178 Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



afterwards the lumen of the intussusception was not larger than an 

 ordinary lead pencil and yet the bowel on the proximal side was 

 not distended. 



The greatest danger in the acute form arises from the con- 

 striction of the intussusceptum at the neck of the intussuscipiens. 

 Petit saw a case terminate in perforation. Spontaneous cure may 

 take place by the formation of adhesions between the neck and 

 sheath and the sloughing mass be voided per anum. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. There is no distinctive symptom 

 that will enable one to differentiate from acute obstruction from 

 other cause. An offensive sanguineous matter may be evacuated 

 per anum. Biot saw a case accompanied by marked and continuous 

 colic. Hill claims that a peculiar diagnostic symptom of this con- 

 dition is the action of the animal in lying on the top of its back 

 continuously for an hour together and seeming in that position per- 

 fectly at ease and free from pain. When the animal is not too fat 

 to permit of palpation the nature of the tumor may be surmised 

 from its curved and elongated shape, its sensitiveness, and free 

 mobility. 



Treatment. The safest and most effective treatment consists 

 in opening the abdominal cavity and treating the lesion in a direct 

 manner. An attempt should first be made to retract the investing 

 layer. This is often impossible since adhesions will form between 

 the apposing serous surfaces within a very few hours. Sometimes 

 these may be broken down with a probe or fine straight bistoury. 

 Biot made a successful reduction in this manner. Should the con- 

 dition of the parts preclude the advisability of such a course, noth- 

 ing then remains but to perform resection and anastomosis. 

 Tremper cured four out of seven animals by forcing them each to 

 swallow three leaden balls supplemented with intervening doses of 

 castor oil. They were then made to run about when possible, or 

 were suspended by the fore-legs. The two following days, they 

 were drenched with a decoction of linseed meal in water to the 

 amount of one quart. 



Forcible rectal administration of fluids may also be given a 

 trial. Senn, in view of the unfavorable results attending his experi- 

 ments of this nature on cats, believes that it should only be resorted 

 to when the tumor can be positively located in the large gut. He 

 regards it as unsafe to attempt to force liquids beyond the ileo- 



