90 SWINE PRA("ric;E 



Stomach 



JIALFORMATIONS 



Malformations of the stomach are comparatively rare in hogs. 

 The stomach may be abnormally small and sometimes there is a con- 

 striction in the middle line producing the so-called hour-glass 

 stomach. 



FOREIGN BODIES 



Foreign bodies in the stomach are comparatively frequent be- 

 cause hogs have a marked tendency to swallow objects of various 

 kinds. The following wa.s found in one hog's stomach: 



40 nails. 1 No. 10 shotgun shell. 



15 staples. 2 buggy-top tacks. 



4 screws. 5 pieces of iron. 



4 nuts. 1 metal picture frame. 



9 pebbles. 6 pieces of zinc. 



1 snap. 8 pieces of wire. 



2 bolts. 1 piece of glass. 

 1 brass pin. 1 piece of brass. 

 1 piece porcelain. 



Hair balls (trichobezoars) are occasionally observed in swine. 



The damage due to foreign bodies in the stomach of swine depends 

 upon their nature. Some sharp objects inflict wounds of various 

 dimensions, and in some instances perforation occurs, succeeded 

 by peritonitis. 



Lesions. — The lesions vary with the nature of the foreign objects; 

 in some cases only a catarrhal condition results, while in. other 

 instances there may be laceration or even perforation of the stomach 

 walls. 



Symptoms. — Evidences of gastric foreign bodies are by no means 

 sufficiently distinct to diiferentiate this condition from various other 

 gastric disorders. 



Treatment. — ^Little is available in the way of treatment of swine 

 that have ingested foreign bodies. Small objects may be expelled 

 by vomition excited by emetics such as ipecac or apomorphine or they 

 may be removed by gastric lavage. Objects embedded in the gastric 

 walls can be removed only by surgical interference, but gastric 

 surgery in swine is not well developed at this time. 



