80 DISEASES OF THE HEART 



Individual Valvular and Ostial Defects. — (a) Mitral 

 insufficiency, most common in the horse, dog and swine 

 (left heart). Systolic bruits very loud; accentuated second 

 heart tone. Pulse normal to weaker. 



(6) Mitral stenosis: Diastolic bruits, weak pulse. 



(c) Tricuspid insufficiency: Most common valvular 

 trouble of cattle (right heart). Systolic bruits, venous 

 pulse, cyanosis. 



(d) Tricuspid stenosis: Diastolic bruits, venous pulse in 

 the ox. 



(e) Aortic insufficiency: Diastolic bruits. Pulsation at 

 base of neck; peculiar swishing sound on auscultation. 

 Sometimes fremitus may be felt. Pulse strong and rapid. 

 (P. celer.) 



(/) Aortal stenosis: Systolic bruits with a very small, 

 slow pulse in horse and dog. Vertigo from brain anemia. 



(g) Pulmonary insufficiency: Diastolic bruits (very rare). 



(h) Pulmonary stenosis: Systolic bruits (very rare). 



Treatment. — Treatment of valvular failure is indicated only 

 in the stage of disturbance in compensation. Here the 

 most'valuable agent is digitalis, given in the form of Squibb's 

 fluidextract (5j). Associated with this strychnin is often 

 used (gr. J to \ subcutaneously) . When dropsy sets in such 

 drugs as caffein, pyuretin and strophanthus are indicated. 



RUPTURE OF THE HEART. 



Rupture of the heart, when not due to traumatism, is the 

 result of pathological changes in the myocardium (fatty 

 degeneration, aneurysms, myomalacia, echinococcus). The 

 predisposing causes are conditions which increase blood- 

 pressure, such as excitement (operations, coitus, etc.); 

 tympanitis or severe concussion of the body due to falls, 

 blows, etc. Heart rupture leads to apoplectic death under 

 symptoms of internal hemorrhage. 



ANEURYSM OF THE AORTA. 



This is a rare condition in animals due to arteriosclerosis. 

 In horses it occurs most commonly at the root of the aorta 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



