Subacute in many cases. Effect of temperament, and work. Acute form.
Symptoms. Decubitus. Unfavorable symptoms. Prognosis. Suppuration
frequent: indications. Gangrene. Colliquative Diarrhœa. Lesions,
Comparison with those of lung plague. Tubercle. Treatment, bleeding,
laxatives, refrigerant salts, derivatives, stimulants, tonics. Chronic
form. Symptoms. Treatment.
In the large ruminants this disease tends more towards a subacute type
than in the horse, and coming on insidiously from ordinary causes is
liable to be confounded with the _contagious pleuro-pneumonia_ of the
bovine race. As in the horse the nervous animals show more violent
symptoms. It is rare in milch cows and young cattle and more frequent in
work oxen.
In the _acute form_ the symptoms mainly agree with those of the horse.
There is the same shivering, followed by a hot stage, hyperthermia, the
accelerated pulse, the short quick labored breathing, heaving flanks,
cough frequent, deep, hacking, and easily excited, dilating nostrils,
redness of the mucous membrane, and the same indications on auscultation
and percussion, care being taken to obviate misconception of natural
conditions in the chest of the ox. There is in addition a dry muzzle,
tenderness of the back and breast bones and wincing when they are
pinched between the fingers and thumb; suspension of the appetite and
rumination and in cows suppression of the secretion of milk; the mouth
is often opened and the tongue protruded to facilitate breathing, and in
bad cases each expiration is accompanied by a moan or grunt. In many
cases the ox can lie on his flattened breastbone and maintain the
breathing process, but when the disease is severe he stands no less
obstinately than the horse, his elbows turned out, his nose protruded
and directed towards a window or other opening.
Among the unfavorable symptoms may be mentioned increasing anxiety and
distress, a more oppressed breathing, the animal standing constantly in
one position with legs apart, elbows turned out, his nose extremely
raised, nostrils widely dilating, mouth open, tongue protruded, the
expiratory grunt deep and prolonged, the cough infrequent and so weak as
to be almost inaudible, being rather like a forced expiration, and the
pulse rapid, feeble or imperceptible. The prognosis is favorable in
moderate cases subjected to early treatment.
The termination by _suppuration_ is more frequent than in the horse. The
general symptoms are ameliorated, appetite and rumination return though
they remain capricious and irregular, there remains the double action of
the flanks, the dry, rough muzzle, the tense, inelastic skin, frequently
varying in temperature, the beast shivers at intervals, the cough is
weak and often repeated, a yellowish thick discharge takes place from
the nose, weakness and emaciation increases and the animal dies in from
twenty to thirty days.
Gangrene of the lung sometimes supervenes and is indicated by similar
symptoms as in the horse. In severe and prolonged cases a violent fetid
diarrhœa often supervenes and hastens a fatal result.
The _post mortem_ lesions are similar to those of the horse. The cut
surface of the hepatized lung, however, is divided into irregular red
spaces by intersecting yellow lines—hence the name of _marbled lung_,
from a supposed resemblance to that stone. The red spaces represent the
pulmonary lobules and the whitish lines the surrounding areolar tissue
which being especially abundant in ruminants and pigs stands out
prominently when infiltrated with the yellowish exudation. There is then
nothing specific in this appearance as has been erroneously supposed, it
is merely the result of the different conformation of the lung in these
animals and is always seen in the hepatized lung unless when from
extravasation of blood into its substance the redness is rendered
uniform. The amount of exudate into the interlobular tissue is, however,
never so great as in lung plague.
The greater frequency of suppuration in the lung of the ox, as well as
the greater tendency to tubercular deposit in prolonged cases are
additional features in the diseased lungs.
_Treatment._ Blood-letting should be employed only with precautions, as
in the horse. A saline laxative (1 lb. Epsom salts and ½ lb. molasses)
may be used with advantage and safety early in the disease though in
advanced stages it may sometimes prove dangerous from the tendency to
diarrhœa. If constipation appears at a late stage injections of warm
water and a mild laxative (6 ounces sulphate of soda) only, should be
given. The purgative may be followed by the same neutral salts and in
the same doses as for the horse. Counterirritants are of equal value. A
mustard poultice may be kept on for several hours, or a mixture in equal
parts of oil of turpentine, ammonia, and olive oil may be actively
rubbed over both sides of the chest and repeated daily until tender. In
Denmark a prompt and efficient blister is made with 1 part of Croton oil
and 10 parts each of sulphuric ether and spirits of wine. This is rubbed
actively over the chest and washed off as soon as a sufficient effect
has been produced. It must be carefully watched to prevent blemishing.
In the low types of the disease and during convalescence stimulants and
tonics are to be employed as recommended for the horse.
CHRONIC PNEUMONIA. Gellé describes a chronic form of this disease in
cows. For about a month the patient became increasingly emaciated, there
was a frequent, dry, weak cough, lifting of the flanks, and expiration
double and accompanied by a moan. All these symptoms were aggravated by
gentle exercise. Percussion detected dullness at the lower part of the
lung and auscultation a distinct crepitating râle. The pulse was weak
and rapid, the mucous membranes red and tumid, skin dry, ears and horns
cold, appetite small and capricious, rumination rare, excrements soft,
and milk almost dried up.
The _treatment_ is by diuretics with vegetable tonics and stimulants and
active counterirritation over the chest. Gellé considers the malady as
all but incurable unless active blistering is promptly employed so soon
as the malady has assumed the chronic form and before extensive
structural changes have taken place in the lungs.