Definition. Causes, irritants, fermented, putrid swill, spoiled
vegetables, irritant molluscs or larvæ, hot or cold food, alkalies,
indigestible food, specific germs and toxins, parasites. Symptoms:
inappetence, restlessness, vomiting, colic, constipation, diarrhœa,
fever, stiffness, tender abdomen, arched back, chill, plaintive
grunting, drooping tail. Lesions. Treatment: change diet,
mucilaginous, milk, protection from saprophytes, change pen, emetic,
laxative, calomel, bismuth, cleanliness, washing.
_Definition._ Inflammation of the gastric mucosa with mucopurulent
discharge.
_Causes._ Irritants of various kinds, fermented or putrid swill, spoiled
vegetables, irritant molluscs or larvæ, too hot or too cold aliment,
excess of brine, excess of alkalies, in swill (dishwashings),
indigestible foods of all kinds. The stomach may also be the seat of
catarrhal inflammation in hog cholera, swine plague, rouget,
diphtheritic affections and in the case of gastric parasites, so that it
is very important to distinguish the affections due to simple irritants,
from those dependent on plagues and parasitism.
_Symptoms._ There is inappetence, vomiting, restlessness and constant
movement, colics, vomiting, constipation or diarrhœa, hyperthermia,
stiffness, tenderness of the abdomen to handling, arched back, a
disposition to hide under the straw, plaintive grunting when roused,
drooping of the tail. The tendency is to a rapid recovery after the
evacuation of the stomach by vomiting, though it may persist under a
continuance of the irritating ingesta.
In these last cases the _lesions_ may closely resemble those of the
contagious affections of the abdomen, but the disease may be
distinguished by its indisposition to spread beyond the herd which is
subjected to the unhealthy dietary.
_Treatment._ Change the diet to one of pure and easily digestible
materials, soups, mush, fresh whey or buttermilk, boiled farinas or flax
seed, and even fresh grass. If there is violent diarrhœa boiled milk is
often of great value.
Whatever food is given should be furnished in a vessel into which the
animal can’t get his feet, as these are usually charged with septic
germs which are pathogenic to the diseased stomach, though they may have
started from ordinary saprophytes.
For the same reason it is usually desirable to change the pen, as the
animal grubbing in the ground charges the snout with the same offensive
microbes.
If vomiting is not already established, 30 grains of ipecacuan may be
given, or tepid water may be used to assist the process. If constipation
is present 10 to 30 grains of calomel (according to size) may be given.
In case of diarrhœa a combination of calomel 1 part and chalk 12 parts,
may be given in 3 grain doses, two or three times a day. Or ½ to 1
drachm nitrate of bismuth may be substituted.
Cleanliness in food and surroundings is among the most important
measures, and if the skin has been filthy, repeated washing with soap
and warm water may be resorted to with great benefit.