Usually a complication. Causes, predisposing, exciting, changes of
food or water, spoiled, frosted or fermented food, green potatoes,
caterpillars, nitrogenous food, irritants. Symptoms: Separation from
herd, grinding teeth, eructation, depraved appetite, fever, tender
epigastrium, coated dung, red eyes, fixed or retracted, dilated, blind
eyes, drooping ears, nervous symptoms, reckless unconscious movements,
bellowing, tender skin, tremors. Lesions: Congestion and exudate in
gastric mucosa, hemorrhagic discoloration, desquamation, excess of
mucus, resemblance to rinderpest, Texas fever and malignant catarrh.
Treatment: Empty stomach by bland laxatives, stimulants of
peristalsis, calmatives, cold to head, counter-irritants, enemata,
bitters.
This affection is by no means rare in cattle, though it is usually
complicated with inflammation of the first three stomachs or of the
intestines. Nevertheless, when the disease appears to be concentrated on
the fourth stomach mainly, it may well take its name accordingly.
_Causes._ A predisposition to the affection occurs in the weak and
debilitated, the overworked oxen, underfed cattle, in those that are
just recovering from a severe illness and in which the gastric
secretions and functions are still poor. The usual exciting cause is
some fault in the food, it may be a sudden change from one kind to
another, and especially from dry to green, or from one kind of green
food to another and more tempting one, as when the animal breaks into a
field of grain which is advancing to maturity. Even a sudden change of
water, as from soft to hard has seemed in our experience to contribute
to its development. Next come spoiled aliments, frosted or frozen
turnips, beets, carrots, potatoes, apples, turnip tops, fermented
grasses, musty hay, sun-exposed potatoes, putrid vegetables, and
caterpillars on cabbages, tree leaves and other vegetables. Next come
products that are highly nitrogenous, like vetches, alfalfa, sainfoin,
clover, and the cakes of linseed, rape and cotton seed. Irritant plants
such as colchicum, digitalis, yew, radish, etc., have been charged as
causative agents.
_Symptoms._ These are often difficult to distinguish from those of
indigestion or acute lead poisoning, and they vary in different cases
according to the severity of the attack. In the milder cases there may
be loss of appetite and rumination, some tympany, arching of the back,
uneasy movements of the hind limbs and tail, a disposition to leave the
herd, grinding of the teeth, and frequent gaseous eructations. Some show
a depraved appetite, picking up and chewing various non-alimentary
substances. Somewhat more characteristic are the dry, hot muzzle, the
hyperthermia of the body, the tenderness to pressure of the epigastrium,
and the baked appearance and glistening surface of the fæces. In the
more severe forms the suffering is increased and the nervous system
participates in the disorder. The eyes are congested, fixed or rolled
back, the pupils dilated, the vision appears to be abolished, the ears
are pendant, if tied the subject attempts to get loose, if at liberty he
moves steadily in some one direction regardless of obstacles or dangers,
he bellows, pushes against walls or other obstructions and may seriously
injure himself or others. There is, however, no mischievous purpose, he
is simply impelled to blind motion, and no regard is had to anything
which may be in his way. In some instances the nervous disorder is
manifested by a sensitiveness of the skin, so that the animal shrinks
when handled or pinched along the chine or back. Tremors is another
marked symptom.
_Lesions._ These consist mainly in congestion and swelling of the
gastric mucosa, which is further covered by a thick layer of mucus. The
folds are especially thickened and discolored, and the seat of
hemorrhagic extravasations (petechiæ) and exudations in spots and
patches. Desquamation of the epithelium may be met with at points and
even distinct ulcers. Exudation in the submucous tissue, and petechiæ in
the peritoneum are common. The condition may bear a close resemblance to
what is seen in rinderpest or malignant catarrh.
_Treatment._ The first desideratum is the elimination of the irritant
ingesta from the stomach. But for this purpose emetics are useless and
we must fall back on laxatives. Again we are met by the consideration
that the inflamed stomach will neither readily absorb nor respond to a
stimulus. Yet as a rule the viscus is not equally inflamed throughout,
and even the affected parts do not necessarily have the whole muscular
coat involved and paralyzed. We can therefore hope for a measure of
response which once started will deplete and improve the adjacent and
more violently affected parts. But irritant and drastic purgatives like
croton, podophyllin or gamboge are proscribed as very liable to
aggravate the inflammation. Pilocarpin 3 grs. hypodermically may be
given or in default of this, 1 lb. each of Glauber and common salt in
not less than six quarts of water, free access being allowed to pure
water until it shall have operated. Bismuth may also be given as a
calmative. Active rubbing of the abdomen will assist in rousing the
stomachs to action, and hasten the action of the purgative. If there
should be any sign of cerebral disorder, cold water or ice may be
applied to the head, and oil of turpentine, followed by a pulp of the
best ground mustard may be applied to the epigastrium and right
hypochondrium. This may be accompanied and followed by copious enemata,
and doses of quinia, gentian or still better nux vomica three times a
day.