The volume of the liver is usually increased and the weight may reach 30 lbs. (Schmeltz), 34 lbs. (Lorge), or even 66 lbs. (Trasbot).
In other domestic animals analogous lesions are found modified largely according to the size of the subject.
Symptoms. These may develop instantaneously without any marked premonitory indication. In other cases tenderness on percussion over the liver, stiffness or groaning under sudden movements or turning, arching of the back, hanging of the head, slowness in rising, costiveness, slight transient colics, and even icterus may have been detected on close observation. The symptoms of actual rupture are essentially those of internal hemorrhage. The animal becomes weak, or unsteady upon its limbs, perspires, arches the back, and shows a marked pallor of the visible mucosæ. The pulse is small, thready, weak and accelerated, and the heart beats violent or palpitating. The percussion dullness over the liver is extended (Weber), the loins become insensible to pinching, and there may be some distension of the abdomen. Dilatation of the pupils, retraction or rolling of the eyes, amaurosis, tremors of the muscles of the neck, lying down, or falling, and general convulsions may precede death. This may occur in a few hours or it may be delayed if the lesions are restricted. In case of survival, coldness and œdema of the extremities and sheath have been observed. The lesser hemorrhages may terminate in recovery if there is no attendant incurable disease. In anthrax, glanders, cancer, tuberculosis, septicæmia, etc., a favorable issue is not to be looked for.
Duration. Termination. In severe cases a fatal issue may be expected in from five hours to five days. In the milder cases which make a temporary recovery there is great danger of a second hemorrhage from the new vessels in the tissue undergoing organization or from the adjacent degenerate liver tissue. The course of the affection may be altered by such complications as arthritis (Dieckerhoff), pneumonia, pulmonary thrombosis (Leblanc), enteritis or peritonitis (Cadeac).
Treatment is usually of no avail. Rest, and the administration of laxatives and hæmostatics, have been especially recommended. Of the latter, ergot by the mouth or ergotin subcutem, tends to contraction of the blood-vessels and to check the flow. Ferric chloride is also used, though apt to interfere with hepatic function. Tannic acid, hamamelis, and other astringents may be used instead. Cold water, snow or ice applied to the right hypochondrium may act as a check to the hemorrhage. Unless in purely traumatic cases in an otherwise healthy liver, a recovery is at best temporary, and the already degenerate liver is liable to relapse at any moment. In horses and dogs, therefore, recovery is by no means an unmixed good. Meat producing animals that recover should be prepared for the butcher.
HEPATITIS.
Forms of hepatitis: Parenchymatous hepatitis. Definition: Degeneration of hepatic cells. Relation to enteritis and nephritis. In horse—causes:—as in congestion, pampering, spoiled fodder, malt, inundated meadows, chill, overfeeding, hot moist climate, hæmoglobinæmia, infection. In cattle—causes:—forcing ration, hot weather, overwork, infection. In dog—causes:—infection from alimentary canal. Lesions: Enlarged, softened liver, round edges, a week later yellow atrophy, granular on section, bloodless. Acini with indefinite margins, cells granular, nuclei lost. In dog centres of softening. Symptoms:—in horse: Attack sudden, rigor, fever, dullness, prostration, yellowish red mucosæ, unsteady gait, slight colic, anorexia, urine decreased, glairy, brownish red, groaning in defecation, excited circulation and breathing, increased icterus by third day, fœtid, colorless diarrhœa. Diagnosis: Coincidence of fever, prostration, icterus, painful defecation, fœtid diarrhœa, light color of stools, tenderness and flatness on percussing hepatic area. From influenza by absence of watering eyes and contagion. Prognosis in horse: Very grave unless urine is free. Treatment in horse: Portal depletion, calomel, ipecacuan, salines, diuretics, fomentation of loins, antiseptics, derivatives, mineral acids, bitters. Careful laxative diet in convalescence. Symptoms in cattle: Slower onset, anorexia, dullness, depression, drivelling saliva, grinding teeth, icterus, constipation, later fœtid diarrhœa, pale colored stools, recumbency, groans on rising, arching back, tender right hypochondrium, fever. Prognosis grave. Death in five to six days. Treatment as in horse: Only saline laxatives. Symptoms in dog: Muscular tremors, staring coat, hyperthermia, icterus, fœtid breath, ventral decubitus, extreme prostration, anorexia, tender right hypochondrium, diminished urine, death in two or three days. Treatment in dog: Calomel and jalap, diuretics, laxatives, derivatives, germicides, in convalescence, mineral acids, bitters, careful diet.
The different forms of inflammation of the liver are distinguished according as they affect, especially the hepatic cells and tissue of the acini (parenchymatous), as they result in suppuration (suppurative, catarrhal, abscess), as they cause necrobiosis in nodular masses (infectious or necrotic), as they lead to fibroid thickening under the peritoneum and proper capsule (perihepatitis); or as they cause general fibroid induration of the organ by increase of its connective tissue (cirrhosis).
PARENCHYMATOUS HEPATITIS, ACUTE YELLOW ATROPHY OE THE LIVER.
The characteristic morbid lesion in this disease is the degeneration of the liver cells, loss of their protoplasm and nuclei and of their normal functions. It may be circumscribed to limited areas, or may affect the liver, generally. As the hepatic functions, are so intimately related to those of the bowels and kidney, the affection is usually accompanied by inflammations of these organs as well.