|
General Abdominal Enlargement
Sometimes there is a general
enlargement of the entire belly region in
older dogs. The entire abdomen appears to have dropped down. While this
may be due to a variety of reasons, one of the most common causes is
dropsy, a disorder of circulation in which certain body fluids, that
should normally be distributed throughout the organism or eliminated as
waste material through the urine, become accumulated in the abdominal
cavity. Though it may occur in young dogs, it is encountered most
often in very old ones, and is one of the prom¬inent diseases
associated with geriatrics—that is, the study of the diseases of old
age.
While the disease process is in operation, the animal appears normal
in every respect except that the abdomen is noted to increase gradually
in size. For a while the animal maintains its accustomed appetite and
properly performs its vital functions. As time goes on, the abdomen
increases further in size, the animal shows distress and decreased
appetite, and occasionally will vomit because of the pressure of the
excess abdominal fluid on its digestive organs. If the disease is
allowed to run its course, the animal will die of either heart failure
or gradual suffocation.
Dropsy is caused by the breakdown of the vital organs of the body.
Disease processes in the liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs are
associated in this circulatory disturbance. In fact, when there is a
breakdown of any one of the vital organs of the body, this will lead
inevitably to a breakdown of the others. The speed with which this will
come about will depend upon the
resistance of the animal and the severity of the affliction. The
disease process may go on for several years before the symptoms show
up, but once they appear they will become increasingly evident in
anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
Because of the extensive tissue breakdown, the disease is generally
classified as incurable. In rare cases the disease process may be
arrested, but for the most part only relief measures are applied.
Diuretics—drugs that will stimulate urination—are given in the form of
ascorbic acid and certain arsenicals. The most effective measure is to
have the abdominal fluid tapped, giving the animal immediate relief,
so that it will get along very well for a period of from two weeks to
about two months, depending upon the degree of tissue destruction.
Within this period the abdominal fluid will usually return, at which
time the animal must be tapped again. The owner is advised that the
animal may pass away at any time either during or between tappings.
It is usually advisable to have the animal put to sleep when it is
affected with dropsy but, if the owner insists, the dog may be
subjected to intermittent tappings. There are many cases on record
where animals treated in this manner have been kept alive tolerably
well for several years.
|
