The Veterinarian Part 2

TREATMENT: No time should be lost in attempting to remove the obstruction from the gullet. It may be dislodged by gently manipulating the gullet. If unsuccessful in dislodging the obstruction in this manner, secure the services of a competent veterinarian. He will use a probang, an instrument made for this purpose, or inject Sweet or Olive Oil into the gullet with a hypodermic syringe, or give hypodermic injections of Arecoline. In administering drenches with the object of dislodging obstructions in the gullet, you must remember that the liquids used are apt to go the wrong way, that is to say, enter the lungs, and give rise to lung complications, as lung fever, bronchitis, etc. Obstructions of solid substance in the windpipe generally cause death very shortly. When liquids enter the lungs, death is not so apt to occur, as the animal may live several days, and sometimes even get well.

They should be treated the same as for lung fever.

CRACKED HEELS

CAUSE: There is little doubt in my mind that ammonia, which is so plentifully found in ill-kept stables, is the chief cause of cracked heels. The action of ammonia on the skin renders it soft and pulpy, and diminishes its strength by separating the layers of which it is composed.

SYMPTOMS: When inflammation is set up in the part, the secretion of natural oil is interfered with and cracks usually occur in the place where the skin becomes wrinkled when the pastern joint is bent. The discharge from cracked heels has an offensive smell. In early stages there is extreme heat and swelling, there is pain and lameness, which usually disappear as the case becomes chronic.

TREATMENT: Keep the affected parts clean as possible, if there is extreme inflammation present. Apply hot poultice made from bran or flaxseed meal. When the inflammation subsides, apply Zinc Ointment twice daily. Before applying each application of ointment, wash with Warm Water and Castile Soap. Feed carrots, green gra.s.s, if possible, also hot bran mashes or steam rolled oats each morning. Sometimes it is well to give a physic, and I would recommend Aloin, one and one-half drams; Ginger, two drams. A physic has very good effect in reducing the swelling of the legs.

COFFIN-JOINT LAMENESS

(Navicular Disease)

CAUSE: Driving young animals on hard roads. Always found in the front feet, owing no doubt to the fact the front feet support largely the weight of the body.

SYMPTOMS: The symptoms are very hard to detect. As a rule the animal will point the affected foot when at rest even before there is any lameness present. While at work he apparently goes sound, but when placed in the stable, or when stopped on hard ground, one foot will be set out in front of the other and resting on the toe. It will be noticed that the animal takes a few lame steps and then goes well again. Again he may be lame for a day, or he may leave the stable in the morning apparently well and sound and go lame during the day. In the course of time he will develop a severe case of lameness, which may last for five or six days. These spells are intermittent and finally he becomes permanently lame, and the more he is driven the greater the lameness, and he steps short, wears the toe of the shoe, stumbles, falls on his knees when the road is rough. Sometimes both front feet are affected and the shoulders will be stiff. When put to work he sweats from pain; there will be extreme heat about the foot, and he will flinch from pressure.

Comparatively few recoveries are made from this disease.

TREATMENT: First remove the shoe. If the foot is inflamed, poultice with hot bran or flaxseed meal. After the inflammation disappears, clean the foot well, clip the hair from around the top of the hoof and use the following: Red Iodide of Mercury, two drams; Pulverized Cantharides, four drams; Turpentine, thirty drops; Lard, two ounces. Mix well and apply every forty-eight hours, rubbing in well for twenty minutes each time. After three or four applications have been applied, turn the animal out to pasture. Repeat this treatment again in a month or so.

Animals affected with this disease should be put to slow and easy work on soft ground, and carefully shod. This disease is unsatisfactorily treated and only a few cases recover when the best care is taken.

CORNS

CAUSE: Dry feet, increased pressure from ill fitting shoes, or high heeled shoes, which tend to contract the heels and produce corns. Wide flat feet are predisposed to bruises which terminate in corns.

SYMPTOMS: Lameness, or as the old saying goes, "The animal will go tenderfooted." When standing the animal is generally very restless, they paw their bedding behind them at night. Tapping or pressure on the foot will a.s.sist in locating a corn.

TREATMENT: Discover the true cause of the corn and remove it if possible. Take away all pressure from over the corn and turn the animal out in some damp pasture. If this cannot be done, put on a flat "bar"

shoe, packing the sole of the foot with Pine Tar and Oak.u.m; then place a leather between the foot and shoe. Repeat this application every two weeks, as this will keep the sole soft and flexible, and with proper shoeing your animal will be relieved of corns.

Frequently coffin-joint lameness or navicular disease is mistaken for corns.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Photograph of horse.]

CLYDESDALE STALLION SIR EVERARD (5353).

Sire of Famous Baron's Pride (9122), who earned $300,000.00 in the Stud, who Sired Baron O'Buchlyvie, who was sold for $45,000.00, the Highest Price ever paid for a Draft Stallion.

