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A Case of Strongylus Armatus
The Veter£nary Journal. and 15th May, had it been subsequent to 20th August, were unlikely according to the authorities, to have all survived, or if they did survive must necessarily have shown signs of immaturity. But they all do survive and exhibit no signs of immaturity.
(tltnical ]papers. A CASE OF STRONGYLUS ARMATUS. BY W. L. GAS COYNE, M.R.C. V.S., ALNWICK.
ON July 30th I was asked to look at a three-years-old draught filly, which the owner said had not been thriving at all well for about a month previously. On visiting the case I found the mare in very low condition, staring coat, mucous membranes pallid; temperature 106 F. ; pulse 84almost imperceptible. I first examined the teeth, and found these were quite correct, but noticed that even after this very slight operation the respirations were greatly accelerated, and the heart-beats could be distinctly heard when standing several yards away from her side. On auscultating the chest, the lung sounds appeared to be normal, but the two heart sounds were almost identical, and could be heard much more plainly on the right side than on the left. Percussion revealed that the heart was hypertrophied, but the lungs were resonant throughout. I formed the opinion that the mare was suffering from some acute heart disease, but could not state definitely what it was (none of the sounds usually associated with diseases of the heart could be heard); I also suspected the presence of worms, although I could not find any myself, nor had the attendant observed any. My treatment consisted in the administration of cod liver oil, small doses of diffusible stimulants, febrifuges, and bitters, and the best of any food the patient cared to take; at the same time I informed th e owner that I considered the case hopeless. On August 4th, my next visit, I found the mare in much the same condition as before, but the temperature was reduced to 1040 F., and on auscultating the region of the heart a sound very like a low whistle could be heard on the right side. From this I concluded that the heart trouble was endocarditis, but still I could not in any way satisfy myself as to the cause. On August 7th no improvement was noticeable, but on examining the fresh fa:ces I found several worms from half an inch to an inch long, which I recognised as Strongvlus armatus and S. tetracanthus (no doubt these were brought away by the cod liver oil, which I have found to be a very good vermifuge, especially in young animals). This was the explanation of the whole case. I now prescribed thymol 20 grs., to be given in milk, and continued the other treatment. On my next visit, August 9th, a great number of similar worms were to be found in the fa:ces, but the animal was rapidly getting weaker, and was ultimately found dead in her box on August IIth. I made a post mortem examination on August 12th. There was rapid decomposition, probabiy due to the hot weather prevailing at the time; the heart was flabby and hypertrophied, and endocarditis was well marked on both sides, but more particularly on the right; the lungs were blackened, 0
Polyur£a. and rapidly decomposing j stomach healthy, as also were the small intestines; the small blood-vessels supplying the large intestines were infiame1i, enlarged, and in many were small cysts, if such they may be 'fermed, .whi~ were found to contain an embryo strongyle; on the anterior mesenteric artery a heautiful aneurism was seen, and on section this was found fo consist of a calcareous material embedded in the surrounding tissues, and in the centre were several small embryo strongyles. The aorta was healthy in all its length. In the crecum and colon were enormous quantities of adult woms, all dead, but whether this was due to the thymol or to the rapid decolliposition it would be impossible to say. . . The liver was greatly eularged, congested, and hard. The kidneys were flabby and emphysematous. I am not aware that this disease is at all common in Britain, and trust that it will remain rare.
POLYURIA. BY W. OWEN WILLIAMS.
I
desire to place on record an unusual case of the above disease. Two hunters being conditioned were taken to Porto bello sands in the mornings to do their work, and one morning, Thursday, September 12th, in its course were taken in to the sea. As they splashed the water about they licked their lips and lapped some of the water. The next day their appetites were gone, they became intensely thirsty and urinated frequently and copiously. I saw them the following morning, Saturday, and found the usual and well-marked symptoms of" Diabetes insipidus." The groom told me that they had seemingly melted away during the last two days, and were running into skeletons. I treated them in the usual way, and they are now, September 26th, doing their regular work. I need hardly say that a most careful investigation of the food and water showed that they were not the cause of the disease, and I can only account for its occurrence in the two animals simultaneously being owing to the stomachic irritation from the salt water. SIMPLY
A CASE OF VOMITION IN THE HORSE SUPERVENED BY GANGRENE OF THE LUNG. BY HENRY TAYLOR, M.R.C. V.S., NEW VETERINARY COLLEGE, EDINBURGH.
ON July 26th, whilst attending a brown van gelding which had been showing colicky symptoms for' an hour or two previous to my arrival, I noticed the patient give a spasmodic jerk with his head and neck, and immediately afterwards emit a quantity of food from his nostrils. Succeeding this was rather a curious phenomenon. Standing near the left shoulder of the animal one could quite easily observe boluses of food travel up the resphagus (by the antiperistaltic action of its muscular walls), only to be re-swallowed when they had arrived at the pharynx, the downward course being just as easily distinguishable. The process was continuous, the horse meanwhile standing with his head extended and fixed and his jaws and lips firmly closed, so that he did not allow any more food to be ejected from his nostrils. At this stage the pulse was regular, 36 per minute, and there was not much depression.
