THE VETERINARIAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 766, 5 November 1886, Page 15

THE VETERINARIAN.

DISEASES OF THE STOJMCH. The Field.

In the last article on this subject, iu The Field of August 7, we described an affection of common occurrence in cattle, but less frequent in the sheop, vix., hoven or tympanitis, an ordinary (consequence on the fermentation of the partly-digested food in the rumen or paunch when the process of digestion is interrupted. The most frequent cause of hoven is the consumption of a large quantity of succulent food. Clover, especially when wet, is'wery prone to fermentation ; and when cattle or sheep are suddenly shifted from a bare piece of pasture to a field of clover, it is almost a matter of certainty that a considerable number of them will suffer from hoven, and probably many of them from distention of the paunch with the soft masticated food. Hoven does not occur quite independently of any change of food. In fact, any kind o derangement of the system is likely to ba associated with some disturbance of the digestive functions, and the extrication of gas from the fermenting mass soon causes the distention of the large stomach of the ruminant to an extent which induces much distress, owing to the great size of the organ, which causes pressure on the diaphragm, and prevents the expansion of the chest. Remedies for the treatment of hoven are numerous, including all antiseptic agents which stop fermentation —ammonia, chlorate of potass, carbolic acid, sulphuric acid, and the sulphite and hypo-sulphite of soda. The last is perhaps the most valuable medicine which can be used, and the most 'easily obtained, as it is largely used in photography. The use of the gag is advised when no medicines are at hand, and it certainly has the effect of preventing any serious consequences, and often cures the disorder. Puncture of the stomach by means of a stiletto, with canula fitted to it for the escape of gas, is only of necessity resorted to when no other means of relief are at hands, or when the symptoms are indicative of impending suffocation. In this case the animal’s life depends on immediate relief being afforded. There’ is no disease affectiog the stomach of a horse which can be compared with hoven in ruminants.- The organ is remarkably small, and, if distended with gai to its full extent, would not occupy an inconvenient space in the abdominul cavity. Further than that, the food does nob remain in it for a long time, as it does in the rumen, and consequently there is less probability of fermentation occurring. What is known as wind colic in horses depends on the extrication of gas ; but the fermentative process takes place iu the ingeata in the large intestines rather thau iu the stomach. Distention of the. Stomach with- food, —lt seems that all animals, whether they possess large or small stomachs, are, under certain conditions, liable to suffer from the effects of eatin" to repletion. In eome cases the stomach° may be primarily affected; there may be want of tone in its muscular walla, or defective secretive power ; in either case the food injected is likely to remain for an unusual time, until putrefactive fermentation is set up. But more commonly the cause of distention of the stomach is the eating of a quantity of food rapidly, so that the stomach becomes impacted, and loses all power to get rid of its °°ln ruminants accumulation of the food in the larger stomach, the paunch; is more frequent than in the horse, because it is the habit of those animals to take in a large amount of alimentary matter before they cease feeding, and rest for the purpose of remaaticating the food ; and it is only when the quantity swallowed is excessive, and rumination is for the time sH<p 3llded * that an J m ‘ convenience arises, , In all cases of accumulation of ingesta in the stomach, the extrication of gas from the fermenting food adds to the pressure and complicates the disorder. Symptoms of Distention of the otomach. X prominent symptom of accumulation of food in the stomach is giddiness or partial loss

of consciousness, and this condition is ex* pressed in the ordinary name which is given to the disease—stomach staggers. The pres- - sure of the distended visens on the plexus of nerves by which the nerve fibres of the stomach are supplied affects the brain, and in different animals the symptoms vary from sleepiness to violent excitement. The pulse is slow and oppressed, and the breathing labored, and in the horse there are occasional signs of abdominal pain. _ Cattle and sheep at first exhibit the general appearance of suffering from hoven, but tbe distress is more severe, and the difference ia the character of the distending agency is ac once detected by touching the projecting part of the flank. The swelling, which is due to the presence of gas, is firm and elastic; the flank yields readily to the pressure of the fingers, but the depres-ion produced only continues as long as the pressure is applied ; whereas if the swelling is dne to the impacrment of the rumen with food, the pit produced bv pressure remains for an appreciable time, and disappears very gradually. Constipation is an invariable symptom oE impactment of the stomach, but it frequently becomes changed for diarrhoea, and does in any case constitute an important feature in the disease. Treatment of distention of the stomach with food wilL vary according to the kind of animal attacked and the urgency ot the case. So far as the horse is concerned the treatment must be purely medicinal, no surgical interference being possible, owing to the position of the organ. But in ruminants s the distended stomach occupies the whole ot the loft side of the abdominal cavity, and no difficulty is found in reaching it if necessary. Medical treatment will consist in the administration of purgatives in combination with n large quantity of water. For the horse, a solution of aloes is very effective in doses of twelve to sixteen ounces; and the first dose may be followed by a pint of warm water given as a drench, unless the animal will drink freely. Food will not be taken ; but if the animal shows any desire to eat, he should noc be allowed to touch any so.id f °For cattle and sheep ordinary Epsom salts dissolved ia hot water and given warm is the best purgative, a pound of salts being the dose for an ox, and four to six ounces for a sheep warm water may he given in addition from time to time, and all sold food withheld. Urgent cases of impactment of the stomach wi.h food occur both incattle and sheep when the animals are suddenly turned into fields of succulent clover, o£ which they eat inordinate 7 uotil the rumen will contain no more, ana pressure of the distended organ on the diaphragm causes suffocation. In these cases H is usual for some of the an mals to bs seen lying dead before the nature of the mischief is susPe Cnttiog into the paunch and removing the contents by the hand is an operation which is often done successfully, and in the case of sheep the instrument employed is the shepherd’s clasp knife ; and, although it is desirable to obtain the aid of a veterinary surgeon to operate in a surgical manner, it. often happens that no time is allowed mr g ettln § any assistance, and then the roughest method of operating is justifiable, and, we musi add, very often quite successful. . - After the wounds in the muscles and tbe flanks have been sewn up, no further treatment ’is required ; but the animalshould be kept fasting for some hours afterwards, and rations should be moderate in regard to quantity for some time.