88 DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



abdominal organs and the diaphragm, interfering with regular 

 respiration. The urine is generally normal but reduced in quan- 

 tity, the digestion impaired, and the bowels disturbed. In the 

 majority of oases diarrhcea is present, and occasional vomiting. 



"While it seems very easy to make a diagnosis when the above 

 symptoms are present, still the following diseases may present sev- 

 eral or all of the sympioms above described. 



1. Acule or Chronio Peritonitis. AVhen one reads the symptoms 

 of acute peritonitis the diseases can be readily separated, but in 

 the latter part of the disease, when the effusion has collected, or 

 where the chronic stage of peritonitis is present, it is a little diffi- 

 cult to separate them, the only positive means being to puncture 

 tlie walls with a small trocar (hypodermatic) and obtain a small 

 portion of the fluid; and it is rather common to see ascites associ- 

 ated with chronic peritonitis. 



2. Fatty Deposits in the Abdomen. This disease is present quite 

 frequently in old dogs; but a differential diagnosis can be made 

 from the fact that where there are enormous collections of fat 

 present the abdomen is round in appearance, and does not become 

 pendulous whether the dog is standing or recumbent. It is well 

 not to puncture in these cases, as it gives no information. 



3. Abnormal Collection of Urine in the Bladder. In these cases 

 we feel a ball-shaped body in the posterior portion of the abdo- 

 men; this swelling does not follow the changes in the position of 

 the body, and is not indicated by percussion. A good way to 

 make a differential diagnosis is to lift up the animal by the poste- 

 rior extremities, and if it is ascites the liquid will settle on the 

 diaphragm and interfere with the respirations; if the bladder is 

 filled we do not have the dull percussion-sound. To further con- 

 firm the diagnosis pass the catheter. 



4. Distention of the Bowels with Gas. In this instance thei-e is 

 an absence of the fluctuation and the clear tympanitic sound all 

 over the abdomen. 



5. With Collections of Urine in the Abdomen after Rupture of the 

 Bladder. On the passage of the trocar the clear urine is passed, 

 which can easily be recognized by the color and odor. 



6. In Advanced Gestation. By careful manipulation the fcetuses 

 can be easily distinguished in the abdomen. 



Besides the above conditions, we may also have to distinguish 



