Abstract
In a previous report, rapid development of by povolemia, severe metabolic acidosis and bacteremia of gram-negative bacilli were demonstrated in dogs with experimental fecal peritonitis. Therefore, the effect of fluid administration was examined. In gastric juice peritonitis, the experimental animals recovered from shock only after fluid administration even in the late stage. In the fecal peritonitis, however, fluid therapy was far less effective. Although intravenous instillation of a large amount of fluid, which was started immediately after intraperitoneal injection of fecal material, maintained systemic blood pressure at normal level for a con-siderable period and prolonged the survival time, it was not effective in preventing elevation of hematocrit and severe metabolic acidosis. On the other hand, rapid administration of a large amount of fluid in cases of already advanced fecal peri-tonitis showed only transient improvement of systemic blood pressure and could not improve metabolic acidosis, nor caused it any significant prolongation of survial of the animals. The effect of intraperitoneal administration of antibiotics was evaluated in the fecal peritonitis. Even large doses of antibiotics could not prolong the survival time of experimental animals when an extremely large amount of fecal material had been injected intraperitoneally. The treatment was effective only when intraperitoneal contamination was not so severe.