(tltnical ]papers. A CASE OF STRONGYLUS ARMATUS. BY W. L. GAS COYNE, M.R.C. V.S., ALNWICK.
ON July 30th I was asked to look at a three-years-old draught filly, which the owner said had not been thriving at all well for about a month previously. On visiting the case I found the mare in very low condition, staring coat, mucous membranes pallid; temperature 106 F. ; pulse 84almost imperceptible. I first examined the teeth, and found these were quite correct, but noticed that even after this very slight operation the respirations were greatly accelerated, and the heart-beats could be distinctly heard when standing several yards away from her side. On auscultating the chest, the lung sounds appeared to be normal, but the two heart sounds were almost identical, and could be heard much more plainly on the right side than on the left. Percussion revealed that the heart was hypertrophied, but the lungs were resonant throughout. I formed the opinion that the mare was suffering from some acute heart disease, but could not state definitely what it was (none of the sounds usually associated with diseases of the heart could be heard); I also suspected the presence of worms, although I could not find any myself, nor had the attendant observed any. My treatment consisted in the administration of cod liver oil, small doses of diffusible stimulants, febrifuges, and bitters, and the best of any food the patient cared to take; at the same time I informed th e owner that I considered the case hopeless. On August 4th, my next visit, I found the mare in much the same condition as before, but the temperature was reduced to 1040 F., and on auscultating the region of the heart a sound very like a low whistle could be heard on the right side. From this I concluded that the heart trouble was endocarditis, but still I could not in any way satisfy myself as to the cause. On August 7th no improvement was noticeable, but on examining the fresh fa:ces I found several worms from half an inch to an inch long, which I recognised as Strongvlus armatus and S. tetracanthus (no doubt these were brought away by the cod liver oil, which I have found to be a very good vermifuge, especially in young animals). This was the explanation of the whole case. I now prescribed thymol 20 grs., to be given in milk, and continued the other treatment. On my next visit, August 9th, a great number of similar worms were to be found in the fa:ces, but the animal was rapidly getting weaker, and was ultimately found dead in her box on August IIth. I made a post mortem examination on August 12th. There was rapid decomposition, probabiy due to the hot weather prevailing at the time; the heart was flabby and hypertrophied, and endocarditis was well marked on both sides, but more particularly on the right; the lungs were blackened, 0
Polyur£a. and rapidly decomposing j stomach healthy, as also were the small intestines; the small blood-vessels supplying the large intestines were infiame1i, enlarged, and in many were small cysts, if such they may be 'fermed, .whi~ were found to contain an embryo strongyle; on the anterior mesenteric artery a heautiful aneurism was seen, and on section this was found fo consist of a calcareous material embedded in the surrounding tissues, and in the centre were several small embryo strongyles. The aorta was healthy in all its length. In the crecum and colon were enormous quantities of adult woms, all dead, but whether this was due to the thymol or to the rapid decolliposition it would be impossible to say. . . The liver was greatly eularged, congested, and hard. The kidneys were flabby and emphysematous. I am not aware that this disease is at all common in Britain, and trust that it will remain rare.
POLYURIA. BY W. OWEN WILLIAMS.
I
desire to place on record an unusual case of the above disease. Two hunters being conditioned were taken to Porto bello sands in the mornings to do their work, and one morning, Thursday, September 12th, in its course were taken in to the sea. As they splashed the water about they licked their lips and lapped some of the water. The next day their appetites were gone, they became intensely thirsty and urinated frequently and copiously. I saw them the following morning, Saturday, and found the usual and well-marked symptoms of" Diabetes insipidus." The groom told me that they had seemingly melted away during the last two days, and were running into skeletons. I treated them in the usual way, and they are now, September 26th, doing their regular work. I need hardly say that a most careful investigation of the food and water showed that they were not the cause of the disease, and I can only account for its occurrence in the two animals simultaneously being owing to the stomachic irritation from the salt water. SIMPLY
A CASE OF VOMITION IN THE HORSE SUPERVENED BY GANGRENE OF THE LUNG. BY HENRY TAYLOR, M.R.C. V.S., NEW VETERINARY COLLEGE, EDINBURGH.
ON July 26th, whilst attending a brown van gelding which had been showing colicky symptoms for' an hour or two previous to my arrival, I noticed the patient give a spasmodic jerk with his head and neck, and immediately afterwards emit a quantity of food from his nostrils. Succeeding this was rather a curious phenomenon. Standing near the left shoulder of the animal one could quite easily observe boluses of food travel up the resphagus (by the antiperistaltic action of its muscular walls), only to be re-swallowed when they had arrived at the pharynx, the downward course being just as easily distinguishable. The process was continuous, the horse meanwhile standing with his head extended and fixed and his jaws and lips firmly closed, so that he did not allow any more food to be ejected from his nostrils. At this stage the pulse was regular, 36 per minute, and there was not much depression.