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{| cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" border="1"
| See also:
| [[Peritonitis - Cats and Dogs|Peritonitis in Dogs and Cats]]
|}
==Description==
Peritonitis refers to [[Inflammation - Pathology|inflammation]] of the [[Peritoneal cavity - Anatomy & Physiology|peritoneal cavity]] and it may occur in any of the domestic species. Peritonitis represents a considerable therapeutic challenge in any species and frequently carries a very poor prognosis.
==Classification==
Peritonitis may be classified in a number of ways depedning on its '''cause''', the nature of the '''inflammatory [[Exudate|exudate]]''' formed, the '''extent''' of the disease and the '''chronicity''' with which it develops.
The inflammation may affect the entire peritoneal cavity ('''generalised''' or '''diffuse''') or it may affect just one part of the cavity ('''localised'''). The formation of fibrous adhesions in chronic peritonitis may isolate the inflammation in one particular area of the cavity.
Different pathological processes result in the formation of different type of inflammatory [[Exudate|exudate]] depending on the degree to which the peritoneal vasculatur is damaged and on the types of leucocyte which migrate to the site of the inflammation. The following types of peritonitis are recognised based on the nature of the exudate:
*'''Sero-fibrinous''' e.g. Glasser’s disease (''[[Haemophilus parasuis]]'') in pigs
*'''Fibrinopurulent''' e.g. after gut rupture, systemic infection ([[:Category:Pasteurella and Mannheimia species|pasteurellosis in sheep]])
*'''Purulent''' e.g. [[Rhodococcus equi|''Rhodococcus equi'']] in foals
*'''Haemorrhagic''' e.g. splenic rupture
*'''Granulomatous''' e.g. ''[[:Category:Nocardia species|Nocardia]]'' in dogs
Peritonitis may occur acutely or it may be a chronic process that has reached an advanced stage before it is diagnosed. In cases of '''acute''' peritonitis, there is likely to be increased amounts of fluid in the peritoneal cavity and roughening of serosal surface of the abdominal organs and [[Peritoneal cavity - Anatomy & Physiology|parietal peritoneum]] due to the presence of fibrin. Cases of '''chronic''' peritonitis often involve fibrous adhesions between any of the abdominal organs and the omentum, mesentery or [[Peritoneal cavity - Anatomy & Physiology|peritoneum]].
==Causes of peritonitis==
*Usually '''secondary''' to other abdominal pathology but may be '''primary'''
*Usually '''secondary''' to other abdominal pathology but may be '''primary'''
*'''Septic''' or '''non-septic'''
*'''Septic''' or '''non-septic'''
====Chemical====
====Chemical====
[http://w3.vet.cornell.edu/nst/nst.asp?Fun=Image&imgID=3048 Image of bile stained peritonitis in a cat from Cornell Veterinary Medicine]
[http://w3.vet.cornell.edu/nst/nst.asp?Fun=Image&imgID=3048 Image of bile stained peritonitis in a cat from Cornell Veterinary Medicine]
*Serofibrinous peritonitis in Glasser’s disease ''[[Haemophilus parasuis]]'' or [[:Category:Mycoplasmas|''Mycoplasma'']] or septicaemias caused by ''[[Streptococcus suis]]'' type 2
*Serofibrinous peritonitis in Glasser’s disease ''[[Haemophilus parasuis]]'' or [[:Category:Mycoplasmas|''Mycoplasma'']] or septicaemias caused by ''[[Streptococcus suis]]'' type 2
*Acute gelatinous haemorrhagic peritonitis in [[Bacillus anthracis|Anthrax]][[Category:Peritoneal Cavity - Inflammatory Pathology]]
*Acute gelatinous haemorrhagic peritonitis in [[Bacillus anthracis|Anthrax]][[Category:Peritoneal Cavity - Inflammatory Pathology]]
==References==
[http://w3.vet.cornell.edu/nst/nst.asp?Fun=Image&imgID=1262 Image of acute fibrinous peritonitis from Cornell Veterinary Medicine]
[[Category:To_Do_-_James]]
[[Category:To_Do_-_James]]
[[Category:Cat]][[Category:Dog]][[Category:Horse]][[Category:Cattle]][[Category:Donkey]][[Category:Sheep]][[Category:Goat]][[Category:Pig]][[Category:Poultry]]