CONSTIPATION

CAUSE: Indigestible foods, irregular feeding, lack of, or too much, exercise, insufficient secretion of digestive materials, strictures, ruptures, paralysis, worms, folding and twisting of the intestines, which frequently occurs in old age.

SYMPTOMS: The animal cannot expel the contents of the intestines, which frequently causes colicky pains. Death from this form of constipation is generally due to rupture of the intestines, when due to indigestible foods or irregular feeding. Lack of, or too much, exercise seldom produces death, although the animal may not pa.s.s any fecal matter for a week.

TREATMENT: Give a capsule containing Aloin, two drams, and Pulverized Ginger, two drams, every eighteen hours until the animal has a movement of the bowels. Then give the following tonic: Pulverized Nux Vomica, two ounces; Pulverized Gentian Root, two ounces; Pulverized Fenugreek Seed, four ounces. Mix well and give one tablespoonful in feed three times a day. If the animal refuses to eat it in the feed, place one tablespoonful in gelatin capsule and administer with capsule gun. This will stimulate the worm-like movement of the bowels and strengthen the heart action.

Give the animal all the water it will drink. If the water is cold, take the chill off by warming or adding warm water. If the animal will eat, feed food that is easily digested, such as gra.s.s, carrots, turnips, potatoes and apples, but do not feed too large a quant.i.ty at one time.

Hot bran mashes or steamed rolled oats are very nourishing and easily digested. Rectal injections of Soap and Turpentine in small quant.i.ties, added to warm water, are very beneficial, and I would recommend their use. It is advisable to elevate the animal's hind parts when giving rectal injections, as compelling the animal to stand with its head lower than its hind parts will cause the animal to retain the injection much longer, consequently it does its intended work much better.

If due to worms, fast the animal for twenty-four hours and give Barbadoes Aloes, three drams; Calomel, one dram; Ferri Sulphate, two drams; Antimony Tartrate, two drams. Place in gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun, This dose should be repeated in ten days to insure the expulsion of newly hatched worms.

COLD

(Nasal Catarrh)

CAUSE: Atmospheric changes common in the spring and fall; animal allowed to chill when standing in a draft, or driven when the system is in a poor condition. It is also produced by inhaling irritating gases, smoke, drenching through the nose, dusty hay or grain that contains infectious matter.

SYMPTOMS: Animal is stupid, does not take food very freely, hair stands and looks dusty, throat becomes sore, pulse is not greatly affected.

There may be a slight rise of temperature, say 101 to 103 degrees F.

After a day or two there will be a discharge of mucus from the nostrils which may be offensive to the smell. There is generally an increased flow of urine. The breathing is not much affected.

TREATMENT: Make the animal as comfortable as possible by placing in a clean stall with pure air, but avoid drafts. Blanket if the weather is chilly and give the following prescription: Chloride of Potash, two ounces; Nitrate of Potash, four ounces. Mix these well in a pint of Pine Tar and place about one tablespoonful of the mixture as far back on the tongue as possible every six hours. Relief is very certain if this treatment is given in the first stages. If not it will become chronic and terminate into nasal gleet, or lung complications.

COUGH

(Acute and Chronic)

As a cough is a symptom of various diseases, these in addition to the cough should be treated.

KINDS OF COUGH: Many writers give several different varieties, but for sake of convenience I will divide them into two forms, namely: Acute and Chronic.

CAUSE: Acute Coughs are generally due to sudden exposure to cold, drafts and are the forerunning symptom of a disease of the organs of breathing.

Chronic Coughs are a.s.sociated with, and often a result of, sore throat, lung fever, pleurisy, bronchitis, broken wind, influenza, nasal gleet, catarrh, glanders, heaves and distemper.

TREATMENT: Under each disease of which a cough is a symptom, I have also prescribed to include its suppression. The following prescription is reasonable in price, yet very effective in all forms of cough: Tannic Acid, one ounce; Pota.s.si Chlorate, four ounces; Pota.s.si Nitrate, four ounces. Powder well and mix with Black Strap Mola.s.ses, one pint; placing container retaining the above in hot water a.s.sists in dissolving. When this is thoroughly mixed add Pine Tar one pint, and place one tablespoonful well back on the tongue with a wooden paddle every three or four hours, according to the severity of the cough.

Sometimes a liniment applied to the throat and windpipe has a good effect, and I would recommend the following on account of its penetrating qualities: Aqua Ammonia Fort., two ounces; Turpentine, two ounces; Raw Linseed Oil, four ounces. Mix and apply twice daily, shaking the contents of the bottle well before using.

COLT CONSTIPATION

CAUSE: Improper digestion of its mother's milk, especially when overheated or not allowed to nurse enough.