CHRONIC CATARRHAL ENTERITIS IN CATTLE.
Causes: As in acute chest diseases, abdominal tuberculosis. Lesions: Thinning, discoloration, degeneration of mucosa, fœtid, mucous contents, black baked masses, lymph glands pigmented. Symptoms: Impaired appetite, irregular bowels, tympanies, lies with nose on right flank, unthrifty coat, prostration, emaciation, weakness, tender flank. Treatment: Dietetic, laxative, stimulant of peristalsis, bitters, antiseptics, aromatics, muriatic acid, treat concurrent disease.
Causes. This may result from a continuance of the causes that are operative in the acute, or from the latter merging into the chronic form. Chronic diseases of the heart and lungs, local disturbances of the circulation, and tumors or tubercles of the intestines or mesentery are additional causes.
Lesions. These embrace attenuation of the intestinal walls at Peyers’ patches, a dark, slaty discoloration of the mucosa, more or less congestion, an accumulation of fœtid mucus in the small intestines, of mucus and black baked fæcal matters in the large, and discoloration of the mesenteric glands. Inter-dependent diseases of the heart, lungs and liver are not uncommon.
Symptoms. Following the acute form there remain impaired or capricious appetite and rumination, costiveness alternates with relaxation of the bowels, intermittent slight tympanies occur, the subject inclines to lie much with his nose in his flank, has dull coat, erect on back and neck, sunken eyes, drooping ears, and rapidly loses flesh and strength. Tenderness of the right side of the abdomen when the fist or knee is pressed into it is a marked feature.
Treatment. The diet must be cared for as in the acute form, yet fresh green grass, a little at a time, is calculated to stimulate appetite and rumination and to prove laxative to the bowels. The same purgatives may be given in one-fourth the doses and repeated daily or reduced as may be found best to secure a moderate secretion and discharge from the bowels; eserine or pilocarpin may be used for the same purpose; the bitters and antiseptics may be given in the same way. As calmative aromatics, oil of peppermint 30 drops, powdered anise ½ ounce, or ginger ½ ounce, may be given twice or thrice daily.
Cadeac strongly recommends a drink slightly acidulated with hydrochloric acid to assist the digestion and stimulate the stomach to action.
Attention must of course be given to any curable concurrent or inter-dependent disease.
DYSENTERY OF CATTLE.
Definition. Attacks ox mainly. Causes: accessory causes, chills, rain storms, night dews, hoar frost, foul or iced water, alimentary irritants, spoiled fodder, over exertion, hot damp weather, odors of carrion, crowding, swamps, foul stables, germs or pathogenic ferment, in man catarrhal, diphtheritic and amœbic, amœba dysenterica, other microbes, effect of better hygiene. Symptoms: attack sudden, languor, trembling, weakness, weeping eyes, fever, buccal epithelial softening, erosions, tenesmus, fœtid, liquid stools, involuntary defecation, hemorrhoidal congestion, open anus, colics, tender right flank, splashing on handling, anorexia, salivation, unthrifty skin, hide-bound, cracked muzzle, later prostration, low temperature, sunken glazed eyes, drooping head, ears, eyelids, weakness, emaciation, alkaline, fœtid, frothy, bloody, mucous stools, with sloughs, saliva acid, gastric liquids alkaline, bile suppressed. Duration: three days to three weeks or chronic. Mortality 50 to 80 per cent. Complications: mostly septic, abscess, gangrene of other organs, lungs, joints, glands, etc. Lesions: rapid sepsis, blood deep red, coagulum loose, venous congestion, large intestines congested, tumefied, softened, desquamated, eroded, sloughing, necrotic, folds perforated, cicatrizing, contents mucopurulent, bloody, putrid, microbes, glandular lesions, implication of small intestines, stomach mouth, liver, spleen, hepatic abscess. Diagnosis: from rinderpest by tardiness and comparative weakness of contagion, absence of general mucous congestion and epithelial concretions, from toxic enteritis by same. Prevention: avoidance of causes, separation of sick, disinfection, careful feeding. Treatment: Demulcents, antiseptics, astringent tonics, opiates, ipecacuan, calomel, sodium sulphate with antiseptics, antiseptic enemata of glycerine, phenol, creolin, iron sulphate, silver nitrate, salicylic and boric acids, rest, gravitation, careful dieting.