INFLAMMATION OF COVERINGS OF THE CORD 237 



like contractions which are usually initiated whenever the 

 skin is touched. In some instances the patient is so sensitive 

 that it may rear into the air. The muscles of the back and 

 neck appear firm and extremely tender. If the abdominal 

 muscles are involved the respirations are rapid and super- 

 ficial. Urination and defecation are painful and difficult. In 

 some cases spasm of the sphincters of the^bladder and anus 

 produce retention of urine and feces. In rare instances in 

 male animals priapism occurs. 



As the cord substance usually becomes involved later, 

 paralyzing the roots of the motor nerves, paralysis of muscle 

 groups, diminished reflexes, and decreased sensibility occur. 

 In the latter stages the animal becomes paralyzed, the par- 

 alysis involving all parts of the body behind the cord lesion. 

 The temperature of the patient is usually increased. 



Course. — As a rule death ensues within a week. When the 

 inflammation is confined to circumscribed areas of the cord 

 the patient may live for months. 



Diagnosis. — If the disease develops typically and each stage 

 can be observed a diagnosis usually can be made. The 

 gradual diminution of the symptoms of extreme skin sen- 

 sitiveness and muscle spasms in the region of the spinal 

 nerves, the recognizable spread of the inflammation along the 

 course of the cord and the presence of a primary disease in 

 the neighborhood of the spinal canal are significant. The 

 peculiar course differentiates spinal meningitis from con- 

 tusion of the cord. From the standpoint of differential 

 diagnosis muscular rheumatism, laminitis and tetanus should 

 be thought of. From acute muscular rheumatism the marked 

 sensitiveness of the skin seen in spinal meningitis is signi- 

 ficant; in laminitis the presence of foot symptoms, and in 

 tetanus the absence of sensory disturbances and the pro- 

 lapse of the nictating membrane when the head is elevated, 

 serve for differentiation. A distinction between spinal menin- 

 gitis and myelitis is not always possible. However, myelitis 

 is characterized by sensory-and motor paralysis with which is 

 usually associated paralysis of the bladder and rectum and 

 does not present symptoms of hyperalgesia and muscular 

 spasms. , 



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