May be said to be divided into four varieties, though one of them is more of a spasmodic than of an inflammatory nature; these are - first, peritoneal inflammation; secondly, colic, or inflammation and spasm of the muscular coat; thirdly, diarrhoea, or acute inflammation of the mucous coat; and, fourthly, constipation, from chronic inflammation of the same membrane.

1. Peritonitis And Enteritis

1. Peritonitis And Enteritis are merely different parts of the same membrane inflamed; the former comprehending the peritoneum lining the abdominal walls, whilst the latter embraces the peritoneum covering the intestines. In practice, there is very little difference between them, and the symptoms and treatment are the same. It is a frightful disease, and soon runs its course to a fatal termination; beginning with shivering, cold legs, ears, and nose; breath hot; pulse hard, quick, and small; the expression is an anxious one, with a staring eye; the tail is pressed firmly against the anus, and there is intense tenderness of the belly; bowels generally costive, and urine scanty; tongue dry and rough; with thirst and loss of appetite. As the disease advances all these symptoms become aggravated, and very soon the dog dies, worn out with irritation and pain.

The Treatment consists in full bleeding, with calomel and opium, of each a grain every four hours. Blisters, or stimulating applications to the belly, and a warm bath, will be beneficial in some few cases; but whatever is done must be done quickly, as the disease soon passes on to a fatal termination, if unchecked by remedies.

2. Colic

2. Colic is very common in all kinds of dogs, and is partly of a spasmodic, partly of an inflammatory nature. There is intense pain, coming on in paroxysms, during which the dog howls with agony. Very often the attack is quite sudden, and comes on after a full meal which has been eaten much as usual; suddenly the dog starts up, with something between a moan and a groan, and then lies down again; soon after there is another groan, and a shifting of the position, and then, after an interval of rest, and perhaps sleep, there comes on a regular paroxysm of pain, with violent howls, which soon, however, cease, only to be repeated at intervals, varying in length according to the severity of the attack. The nose is not dry or hot, the tongue is clean and moist, and the appetite even is not affected; pulse full and soft, and not much quicker than natural. There is no tenderness of the belly, and pressure seems to alleviate the pain, rather than to increase it.

The Treatment consists of giving ether and laudanum internally, in doses of from thirty to sixty drops of each, and a clyster of turpentine and laudanum, one teaspoonful of each in a half a pint of gruel. The stimulating embrocation, page 12, should be well rubbed into the bowels; and in bad cases a very hot bath may be admini8tered. When the colic comes on in young dogs, the injection of turpentine with laudanum and a little ether will generally suffice without any internal medicine; but a dose of castor oil will almost always be necessary to carry off the offending matter.

Sometimes colic is followed or attended by Intussusception, in which one contracted part of the bowel is driven into the expanded part below it. It cannot be distinguished from colic, and the animal is sure to die, unless an operation is performed to liberate the bowel; which might be easily done if the disease could be discovered with certainty; but, unfortunately, this is not the case.

3. Diarrhcea, Or Dysentery

3. Diarrhcea, Or Dysentery, comes on either from epidemic causes, or from some irritating and improper food, or from too violent aperient medicine. Unless there is an epidemic raging at the time, or the diarrhoea is clearly connected with distemper, the treatment should generally commence with a dose of castor oil, having with it a few drops of laudanum. If this is not enough to stop the purging, the anodyne mixture, No. 1, may be tried, and failing that, No. 2, adding more laudanum to each dose, if necessary, up to any extent, for this medicine is well borne by the dog in full doses. Bice-water is to be the only drink allowed; and arrowroot or rice the only food, flavoured with milk or weak mutton-broth. If the dysentery is very bad, an injection of laudanum and starch may be tried ; but it is seldom retained, even for a minute or two, and unless mechanical pressure is kept upon the anus by means of a towel, it is quite useless.

4. Costiveness

4. Costiveness is generally the result of chronic inflammation of the bowels, or of the liver, by which their functions are impaired; and when the former is torpid, the healthy stimulus of the bile is not afforded. Dogs which are regularly exercised are not very liable to costiveness, but those which are confined to the house or to their kennels, are often terribly tormented by it, and suffer severely from the consequences, including that painful affection, piles, to which the dog is much subject. Very often the dog suffers very severe pain from the obstruction afforded by pent-up faeces, and is utterly unable to pass them until Nature has set up an inflammation of the rectum, by which mucus is poured out, and the mass comes away with much straining. The dog thus affected is almost mad with pain; he runs to and fro, rushes into odd corners, and shakes his head in the most odd manner, and in this stage may very easily be mistaken for a " mad dog; " but the suddenness of the attack, and the mass of hardened f races easily felt in the flank mark the difference between the two cases.

The Treatment of costiveness should be by diet if possible, and the substitution of oatmeal, with or without the addition of boiled green vegetables, will generally effect this. If not sufficient, give a pill of rhubarb and ipecacuanha - 5 to 30 grains of the former, with 1/2 grain of the latter - at the time of feeding, every day.