84 The Management and Diseases of the Dog. 
The same diet as for enteritis should be adopted. 
Acute Peritonitis may terminate in recovery, ascites, or 
become chronic. 
Chronic Peritonitis is generally the result of an acute 
attach. 
Symptoms.—These are not so easily defined as in the pre- 
vious form. The abdomen is hard, enlarged, and some- 
what contracted at the sides. Uneasiness, or a kind of 
sub-acute pain appears frequently to be present, especially 
after feeding. There is also a degree of fever continually 
present. The nose is seldom moist or cool, and the pulse 
is low and fluctuating. The animal becomes gradually 
emaciated, the abdomen increases in size (vulgarly termed 
pot-bellied), the appetite fails, and death from exhaustion 
takes place. This form of peritonitis is generally associated 
with ascites. 
Post-mortem Examination reveals a thickened condition 
of the peritoneal membrane, with frequently numerous 
granulations on its abdominal surface. The serous effusion 
is more abundant, and of a paler or more limpid colour 
than in acute peritonitis. 
Treatment.—This consists in tonics, particularly the tinc- 
ture or sulphate of iron, with fresh air, moderate exercise, 
and plain, nutritious food; if the debility is extreme, 
brandy, beef-tea, and cod-liver oil may be added. 
PILES. 
Dogs are frequently afflicted with this troublesome 
affection. Piles may be either external or internal, and 
assume either the form of vascular tumours around the 
margin of the anus, or within it. 
External piles are composed of a congregation of varicose 
veins. Internal piles are usually similar in formation, but 
occasionally they are genuine pendulous tumours and so 
exceedingly vascular that the least Pressure produces 
hemorrhage (bleeding piles). 
