It should be understood that the term acute gastritis is used to denote an inflammation of the stomach, of such intensity as to greatly endanger life; a disease fortunately of very rare occurrence. It is very doubtful if this affection ever originates from the internal and unappreciable causes which give rise to the so-called spontaneous inflammations in other situations. The cause of the disease may not in every instance be obvious; it can however, with almost certainty be considered traumatically produced by the action of caustic or irritant poisons.

Symptoms

Pain and vomiting are prominent symptoms in acute gastritis, the stomach being often intolerant of water or the blandest liquids. The matter vomited is a watery mucus of a greenish color, not unfrequently mixed with blood dark and clotted in appearance. The acts of vomiting are evidently painful. The desire for cold drinks is excessive, notwithstanding the distressing acts of vomiting it provokes. Pressure over the stomach reveals tenderness.

The position assumed by the animal is characteristic; it stretches itself out on its belly; the pulse is up and fever is more or less intense; the expression is anxious and haggard; the bowels might be constipated but are more commonly relaxed and diarrhoea is present. The nose is dry, and if the inflammation is severe the respiration is hurried.

If death does not speedily occur and the disease runs on to a fatal termination, dark clotted blood will be vomited. Everything taken into the stomach will be expelled almost without effort. Prostration becomes evident; the pulse grows rapid and thready; the limbs become cold, and the skin-clammy. Convulsions sometimes occur and finally the poor victim dies from exhaustion. The end is usually very rapid in fatal cases.

Diagnosis

There is little danger of acute gastritis being mistaken for any other affection. With a view to appropriate treatment, it is important to determine from the symptoms whether or not the attack is positively attributable to poison. If the animal is taken suddenly ill and his previous movements and whereabouts can be learned, it will be of some assistance. The mouth and throat should show some trace of the poison if of a corrosive character, of which an early vomiting of blood in quantities is markedly indicative.

Prognosis

Acute gastritis is undoubtedly a disease of great gravity. It may prove fatal within a few hours, the animal dying from shock, or the end may come slowly, the result of exhaustion. The amount of local injury ■ will in a great degree measure the danger.

Treatment

It is to be inferred that in cases of poisoning, the proper antidotes have been administered, and the contents of the stomach evacuated. The next step is to secure as much as possible rest for the inflamed organ. For this purpose morphine is to be relied upon, one grain of which should be divided into twelve powders. One of these may be dropped on the tongue and washed down with a teaspoonful of milk, every two or three hours at least; oftener if the pain seems severe and not inclined to subside.

If the vomiting is persistent and the morphine given in this manner evidently has little or no effect, it should be administered subcutaneously. When this method cannot be employed for want of a proper instrument, an anal injection should be resorted to, using a glass syringe, and throwing into the bowel two morphine powders or thirty drops of laudanum in a little milk. Pressure must be maintained at the anus for some time lest the injection be returned. This treatment can be repeated every two hours if the indications warrant.

If the symptoms denote a tendency to exhaustion, supportive measures must be employed. The attempt should first be made to feed by the month with small quantities of beef tea, raw eggs, and gelatine mixed. Milk with the addition of lime water, arrow root, and flaxseed tea are sometimes well borne.

It must be remembered that all food should be iced and given in quantities of not over a tablespoonful, less if not well retained, and repeated every ten or twenty minutes if necessary. If this treatment does not sustain the animal, then eggs, beef extracts, etc., with brandy should be added to the injection of laudanum.

After the inflammation has disappeared, the stomach will be left in a very debilitated condition, and remedies of a tonic character be indicated. The elixir calisaya iron and bismuth, in teaspoonful doses three or four times daily is advised.