Enteritis is designated by nearly all writers as inflammation of the bowels. The name properly signifies an inflammation of the intestine, restricted in its application to the small intestine. The disease attacks the mucous membrane, involves the walls of the intestines, and sometimes extends beyond to the tissues in the part where the Inflammatory process is going on.

Causation

The cause is not always appreciable. The intestinal mucous membrane is especially liable to inflammations, and even slight irritations may suffice to excite the same.

Improper food; traumatic injuries; exhaustion from over-work; exposure to cold in damp draughty kennels; abuse of cathartics; irritant poisons; these are the more common causes. The presence of worms, obstruction, liver derangements, prolonged suffering from colic are influences which may induce the affection.

In pulmonary and certain other chronic diseases, enteritis is frequently associated. An intestinal complication is not uncommon in distemper. Certain climatic changes are well known to influence the frequency of the disease.

Symptoms

The symptoms of enteritis are not very characteristic, at least they vary considerably in their degree of development in different cases. Constipation usually exists at first; then follows the most frequent symptom of intestinal inflammation, diarrhoea, the discharges being thin and watery mixed with mucus. Blood is a rare admixture, excepting in cases where the rectum becomes inflamed either by the extension of the disease from the small intestine, or by the passage out of acrid and irritating discharges.

In many attacks the disease is ushered in by a chill as shown by shiver-ings, then the usual constitutional signs of inflammation follow. The nose becomes hot and dry, the tongue parched, the eyes reddened, the urine scanty, and the pulse rapid and bounding.

Abdominal pain is an almost constant symptom. Its character varies considerably; sometimes it is colicky, having intervals of increased severity ; at others it is continuous, dull, aching, and aggravated by pressure.

The expression of the animal denotes anxiety, his moanings and restlessness, his discomfort. When standing his body is arched and his tail is pressed tightly between his legs. The abdominal walls are firm, hard, and tense. Vomiting is quite a common symptom, sympathetic in character generally, rather than due to any gastric irritation. The disease may extend and involve the stomach.

The breathing in severe cases is hurried and painful; the animal seems to avoid a deep inspiration. By an examination of the anus it will in many cases be found that the parts are reddened, hot, and dry.

In cases running a fatal course the strength suffers severely. The breathing grows more hurried, the pulse more feeble; the body emits a sickening odor; the signs of complete exhaustion follow rapidly; the skin becomes cold and clammy; convulsions occur and the animal dies.

Diagnosis

This should not be difficult. The disease is to be discriminated from inflammation of the stomach, colic, and dysentery. Vomiting may suggest gastritis, but the symptoms of that disease are in the earlier stages of a much graver character than those of enteritis, and point clearly to the stomach. The two diseases may be combined, as is the ease of irritant poisoning.

Colic is a functional trouble in which the pain is intense, without fever or other inflammatory signs, and with it constipation is more often associated than diarrhoea. The absence of the characteristic dysenteric discharges and the accompanying straining, should readily exclude dysentery. The only room for doubt is when an inflammation of the large intestine is superadded to enteritis.

Prognosis

In inflammation of the intestines the prognosis varies much, according to the severity of the disease, the cause which produces-or maintains it, the general strength of the animal, etc. If not associated with any other affection, recovery often takes place. The disease is however a grave one and danger invariably attends.

Treatment

Like the prognosis, the treatment also is determined by the exciting cause of the attack. Naturally the first step if the animal suffers great pain, is to control it with opiates. One of the most important measures next to be employed is the removal of the intestinal contents. This precaution should never be neglected, even when diarrhoea is present. The writer is well aware that authors consider the employment of purgatives in this disease contra-indicated, and one strenuously protests against their use "as almost sinful". Why such a radical theory cannot be accepted may be better understood after considering certain facts.

The important end in the treatment of all inflammations is quietude of the inflamed part; this cannot be secured in inflammations of the intestines until the contents are effectually removed, thereby preventing their continued passage over the inflamed surface. Again when the contents of the intestines are indigestible and irritating, nature's own prompting and remedy is a diarrhoea. Can we do better than imitate nature? When the beginning of the large intestine is the seat of the disease, the use of cathartics is attended with some risk, but that portion is rarely seriously involved and little or no danger exists from them at the onset of the inflammation. After an enteritis has been present for a time and the tissties in the neighborhood have taken on the. Inflammatory process then a cathartic would be ill-advised. After a consideration of these facts it seems fair and rational to draw this conclusion, namely: the evacuating treatment is judicious and appropriate in the early stage of enteritis and. should never be neglected.

If the attack has been preceded by constipation, or there is reason to suppose the lower bowel is loaded, an injection of oil or warm soap-suds may be given; in fact that intestine should be thoroughly evacuated by this means. Then instead of giving a large purgative dose of castor-oil, it were better to administer it in divided doses. Two tablespoonfuls of the oil should be beaten up with two raw eggs and of the mixture, a tablespoonful be given every two hours until the bowels move freely; at the same time employing opiates to control the pain; also adding to the relief of the animal by making hot applications to the abdomen.

A large piece of old blanket wrung out in hot rum and water, equal parts, applied to the bowels and changed frequently, will be found to aid greatly in relieving the distress.

The selection of a suitable diet is of the greatest importance in treatment. Only those articles easily digested should be given. Milk, raw eggs, scraped beef, broths, gelatine, teas of flaxseed and slippery elm are the more appropriate.

Of all medicinal remedies some form of opium is the most important, securing thereby rest to the inflamed parts. Of laudanum the dose should be fifteen drops; of paregoric one teaspoonful; of morphine one twelfth of a grain. Either of these preparations can be given singly in the early stage of the disease, and be repeated from two to four hours, as is necessary to subdue the pain. In the later stage it may be well to use the opiate in combination with an astringent as follows. -

℞ Morphiae Acet. gr.ij.

Acidi Tannici ℥ ss.

Aquae Camphor© ℥iij Ft. Mist. Sig. Dose one teaspoonful from two to four hours.

During convalescence the diet should be restricted for a long time, and when allowed to be more generous, the elixir bark pepsin and bismuth in teaspoonful doses may be given three times a day with the food.