120 DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS, ETC. but is here mentioned to guard against a brutal practice commonly resorted to by farriers as a cure for the disorder. The groom complains that his charge is "off his feed," and fancies that the palate is swollen more than usual-the fact being that he never examined it at any other time; and the farrier proceeds to cure the rejection of food by searing the poor beast's mouth with a red-hot iron, or scarifying it with a knife. The reasonable treatment of an ailment proceeding from heat or disorder of the stomach will be to withhold all heating food, at all events to a great extent, giving occasional mashes, also tonics and alteratives, the latter to those of full habit, the former in cases of evident debility. DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE AND URINARY ORGANS. Diarrhoea and Dysentery.-The first (diarrhoea, or mere looseness) is, in the horse, seldom more than a temporary debility. In many cases it is an effort of nature to relieve herself, and will probably effect its own cure. The symptoms require no definition, except that it may be remarked that they are almost invariably unaccompanied by pain or any other inconvenience. Rest, and the use of more astringent food, and leaving a piece of chalk in the manger (which, with horses subject to diarrhoea, should never be absent), will in all probability arrest the attack, which may, to a certain extent, proceed from a predisposition to acidity. Animals disposed to this disease should be fed on a drier description of food. Dysentery is, on the contrary, a highly dangerous illness, accompanied with pain. It mostly commences with excessive purgation, the evacuations being mere foul water in appearance, and stinking. The beast will drink greedily; the pulse is weak; great anguish of body perceptible, the perspiration breaking out in patches. On the first appearance of such dangerous symptoms, procure the assistance of a professional man; but in the interval the following drench may be given : Sulphuric ether and laudanum, of each one ounce. Also injections of cold linseed-tea. The dose may be repeated in three or four hours, if medical assistance does not arrive. As great care is necessary in the diet, as well as general treatment, after partial recovery, everything should be done under professional advice. An attack of dysentery is very likely to be caused by the existence of some acrid matter in the intestines, or by an overdose, or too constant use, of aloes. As with diarrhoea, horses predisposed to dysentery ought always to have a lump of chalk in the manger, and constant or over-doses of aloes should be avoided. COLIC AND GRIPES. As these diseases are sudden, and require prompt treatment, it is well to have some idea of the kind of remedy to be employed, pending the arrival of the veterinary surgeon. Some animals are peculiarly subject to them, from a susceptible state of the alimentary canal. Cold water, taken on an empty stomach, or when a beast is heated, will cause the malady. The symptoms are distress, evinced by pawing, lifting of the fore and hind feet towards the stomach, the head being turned towards the sides, with a look of anguish; a cold sweat will sometimes bedew the body. A desire to lie down may be exhibited, and when on the ground the animal rolls about in evident agony. The upper lip is strained upwards from the teeth, almost closing the nostrils, and the pulse indicates derangement of the system. When the true character of the ailment has been ascertained, it is well to inquire as to the character of the evacuations. If they are in a lax state, and a cause for the same can be discovered, of course discontinue it, and use astringent clysters for the bowels (page 159). If there be reason to apprehend that some offending matter is retained in the alimentary canal, use emollient laxatives and clysters (pages 158 and 159). But if anything like costiveness is present, and other remedies fail, recourse must be had to that of "back-raking," a process which need not be here explained, being well known to every experienced groom, any one of whom may safely be intrusted with the operation, the only necessary precaution being to have rather a small hand used, and that well lubricated with lard or oil. Let all the fæcal matter that can be reached be carefully extracted. Afterwards a warm enema, composed of one pint of turpentine mixed in two quarts of hot soap-suds, and a soothing drench of 1 oz. sulphuric ether, 1 pint oil, will be found efficacious. In the early stages, "gripes," as they are called, may be cured by simply "back-raking," followed by a drench of a bottle of ale, warmed and mixed with one ounce of powdered ginger, and a brisk trot in heavy clothing. Under highly inflammatory symptoms, the professional man attending will probably bleed. To guard against colic, avoid giving cold water when the beast is heated, or on a fasting stomach. With horses subject to gripes the water should always be given with the chill off, if possible, or just previous to a good grooming or other gentle exercise tending to circulate internal warmth. Never allow any animal the opportunity of gorging himself with any kind of food after the stomach has been weakened by extra-severe work and long fasting. For costiveness only give soft bran or linseed mashes, or green feeding; and see treatment for excessive or painful costiveness, page 122. DIABETES, or profuse staling, is unfortunately a common disease, and is generally attributed to something wrong in the water, but bad provender may occasion it. Thirst is generally very great. Give catechu, 2 drachms at a time, two or three times daily, in mashes. Change the food or water, whichever on examination seems most objectionable. Give no hay or grass, but plenty of linseed tea to drink; give good bruised or scalded oats, with a small quantity of warm bran mixed in each feed, and leave a lump of chalk in manger: or administer diluted phosphoric acid, one ounce to one pint lukewarm water, twice daily, till the symptoms abate, then gradually reduce the dose.* * A horse once found to be subject to this disease should be very carefully fed and watered. WORMS are indicated by a state of the coat called "hide-bound" and "staring," with loss of condition and indisposition to work; by a slimy mucus covering the dung-balls; also occasionally by the adherence of the parasites round the anus, and thin evacuation in the fæces. They cling so pertinaceously to the internals, that they will eat through the coat of the stomach, and are never likely to be removed by a single dose of any medicine. Spirit of turpentine is highly recommended as a cure, but if given it must be diluted largely-one part turpentine to four parts oil. Practical experience of various remedies for worms justifies me in recommending one to two grains of arsenic and twenty grains of kamela twice daily (each dose mixed in a handful of wet bran, and given with oats This will be found almost a specific; it is recommended by Mr Mayhew, and is said to have originated with Mr Woodyer, V.S., at Paddington. Professor Dick is also reputed to have been very successful in the treatment of this disease, by the use of small and repeated doses of iodine or iodide of potassium. |