracted, there are indigestion, retching, vomiting, and, from 
the long retention of the excrement, excessively foul breath. 
Ultimately, colicky pains come on, the animal increases 
his efforts to evacuate, and yells in the endeavour: the im- 
paction at last becomes so considerable as to push out the 
anus, and give it the appearance of a tumour. 
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