ENTERITIS 63 



digestible and non-irritating nature for a fortnight 

 longer, and bones should not be allowed for at least 

 six weeks. 



Enteritis 



Enteritis, or inflammation of the bowels, is an ex- 

 ceedingly fatal disease, and if at all extensive, re- 

 covery is doubtful. 



Cause. — Among the many causes leading to this 

 grave condition are poisons — either chemical or 

 bacterial — foreign bodies, intussusception, and intes- 

 tinal parasites — consequently both symptoms and 

 treatment will vary somewhat in accordance with the 

 causative factor. 



Symptoms. — In enteritis produced by poisons the 

 onset of the attack is sudden, the pain continuous 

 and severe, and the abdomen is exceedingly tender 

 on pressure and in many cases tympanitic. Peri- 

 stalsis may be completely in abeyance or there may 

 be profuse and bloody diarrhea. Upon examination 

 the lips, tongue, and mucous membrane of the 

 mouth and jaws are found to be intensely inflamed, 

 sometimes eroded and hanging in shreds. The ani- 

 mal evinces great depression and a disposition to 

 hide away in dark corners and secluded places. 

 Convulsions may supervene, in one of which the 

 animal may die, or it may gradually lapse into coma 

 and die unconscious. 



The treatment in these cases consists in emptying 

 the stomach either by the stomach pump or by an 

 emetic (1-20 to 1-10 grain of apomorphin), and in 

 administering the suitable antidote to the poison. 

 This having been done, the inflamed surfaces of the 

 stomach and bowels must be soothed with demul- 

 cents, such as barley water, linseed tea, or marsh- 

 mallow tea, and protectives given, such as full doses 

 of bismuth subnitrate. To relieve the agonizing 



