84 DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



to several litres. There is always some oedema of the serous wall 

 of the intestine, which becomes soft and friable. 



The chronic form may start out at the onset, but generally it fol- 

 lows an acute attack; the peritoneum becomes very much thickened 

 and adhesions form with the intestines and the adjacent organs, 

 at times contracting the intestinal walls and lessening the diameter 

 of the intestinal canal. In the chronic form the exudate is not 

 purulent, as a rule, but is composed of thick, hemorrhagic serum. 

 In the dog we sometimes observe a form of ascites (see page 86) in 

 which we have a chronic thickening of the peritoneum and a col- 

 lection of a turbid, fibrinous exudate (inflammatory ascites). 



A circumscribed peritonitis may be caused by a local ulceration 

 of the intestine or stomach and the irritation extend to the serous 

 coat. We often find small circumscribed deposits on the spleen 

 and liver that have originated from slight peritonitis. In cases 

 where there is a small amount of purulent peritonitis the inflam- 

 mation remains in one locality and becomes encysted. As a rule, 

 with the exception of circumscribed peritonitis, death generally 

 occurs in the first stages of the disease; and it is only in mild 

 cases, where the exudation is very slight, that there is any chance 

 of recovery. The exudate breaks down and is reabsorbed, but, as 

 a rule, there is such an extensive thickening and adhesions formed 

 that it is only in rare cases that the animal ever is restored to per- 

 fect health. 



Clinical Symptoms and Couese op the Disease. "When 

 the disease is caused by some traumatism, by perforation either 

 from the intestines or externally, the symptoms appear very rap- 

 idly. At first there are colic, great restlessness, and a stiff, unnat- 

 ural gait. The posterior extremities are carried out from the body 

 and not flexed. The animal groans and cries. The pain is con- 

 tinual; the abdomen is very sensitive on manipulation, the slightest 

 touch producing great pain. The author has seen several cases, 

 however, where the animal showed very little pain in this disease 

 but it has been in cases where there was great debilitv. The 

 abdomen becomes distended in the first stages of the disease, due 

 to inflation of the intestinal tract from gas and later on by the 

 collection of the exudate. When the abdomen is distended, on 

 percussion, if gas is present, the sound is hollow, and when the 

 exudate is present the sound is dull. The exudate, of course, 



