The Veterinarian Part 1

The Veterinarian.

by Chas. J. Korinek.

FOREWORD

This treatise on the diseases of domestic animals has been written with the primary purpose of placing in the hands of stock owners, a book of practical worth; hence, all technical language or terms, as used by the professional veterinarian, have been eliminated and only such language used as all may read and understand.

The treatment suggested in each case is one I have used and found efficient in my many years of practice.

If my readers will study and follow these directions carefully, they will save themselves much unnecessary loss. My confidence in this accomplishment is my reward for my labor in behalf of our dumb friends--the domestic animals.

THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER I

ABORTION IN MARES

CAUSE: Quality and quant.i.ty of food, poorly lighted, ventilated or drained stables, mare falling or slipping, sprains, kicks, hard, fast work or eating poisonous vegetation.

SYMPTOMS: Mare will show signs of colic, the outer portion of the womb will be swollen, and if the colicky symptoms continue there will be a watery discharge and the membranes covering the foetus or foal will become noticeable. The animal strains when lying down or getting up.

TREATMENT: Place the animal in comfortable quarters and blanket if chilly. When colicky pains are present treat the same as for spasmodic colic. To stop the straining and labor pains, give Tincture Opii one ounce, placing in gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun every two hours. One to two doses, however, are generally sufficient as the mare will either abort or the dangerous period will have pa.s.sed. Keep the animal quiet and feed good nutritious food and pure water with chill taken off in small quant.i.ties but often. Disinfect the mare's quarters thoroughly. A good general tonic should be used in this condition, one that will strengthen and a.s.sist nature to throw off impurities from the blood, such as Sodium Hyposulphite, eight ounces; Pota.s.si Iodide, one ounce. Make into eight powders and give one powder two or three times a day in drinking water.

ABSCESS

CAUSE: Bruises and injuries. Abscesses are also seen in complications with various diseases, perhaps the most common being distemper, laryngitis, etc.

SYMPTOMS: Symptoms will vary, of course, according to the development of the disease. It may not be noticed at first, but upon careful examination small tortuous lines will be observed running from the point of irritation. In many cases a swelling is noticed which is hot, painful and throbbing and enlarges rapidly. In two or three days the soreness and heat gradually subside, but the abscess continues to grow. The hair falls from the affected parts and in a short time the abscess discharges, and the cavity gradually fills up and heals by granulation.

TREATMENT: In all cases hasten the repairing process as much as possible by applying hot water packs or hot bran, flaxseed or vegetable poultices. It is common with veterinarians to lance an abscess as soon as possible, but this requires skill and practice. I could not advise stockowners to perform this operation, as it requires exact knowledge of anatomy. It will usually be found a safe plan to encourage the full ripening of an abscess and allow it to open of its own accord, as it will heal much better and quicker and you take no chances of infection with an instrument. When opened do not squeeze the abscess to any extent, but press gently with clean hands or cloth, to remove the clot, and after this simply keep open by washing the abscess with a three per cent Carbolic Acid solution or Bichloride of Mercury, one part to one thousand parts of water. When an animal has abscesses it is well to give the following blood purifiers or internal antiseptics: Hyposulphite of Soda, eight ounces; Pota.s.si Iodide, one ounce. Mix well and make into eight powders and give one powder twice daily in drinking water, or place in gelatin capsule and administer with capsule gun. This prescription will prevent the absorption of impurities from the abscess into the blood.

ANEMIA

CAUSE: Insufficient quality and quant.i.ty of food, insanitary surroundings, overwork, lack of exercise, drains on the system from acute or chronic diseases, worms; and can also be brought about by excessive heat, cold or pressure and lessening of the calibre of the arteries, poisons in the blood, suppurating wounds, repeated purging or bleedings.

SYMPTOMS: The visible mucous membranes of the nose, eyes and mouth are pale and sometimes have a yellow appearance. There is weakness, temperature of the body is lower than normal; pulse weak, legs cold to the feet, cold sweats are often present, breathing is quickened, especially in its last stages, animals tire easily, appet.i.te and digestion become poor, swelling of the legs and the under surface of the abdomen, sheath and udder; the skin becomes rough and dry.

TREATMENT: Remove the cause if possible in its first stages, or when first noticed. Give a physic of Calomel, two scruples; Aloin, two drams; Pulv. Gentian, two drams; Ginger, two drams. Place in gelatin capsule and give at one dose with capsule gun. Also, administer the following: a.r.s.enious Acid, one dram; Ferri Sulphate, three ounces; Pulv. Gentian, three ounces; Pulv. Fenugreek Seed, three ounces, and Pulv. Anise Seed, three ounces. Mix well and make into twenty powders. Give one powder three times a day in feed, or place in gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun. Endeavor to build up the condition of the animal by the proper quant.i.ty and quality of food. Give pure water to drink, also provide sanitary conditions, as pure air, sunlight if possible. Turn out to gra.s.s when the weather is favorable. This treatment should be continued until the animal shows sign of improvement. However, the administration of physics should be given with great care so as not to produce superpurgation of the bowels (scours), as physics in this condition would tend to weaken the animal.

It is to be borne in mind that pure water and nourishing food play a very important part in the treatment of Anemia.

APHTHAE

(Sore mouth and tongue--Pustular Stomat.i.tis)

CAUSE: Superficial eruptions of the mucous membranes of the mouth and tongue. Frequently seen during convalescence of intermittent fever. This condition may also follow diseases of the digestive system, as Indigestion, etc., due to the blood absorbing toxic materials which break out in the form of pustules about the mouth and the whole alimentary ca.n.a.l (stomach and intestines).

