This may occur in all our domestic animals except solipeds in which latter there is no gall bladder.
Causes. Any serious obstruction to the discharge of the bile into the duodenum may cause it. The presence of trematodes, nematodes, or even tæniæ in the ducts, gall stones, incrustations, occlusion of the ducts by inflammatory swelling, tumors of the liver or adjacent parts, echinococcus, cysticercus, or cicatrices may be cited. Cadeac mentions a case of congenital atresia of the bile duct in the calf. Vigney records a case in the cow in which the greatly dilated gall bladder formed a hernial mass in the epigastric region which was, however, easily reduced by manipulation.
In all such cases the distended bile ducts stand out as white branching lines on the back of the liver converging toward the portal fissure. The walls of the ducts may be attenuated or thickened and it is alleged calcified. They are usually lined by a deposit of cretaceous consistency precipitated from the retained bile. The contents of the distended ducts and bladder are variable. They may have the color (yellow, green) and consistency of bile; they may be thick, dense and albuminous; they may be thin and serous from inflammatory or dropsical exudation; they may be granular, or purulent.
Though there is no gall bladder, in the soliped, a similar condition of the biliary ducts may be produced in the same way.
According to the degree of obstruction there may be more or less acute symptoms of biliary colic, icterus, marasmus, poisoning by bile acids, etc.
Treatment must be directed toward the removal of the special cause of dilatation.
DOUBLE GALL-BLADDER.
As a congenital formation the gall bladder is sometimes divided into two at its fundus, and in other cases the division extends throughout, forming two complete sacs. This has been found in the sheep, cat, ox (Gurlt, Goubaux) and pig (Goubaux). Such a redundancy does not interfere with normal functions.
CHOLELITHIASIS. BILIARY CALCULI. GALL STONES.
In ruminants, omnivora, and carnivora, less often in horse, 1 to 1000, or more, biliary sand to marble or more, casts; nucleus, bile pigment, blood mucus, etc., with concentric layers of cholesterine, pigment, salts and lime. Causes: idleness, overfeeding, dry feeding, thickening of bile, colloids, bacteria, wintering in stable. Colloids induce globular deposits. Parasites. Inflamed biliary epithelium secretes excess of cholesterine and lime. Age. Acid bile, constipation. Diseased liver. Lack of bile salts. In solipeds: all sizes and numbers, green, brown, yellow or white. Liver disease. Symptoms: colic with depression, prostration, yellow or red urine, icterus, sudden recovery. Treatment: sulphate of soda, olive oil, antispasmodics, warm drinks, fomentations, salicylate of soda, chloroform, pasture, or succulent food, and open air exercise. In cattle: musk odor; calculi dark green, yellowish green, whitish or orange, dry red, all sizes and numbers. Causes: dry winter feeding, etc. Lesions: dilated biliary ducts and bladder. catarrh, thickening, rupture, septic peritonitis. Symptoms: relapsing colic, with icterus, prostration, and tender right hypochondrium, in stalled animal on dry feeding. Suggestive: not pathognomonic. Treatment: as in horse: succulent spring pasturage. In sheep: rare, musky odor; concretions and casts common in distomatosis. Hypertrophied ducts. Symptoms of distomatosis. Treatment: for distomatosis and calculi. In swine: rare: circular. In carnivora: round, dark green, pin’s head to hazel nut. Symptoms: colics, constipation, emesis, icterus, tender right hypochondrium, concurrent catarrh of bowels, heart disease, dyspnœa, sudden relief. Mode of relief. Treatment: olive oil, bile, sodium sulphate, or salicylate, antispasmodics, alkalies, enemata, fomentations. Laxative food, exercise, open air.