Inflammation of the normally smooth stomach lining, a condition called peritonitis, can be life-threatening – as Karen Coumbe MRCVS explains
LINING the abdominal cavity is the peritoneum, a thin, membranous layer that acts as a natural, biological wrapper to protect the abdominal organs.
The peritoneum also secretes a fluid (about 60ml per hour), which helps to lubricate and clean the abdomen with its anti-bacterial properties. This produces a healthy surface for the gut, so that the various structures glide smoothly and do not become entangled or stick together.
When the normally smooth peritoneal surfaces become inflamed, the area becomes sore and irritated – a condition called peritonitis. Colic and peritonitis are closely linked; one may lead to the other and both need to be taken seriously.
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"}
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