SECTION XIII 



DISEASES OF THE HEART AND BLOOD 

 VESSELS 



Pericarditis 



IN canine patients in the vast majority o£ cases 

 pericarditis is idiopathic and not traumatic. It 

 is usually developed in the course of a general in- 

 fectious disease, such as acute muscular and articu- 

 lar rheumatism, septicemia, pneumonia, or pleurisy. 

 Traumatic causes may be fractured ribs, punctured 

 wounds of the thorax, or foreign bodies such as 

 needles and fish bones. 



S3miptoms. — The disease passes through two. 

 stages, the dry and the moist or exudative stage. 



In the first stage the heart's action is palpitating 

 and tumultuous, and there is a high fever up to 105 

 degrees Fahrenheit. The pulse is wirj^ and fast ; 

 dyspnea is present. Cardiac dullness extends upward 

 apd backward, and friction sounds are present. 



In the second stage, after exudation has taken 

 place the heart sounds are diminished and friction 

 sounds absent. The pulse is small, rapid, and irregu- 

 lar, and the Jugular pulse is seen. There is great 

 dyspnea, cyanosis, ascites, and marked emaciation 

 and debility. 



Treatment. — Absolute rest and quietness must be 

 enforced and an ice pack applied over the cardiac 

 region. Good results are also obtained by the appli- 

 cation of a mustard poultice. The heart's action 

 must be regulated by the internal administration of 

 from ten to twenty-five minims of tincture of Stro- 

 phanthus every two hours and 1-800 grain of aconitine 



105 



