GASTRITIS 51 



dose of apomorphin repeated to more thoroughly 

 clean the stomach. A gastric sedative, such as 

 from five to twenty grains of bismuth subnitrate, 

 may then be administered and the animal's diet 

 restricted for a week or longer to small quantities 

 of easily digfested food. 



Gastritis 



This ailment, due to inflammation of the mucous 

 membrane of the stomach, occurs both in the acute 

 and the chronic forms. 



Acute Gastritis 



Cause. — Acute gastritis is caused by irritating 

 foods or medicines, such as decomposing meat or 

 arsenic, corrosive sublimate, or phosphorus, as well 

 as by foreign bodies. Acute gastritis also occurs 

 as a symptom of distemper. 



Symptoms. — There is vomiting, with little or no 

 appetite, and increased thirst, great quantities of 

 water sometimes being taken, only to be immedi- 

 ately vomited. There is more or less constipation. 

 The temperature is raised and the pulse accelerated. 

 Pressure on the stomach causes pain. The patient 

 is greatly depressed, lying down a great deal and 

 assuming an almost diagnostic attitude, by trying 

 to rest its' abdomen on the floor. 



Treatment. — If an irritant-poison, decayed meat, 

 or a foreign body is suspected to be the cause, an 

 emetic should be administered to clean out the 

 stomach. The vomiting may be controlled with 

 from five to twenty grains of bismuth subnitrate, 

 combined with three grains of cerium oxalate or 

 five grains of chloretone. The constipation may be 

 overcome by laxatives and enemas. If the pain 



