Anatomical conditions favor. Causes: as in other animals, common in
icterus, and surgical operations from deranged peristalsis. Lesions:
most common in small intestines, congestion, inflammation, necrosis,
sloughing. Symptoms: may be colic, but not always, dullness, anorexia,
vomiting, constipation, palpation, swelling firmer than from impacted
twine. Treatment: shot, castor oil and exercise on hind legs.
Demulcents. Laparotomy.
The intestines of the carnivora are more open to invagination than in
other domestic animals for even the colon is free enough throughout its
course to allow of one part sliding into another. The _causes_ to which
it is attributed are in kind the same as in other domestic animals. The
swallowing of ice cold water in excess when heated, diarrhœa,
superpurgation, intestinal worms, the active peristalsis of early life,
and jaundice have been especially blamed. Reynal found intussusception
twenty times in forty cases of icterus and Rancilla four times in five
cases. It has been frequently seen after severe surgical operations, and
it is surmised that in both cases alike the deranged peristalsis
attendant on severe suffering was the cause of the accident.
_Seat and Lesions._ The most common seat of invagination is in the small
intestines, and less so in the cæcum and colon, or rectum. The lesions
are as in the other animals, congestion, infiltration, adhesion,
necrosis, gangrene and sloughing.
_Symptoms._ There may be colics as in the larger animals, but in some
instances there are simply prostration, dullness, inappetence, vomiting,
constipation, or the passage of a little liquid and fœtid excrement.
Palpation of the abdomen detects a firm, cylindroid and very tender
swelling on the line of the softer intestine which taken with the other
symptoms is nearly pathognomonic. If situated in the small intestine and
disconnected from the rectum and pelvis the diagnosis is more
satisfactory. Impaction is most commonly in the rectum and floating
colon and can be traced into the pelvis and even felt by the finger
introduced into the anus. It might be confounded with obstruction of the
intestine by the ingestion of twine, but the swelling is usually firmer
and the cylindroid outline more uniform in intussusception.
_Treatment._ The measures recommended for the larger animals are
applicable to the dog. Cadeac has had four recoveries in seven cases
after the use of leaden shot and castor oil. Three balls of No. 16
calibre are dipped in castor oil and given to the dog. This is followed
by ½ oz. of castor oil slightly heated, and walking or running exercise,
or take the dog by his fore limbs and walk him around on his hind. No
drink is allowed for 24 hours, and a quart of decoction of flax seed on
the day following.
Should these measures fail, laparotomy is available, yet it is more
promising in proportion as it is resorted to early, before ulceration,
or gangrene has set in. The manipulations are practically the same as in
the ox and the outcome is even more promising. The diet should be
restricted to milk or mucilaginous gruels for a week after the
operation.