GASTRIC AND INTESTINAL HEMORRHAGES. 



Rectal hemorrhages are almost always produced by hemorrhoids. 

 These diffuse or varicose dilatations of the superficial and deep 

 hemorrhoidal veins are usually found in the dog and pig, rarely in 

 the horse and ox. They originate from an obstructed return circu- 

 lation (heart, lung, or liver diseases) ; the hemorrhoidal veins, espe- 

 cially those most distant from the heart, give way under the blood- 

 stasis. There seems to be a congenital predisposition in the pig 

 favoring the development of hemorrhoids. Spinola attributes it to 

 an overabundant supply of food which is too rich and too irritatiug, 

 also insufficiency of exercise and abuse of drastic purgatives. 



In the ox we may observe intestinal hemorrhages during the 

 evolution of enzootic gastro enteritis. This affection (formerly 

 designated under the name of sang de lombes; JRilcken, Lendenhluty 

 has been regarded by Ryschner as the cause of hemorrhoids, and 

 Spinola has sustained this opinion. Haubner and Siedamgrotzky 

 have considered it an inflammation of the rectal mucous membrane, 

 determined by a too exciting nourishment, or by hard work, neces- 

 sitating excessive efforts. The sang de lombes is therefore only a 

 hemorrhagic proctitis (inflammation of the anus and rectum). 



Vogel has related a very curious case of gastric hemorrhage in 

 a dog. An aneurism of the abdominal aorta, after having become 

 united to the gastric walls, opened into the cavity of the stomach 

 and caused death in a few seconds.^ 



Symptoms. The principal symptom of gastric hemorrhage is- 

 hematosis. At intervals more or less close we observe the expul- 

 sion from the anus of a mixture of fecal matters and blood-clots. 

 The intestinal hemorrhage is marked by bloody defecations. If the 

 blood-discharge takes place in the stomach or intestine, we observe, 

 in addition, all the symptoms of internal hemorrhages or those 

 of chronic anemia — a condition which is soon accompanied by 

 hydremia and serous transudation in the splanchnic cavities. 



Hemorrhoids of the dog are indicated by painful and rare defe- 

 cation, and by rectal hemorrhages, which are ordinarily scant. 

 The neighborhood of the anus is frequently the seat of inflamma- 

 tion. In introducing the finger into the rectum — a very painful 

 operation for the animal — we feel the irregularity of the mucous 



1 Labat and Cadéac have mentioned a case of the same kind observed in a mare 

 which, during the last days of her life, presented symptoms of colic and ejected 

 bloody excrements. At the autopsy they found an aneurism of the aorta opening, 

 into the floating colon (Revue Vet., 1884).— n. d. t. 



