From healing of ulcers, inflammation or infiltration, neoplasms, ring
like or sacculated, in small intestine in horse preceded by a
dilatation, an effect of verminous thrombosis; in cattle; in dog.
Symptoms: Progressive, if in duodenum can’t eat full meal, belches
gas, has colics and tympany; in cattle tympany, unthrift; in dog
vomiting, tympany, colic, accumulations. Treatment: Gradual stretching
by bougies if within reach.
Strictures of the intestine are in the main the result of ulceration of
the intestinal walls which contract in healing, or inflammation, and
infiltration which leads to contraction in their organization into
tissue. Neoplasms of the walls (cancer, myxoma, lipoma, polypus,
melanosis, actinomycosis, tubercle) are additional causes of
constriction. If resulting from a lesion which completely encircled the
bowel there is an uniform constriction in the form of a circular ring;
if on the other hand it started from a longitudinal ulcer or lesion the
bowel is shortened on that side and puckered.
In =solipeds= strictures are most frequent in the small intestine, or
rectum. The pylorus is often affected. When on the small intestine there
is constantly a dilatation just in front of the obstruction. The
constricted portion is usually short, but as seen from outside of the
gut may be duplicated a number of times. Cadeac mentions seventeen such
strictures in the same animal, each preceded by a dilatation. The
individual stricture may be less than two inches in length and so narrow
as just to allow the passage of the index finger. The walls of many
times their natural thickness, are still further thickened by an
external layer of adipose tissue. It may be the seat of a small abscess,
or of a tumor. Internally the mucosa may show ulcerations.
The stricture or strictures in solipeds often depend on the disturbance
of the circulation which results from verminous thrombosis, the exudate
into the intestinal walls, undergoing organization, at once thickens and
constricts the tube, and determines as secondary result the dilatation
in front of it.
Professor Mauri of Toulouse records the case of a horse with a rectal
stricture 4 inches from the anus, and a great dilatation in front. The
removal of the stricture, secured normal defecation, (whereas before
this the fæces had to be removed by hand) and the colics entirely
disappeared.
In =cattle= strictures have been found mainly at or near the pylorus,
less frequently in the rectum, and on one occasion (Revel) in connection
with a cancerous tumor, in the colon.
In the dog the pylorus is also the favorite seat of thickening and
stricture, yet it may occur in the small intestine, the rectum, or the
colon.
_Symptoms._ These are gradually advancing, as the stricture approaches
more and more nearly to a complete stenosis. If the stricture is in the
pylorus or duodenum, the patient can not eat a full feed of grain
without discomfort. He stops, hangs back on the halter, plants the fore
feet in front, arches the neck, drawing in the nose and eructating gas.
If he cannot eructate he is liable to show colics, tympany, and the
general symptoms of gaseous indigestion of the stomach.
In =cattle= there is tympany, partial loss of appetite, tardy
rumination, and loss of condition.
=Dogs= show vomiting as a prominent symptom. When the stricture is in
the rectum there is a gradual lessening of the amount of fæces passed at
a time and an accumulation of feculent masses in advance of the
obstruction, recognizable by rectal exploration. When in the terminal
part of the small intestine or in the colon, a gradual lessening of
defecation, with tympanies and colics, culminating in complete
obstruction, may afford a suggestion of the trouble but no means of
certain diagnosis. In the smaller animals some additional indications
may be had from abdominal palpation.
_Treatment_ is usually hopeless unless the stricture is in the terminal
portion of the rectum. In the latter case gradual dilatation by the
passage of the hand, the finger, or of bougies which are used larger and
larger, as they can be forced through with moderate pressure may secure
a sufficient dilatation. Forced dilatation, or even careful incision at
several different points of the circumference of the stricture may give
good results in certain cases.