It may be naturally supposed that this process will occasionally be
interrupted by a variety of circumstances. Inflammation of the stomach
of the dog is very difficult to deal with. It is produced by numerous
different causes. There is great and long-continued sickness; even the
most harmless medicine is not retained on the stomach. The thirst is
excessive; there are evident indications of excessive pain, expressed by
the countenance and by groans: there is a singular disposition in the
animal to hide himself from all observation; an indication that should
never be neglected, nor the frequent change from heat to cold, and from
cold to heat.
The mode of treatment is simple, although too often inefficient. The
lancet must be immediately resorted to, and the bleeding continued until
the animal seems about to fall; and to this should quickly succeed
repeated injections. Two or three drops of the croton oil should be
injected twice or thrice in the day, until the bowels are thoroughly
opened. The animal will be considerably better, or the disease cured, in
the course of a couple of days.
There is a singular aptitude in the stomach of the dog to eject a
portion of its contents; but, almost immediately afterwards, the food,
or a portion if not the whole of it, is swallowed again. This is a
matter of daily occurrence. There is a coarse rough grass, the
'cynosurus cristatus', or crested dog's-tail. It is inferior for the
purposes of hay, but is admirably suited for permanent pastures. It
remains green after most other grasses are burnt by a continuance of dry
weather. The dog, if it be in his power, has frequent recourse to it,
especially if he lives mostly in a town. The dry and stimulating food,
which generally falls to his share, produces an irritation of his
stomach, from which lie is glad to free himself; and for this purpose he
has recourse to the sharp leaves of the cynosurus. They irritate the
lining membrane of the stomach and intestines, and cause a portion of
the food to be occasionally evacuated; acting either as an emetic or a
purgative, or both. They seem to be designed by nature to be substituted
for the calomel and tartar emetic, and other drugs, which are far too
often introduced.
An interesting case of the retention of a sharp instrument in the
stomach is related by Mr. Kent of Bristol.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account