While the fourth stomach in the mature animal is protected against danger by the preparatory work of the first three, and by their action in retarding the food in its progress, and allowing it to pass into the fourth only when thoroughly comminuted and then only in small quantity at a time; in the suckling on the other hand the milk passes at once into the abomasum, which is thus rendered as susceptible as in the monogastric animal.
Causes. The causes are almost identical with those set forth under infective gastro-enteritis of the suckling, acting however with less force, or on a less susceptible system. Overloading and the resulting paresis; unsuitable milk from another genus, or from unhealthy, overworked, or over-fed specimens of the same genus; the ingestion of hard, insoluble, indigestible or toxic aliments, and exposure to cold and wet are among the most common direct causes. As secondary causes are overfeeding of the cows, and bringing up the calves on the pail with all kinds of substitutes for the milk of the mother.
Symptoms. Dullness, lack of sportiveness and of appetite. The patient lies down a good deal, but is nervous or restless, and when up shows colicy pains by movements of the tail and hind limbs. He may moan gently or bellow frequently. The muzzle is dry, the mouth clammy, hot and sour, the abdominal muscles rigid and the belly often somewhat swollen, and resonant on percussion. Acid eructations are common. At first there is costiveness, but in a few hours diarrhœa sets in and usually proves critical, clearing away the offensive and irritant materials and paving the way for recovery. The tension of the belly lessens, by degrees, the appetite returns, the bowels resume their normal tone and in twenty-four or forty-eight hours health may be fully restored.
There is, however, always danger of the supervention of gastro-enteritis of which in many instances the above-named symptoms indicate the first stage. In all cases it interferes with the growth and fattening of the subject.
Lesions. We observe the presence in the stomach of masses of coagulated milk, undigested, mixed with an excess of mucus, and exhaling a sour or even a septic odor. The mucosa is more or less red and congested with swelling and opacity of the epithelium. The bowels also contain the undigested flocculi of casein, more or less fermented and which have escaped the action of the peptic liquids.
Prevention. This consists in the avoidance of the causes, and as these are in the main the accessory causes of infective gastro-enteritis in the suckling, it will save repetition to refer to the article on that subject.
Treatment. In an attack which is caused and maintained by undigested and irritant materials in the stomach, the first consideration must be the elimination of these offensive matters. An ounce of castor oil with a teaspoonful of laudanum for calf or foal will usually effect this purpose. Or ½ oz. calcined magnesia or carbonate of magnesia, or of manna 2½ drs. or cream of tartar may be substituted for the oil. The addition of a carminative or stimulant (1 dr. syrup of anise, or tincture of cinnamon, 1 oz. whisky or brandy, or ½ oz. oil of turpentine for calf or foal) will often check the diarrhœa and fermentation.
In weak subjects the stimulant may be used with a drachm of chalk or of bicarbonate of soda, and 5 grains powdered nux vomica.
In all cases alike the use of rennet is very advantageous. One-eighth of a calf’s rennet being steeped in a bottle of sherry wine and the liquid given to the amount of a tablespoonful (½ oz.) with each drink. This secures proteid digestion and checks fermentation thereby hindering the formation of the offensive products which maintain the irritation and disorder.