Veterinary Clinical Medicine-I (General and Systemic)

Clinical signs

CLINICAL FINDINGS

Acute and subacute peritonitis

• Inappetence and anorexia
• Toxaemia usually with a fever
• Increase in heart rate and respiratory rates.
• Grunting at the end of each expiratory movements.
• The feces are characteristically scant dark and like small fecal balls accompanied by thick jelly like mucus.
• The feces may alternatively have a thick sludge like consistency and be tenacious and difficult to remove a rubber glove and have foul smell.
• In acute peritonitis, ruminal contractions are reduced or absent while  in chronic peritonitis the contractions  are weaker than normal.
• Intestinal stasis – absence of intestinal peristaltic sounds on auscultation.
• Disinclination to move, disinclination to lie down, lying down with great care and grunting with pain.
• Arched back, gait is shuffling and cautious with the back held rigid and arched.
• Grunting at each step and during urination and defecation.
• Sudden movements are avoided and there is absence of kicking or bellowing or licking the coat
• Pinching of withers, pole test is positive
• Can palpate distended saggy thick walled loops of intestine in some cases.

Peracute diffuse peritonitis

• Profound toxaemia.
• There is severe weakness, depression and circulatory failure.
• Recumbent, subnormal temperature, high heart rate and weak pulse.
• No abdominal pain is evidenced spontaneously or on palpation of the abdominal wall.

Chronic peritonitis

• Adhesions
• Chronic syndrome of indigestion and toxaemia