The lymph glands generally are congested and many of them gorged with blood, of a dark red color, and lacking in consistency and cohesion.
Diagnosis. The characteristic icterus is lacking in the early stages, and active treatment gives good hope of success. When indigestion, persistent vomiting and tenderness of the epigastrium, and right hypochondrium, are associated with diarrhœa, it is highly important to examine the urine for even slight traces of bile. When the jaundice is due to impaction of a biliary calculus, the symptoms may increase slowly, and yet reach a sudden climax with acute colicy pains and tenderness of the right hypochondrium.
Prognosis. In acute rapidly developing cases a fatal issue is to be expected. In those which develop more slowly, recovery may be hoped for if early treatment is instituted.
Treatment. Cases due to biliary calculus must be treated for that lesion.
In purely infective icterus attempts must be made to arrest the intestinal and hepatic fermentation. As intestinal antiseptics, naphthol, benzo-naphthol, naphthaline, 5 grains four to six times a day. As hepatic antiseptics, salol 5 grains, salicylate of soda 8 grains, or calomel 1 grain four times a day. The salol and salicylate tend to increase biliary secretion and to render it more fluid. The same end is attained by alkalies (carbonates of potassa, or soda or lithia, bitartrate of soda, iodide of potassium). These are further valuable in hastening the elimination of toxic matters by the kidneys. The expulsion of bile, and of intestinal microbes and toxins may be sought by laxative doses of Glauber salts, or by cold enemas of the same. Verheyen recommends aloes in laxative doses for six days. Siedamgrotzky had good results from induction currents of electricity, sent through the region of the liver twice a day for ten minutes on each occasion. To assist in elimination abundance of pure water or of watery fluids may be used. The most effective eliminating agent is pilocarpin in ⅙ gr. dose hypodermically, repeated daily. In weak conditions frequent small doses of strychnia, ether, aqua regia, or digitalis may prove valuable.
In case of improvement a course of bitters is usually demanded, and these may be combined with hydrochloric acid or small doses of sodium bicarbonate.
Throughout the disease, gruels, beef tea, buttermilk, whey or any simple nutritive aliment which the animal relishes may be given, but both then and during convalescence fatty matters and indigestible materials should be carefully withheld.
JAUNDICE IN CATTLE AND SHEEP.
Usually with gall-stones or concretions, or distomata. In sheep from decomposing vegetation. Symptoms: anæmia, emaciation, pallor, icteric mucosæ. Digestive disorder and bilious stools suggest worms. Treatment: as in horse, or vermifuge.
Though less common than in the dog icterus in ruminants occurs, but most commonly in connection with gall stones and concretions, or with trematodes in the gall ducts. These forms will be noticed under these respective headings. Verheyen describes an icterus of sheep which occurs enzootically in damp low undrained localities, and is attributed by shepherds to the consumption of dead and fermenting leaves. The symptoms are those of anæmia, emaciation, and increasing weakness, with a pallor and more or less dull yellow of the conjunctiva, and, later, of the other mucosæ. The loss of appetite, indigestion, yellow liquid fæces, suggest the possible presence of parasites as a cause, and the prescribed treatment by common salt, juniper berries and tonics strengthens the suspicion. Other forms must be treated according to cause on the lines laid down above.