GASTRIC INDIGESTION IN CARNIVORA.
Causes: too frequent feeding, indigestible food, epidermic products, bones, tendons, rubber, cords, marbles, pebbles, catarrh, inflammation, intestinal lesions, fever. Symptoms: dullness, restlessness, eating grass, vomiting, seeks seclusion, colics, giddiness, tense, tender abdomen. Treatment: emetic, diluents, dieting, tonics.
Causes. Unintermittent work of the organ wears out its tone and indigestion follows. The more indigestible the food, and the admixture with the food of indigestible materials the greater the tendency to this fatigue and atony. Thus epidermic materials, hair, horn, wool, bristles, feathers are often injurious; also bones, tendons, and above all pieces of rubber, caouchouc, cords, marbles, pebbles and other small objects. Fortunately such agents are usually rejected by vomiting, but if retained, the movements of the viscus become tardy and its secretions defective, and fermentation, indigestion and irritation ensue. The evil effects however mostly come of catarrhal and other inflammations of the stomach, and serious lesions of the intestines, (inflammation, obstruction, volvulus, intussusception, tumors, strangulated hernia,) or acute fever. In any such case the stomach ceases to act, and its contents become a center of active fermentation with more or less irritation.
Symptoms. In transient cases the dog will appear dull and restless, moving about, and, if opportunity affords, perhaps eating grass so as to hasten emesis and relief. With this relief the subject may remasticate and swallow the very materials he has vomited.
If relief is not secured by vomiting, the animal remains dull, anxious, retiring, seeking perhaps seclusion and darkness, is taciturn, moves continually, lying down first on one side and then on the other, or successively in different places, looks round at the belly, starts up suddenly with a piercing cry, and may appear giddy and uncertain in his gait. The abdomen is usually tense or even full and tender to touch.
Treatment. The first resort is the evacuation of the stomach by vomiting. Give tepid water and tickle the fauces with a feather or the finger. Or ½ to 1 gr. tartar emetic in a tablespoonful tepid water, or a teaspoonful of ipecacuan wine. Or ½ dr. of a ¹⁄₁₀₀ solution of apomorphia hypodermically. Beyond this, little is wanted except careful feeding as regards quantity and quality. Nux vomica ½ gr. twice a day will serve to restore tone. Further treatment will come naturally under catarrhal gastritis.