Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 2 (of 5)Law, James
Science
Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 2 (of 5)
Law, James
Veterinary medicine
_Causes._ These resemble those already noted for the dog. Old age,
debility, and atony of the bowel, the matting together of feathers
across the anus, dry feeding, indigestible food, scarcity of water, and
lack of exercise are especially to be noted. Malformations or other
changes lead to obstruction of the cloaca, and of defecation. Sand and
gravel passing from an atonic gizzard accumulate in the small intestine
or in the cæca distending them to great excess. Imperfect trituration in
the gizzard, from lack of pebbles, may prove a factor in stoneless
prairies.
_Lesions._ The most common seat of obstruction is at the cloaca, and the
impacted matter may be yellow partaking of the nature of yolk of egg, or
it may consist of feculent matters and uric acid in various proportions,
white, hard and fœtid. As in the dog this distension may be continued
forward blocking the colon and cæca as well. Lucet mentions a case in
which the impacted mass measured seven inches long, and eight in
circumference at its posterior and larger end.
_Symptoms._ The bird is dull, sluggish, stupid, giddy or unsteady on its
limbs, with feathers erect, wings, tail and head pendent and loses flesh
rapidly. Often a felted mass of feathers and fæces cover the anus. In
its absence there appears the rounded swelling or on manipulation the
impacted cloaca or rectum can be felt firm and resistant.
_Treatment._ Soften and remove the external mass of fæces by the aid of
tepid water, clip off the feathers, which would tend to restore it, then
by the oiled finger and warm water injections break up and extract the
contents of cloaca and rectum. If impaction remains farther forward give
a teaspoonful of castor oil. If diarrhœa has already set in, give 5
drops laudanum, and mix chalk or bismuth and pepper in a mush to be fed
to the patient. Injections of slippery elm containing a teaspoonful of
carbolic acid in the pint will prove useful.
The bird should be allowed plenty of exercise, its grain being fed on a
floor covered lightly with straw to encourage scratching, and silage or
green food should be allowed. On the prairies where pebbles cannot be
secured, imported gravel or vitrified brick broken into small pieces
should be allowed.
COLIC IN SOLIPEDS FROM VERMINOUS EMBOLISM. INTESTINAL CONGESTION.
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