SYMPTOMS: The appet.i.te is impaired, the mouth hot, the pulse not much affected as a rule, the temperature is slightly elevated, the animal is unable to masticate, and small vesicles appear and eventually terminate into pustules and burst and discharge a small amount of pus at the parts where the sores are the deepest.

TREATMENT: Remove the cause if possible. Feed clean, soft food that is easily digested, as hot wheat bran mashes and steamed rolled oats, vegetables, etc. For a mouth-wash dissolve the following: One dram of Copper Sulphate, one dram of Chlorate of Potash, one dram of Boracic Acid in clean hot water, and syringe out the mouth two or three times a day. To the drinking water add one ounce of Hyposulphite of Soda twice a day. Where the appet.i.te is impaired, administer the following: Pulv. Nux Vomica, Pulv. Gentian Root, Pulv. Iron, Pulv. Nitrate of Potash each two ounces. Mix and make into sixteen capsules and give one capsule three times a day with capsule gun.

AZOTURIA

CAUSE: This disease is usually due to work after a period of idleness, during which the animal has been liberally fed. It is found princ.i.p.ally among highly-fed draft horses, and never in animals which are regularly worked. Light breeds of horses are also susceptible to this disease.

SYMPTOMS: Attack is sudden and usually appears when the horse has traveled a short distance after having been stabled for a few days. The characteristic symptoms of this disease in an animal are: Excitability without apparent cause; actions seem to indicate injury of the hind quarters or loins. Animal has a peculiar goose-rumped look, owing to the muscles over the quarters being violently contracted, and are hard on pressure. One hind limb is generally advanced in front of the other, and on attempting to put weight on it, the hind quarters will drop until at times the hocks almost touch the ground. Sometimes a front leg is affected. The breathing is hurried. Animal is bathed in sweat, and is in such agony that it will seize almost anything with its teeth. Although the pulse is hard and frequent, the internal temperature, even in severe cases, seldom rises to any marked extent. The urine is dark-red to dirty-brown color. Owing to the stoppage of the worm-like movement of the bowels, there is generally constipation and retention of the urine.

Sometimes the symptoms are milder than here described. In other cases the animal soon falls to the ground and continues to struggle in a delirious, half-paralyzed state until he dies. Sometimes this disease is mistaken for colic or acute indigestion, but it can be readily distinguished by the color of the urine.

TREATMENT: At the first symptom, stop and blanket the animal and let stand from one to three hours. Then move to the nearest shelter, keeping the animal as quiet and comfortable, as possible, as excitement aggravates the disease. Give Aloin, two drams; Ginger, two drams; in capsule, and administer with capsule gun. Also, give the following prescription: Pota.s.si Nitrate, eight ounces; Sodii Bicarbonate, eight ounces; Pota.s.si Iodide, one and one-half ounces. Mix well and make into thirty-two powders. Give one powder in drinking water every four hours, or in capsule, and give with capsule gun. Injections of soap and warm water per r.e.c.t.u.m are beneficial. Immerse a blanket in hot water and place over loins, then covering with a dry blanket, or, if this is impossible, apply the following liniment: Aqua Ammonia Fort., two ounces; Turpentine, two ounces; Sweet Oil, four ounces, and rub in like a shampoo over the loins. It may be necessary to draw off the urine, which is sometimes retained, and it is best to secure the services of a skilled veterinarian if, such is the case. Allow the animal to drink often, though in small quant.i.ties, of pure water with the chill taken off. If he is unable to stand on his feet it is well to turn him from side to side every six hours. It is also advisable to fill bags with hay and place against his shoulders to prevent him from lying flat on his side, as this may cause congestion of the lungs. Avoid drenching--it is dangerous. Should the animal show signs of uneasiness, give one ounce of Pota.s.si Bromide in the drinking water every four hours until the excitement has subsided.

BARRENNESS

(Failure to Breed)

CAUSE: Contraction of the neck of the womb, growths on or in the ovaries, Whites or Leucorrhea. The first is the only form of barrenness which responds readily to treatment.

SYMPTOMS: A mare may come in heat normally, or stay in heat continually, or not come in heat at all.

TREATMENT: Wash the hands in some antiseptic solution, such as Carbolic Acid or Bichloride of Mercury and see that the finger-nails are smooth.

Grease the hand and arm with vaseline and proceed to dilate the neck of the womb. It may be difficult at first to insert the finger, but the opening will gradually enlarge. Work slowly and carefully until three fingers may be inserted. Breeding should follow about three hours after the womb has been dilated.

BLEEDING AFTER CASTRATION

If bleeding is from the little artery in the back portion of cord, it will generally stop of its own accord, but if it should continue to bleed for thirty minutes, I throw clean, cold water against the part.

When bleeding is from the large artery in front of the cord, it is considered dangerous. The artery should be tied with a silk thread if possible, or twisted with a pair of forceps. Occasionally the artery cannot be found, in which case the hole in the s.c.r.o.t.u.m should be plugged with a clean cloth saturated with Tincture of Iron, which will clot the blood and thus close the artery.

BLOOD POISONING

(Septicaemia or Pyemia)

CAUSE: By the popular term, "Blood Poison," is meant a state of const.i.tutional disturbance brought on by the entrance of putrid products--usually from a wound--into the blood. As a rule some pressure or inoculation is necessary for the introduction of poison into the circulation; hence, the necessity of free drainage and thorough disinfection of the wound, and the only hopeful cases are those in which by this means the supply of poison may be cut short.