Enteritis

Category: Diseases and their Remedies

This is an inflammation of the external or internal coat of the
intestines, sometimes attended with violent purging, especially when it
is confined to the internal coats. Oxen in good condition are more
subject to this disease than are cows. It most frequently occurs in dry,
hot weather. It is sudden in its attacks, and often fatal in its
termination.

Symptoms.--The animal is dull, and not disposed to move about; the
muzzle is dry, and the coat staring; the animal yields, on pressure of
the loins; a weak, staggering gait, when forced to move; respiration
hurried; pulse accelerated but small; eyes red, full and fiery; head
protruding; mouth, ears, and horns hot; appetite bad; rumination ceases;
the bowels become constipated; the animal moans continually, and froths
at the mouth. These symptoms violently increase as the disease advances.
The animal becomes more depressed and feeble, grinds his teeth, and
appears half unconscious, and dies in convulsions.

Of the causes of this disease, Youatt, who is almost the only authority
we have upon this subject, says: "It seems occasionally to be epidemic;
for several instances of it occur, of the same character, and in the
same district. M. Cruzel gives an illustration of this in his
description of the disease that destroyed so many cattle, in the years
1826 to 1827, in the Department de la Nievre. Out of two hundred and
eighteen cattle belonging to three farmers, one hundred and thirteen
were attacked by this disease, and eighty-three of them died. One farmer
in a neighboring district had nineteen head of cattle, all of which
sickened, but only three were lost. These were unusually hot summers.
The upland pasture was burnt up, or what remained of it was rendered
unusually stimulating; and the acrid plants of the marshes and low
grounds acquired additional deleterious agency.

"When isolated cases occur, they may generally be attributed to
mismanagement. Exposure to cold, or the drinking of cold water when
overheated with work; too hard work in sultry weather; the use of water
stagnant, impure, or containing any considerable quantity of metallic
salts; the sudden revulsion of some cutaneous eruption; the crowding of
animals into a confined place; too luxuriant and stimulating food
generally; and the mildewed and unwholesome food on which cattle are too
often kept, are fruitful sources of this complaint."

Treatment.--In the early stage of the disease, give an active purge,
and follow it with ten drops of Fleming's tincture of aconite, four
times daily, for two days; then give drachm doses of the extract of
belladonna; give no food for twenty-four or forty-eight hours, according
to circumstances. Bleeding, if done early, is often beneficial.
Counter-irritants to the belly are also recommended; the best are
mustard, hartshorn, and water, mixed together--or tincture of
cantharides, with one drachm of croton-oil added to every ounce.

Next: Epizooetics
Previous: Dysentery

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Enteritis