The Veterinarian Part 8

TREATMENT: Withhold all food from eighteen to twenty-four hours, then administer the following: Ferri Sulphate, two drams; Antimony Tartrate, two drams; Pulv. Qua.s.sia, two drams. Place in gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun. Follow this from six to eight hours with Aloin, two drams; Ginger, two drams, and give as above directed. It is a good plan to repeat the above treatment in ten days to insure the removal of any worms which may have survived the first treatment.

SCROTAL RUPTURE

(Inguinal Hernia)

CAUSE: Abnormal size of the upper ring through which a part of the intestines or its connecting membrane descends into and through the ca.n.a.l leading from the abdomen to the scrotal cavity. There is little danger of strangulation from this form of rupture which may occur at birth and disappear with age. A careful examination should therefore be made of the s.c.r.o.t.u.m before castration.

SYMPTOMS: In most cases, this condition is easily detected. The s.c.r.o.t.u.m will be somewhat enlarged. Sometimes the intestines will become strangulated and colicky symptoms appear. When a young male colt shows signs of colic, examine him for Scrotal Rupture.

TREATMENT: The trouble usually disappears with age although in some cases it is well to operate. Where colicky symptoms are present, roll the colt on its back, manipulating the s.c.r.o.t.u.m. Diet carefully.

SHOE BOIL

(Capped Elbow)

CAUSE: Injuries, bruises or pressure when lying on a rough floor. Sharp heeled shoes and kicks also have a tendency to produce it.

SYMPTOMS: A hot painful swelling of the Elbow joint when first noticed.

When neglected, it takes on a white fibrous or callous growth.

TREATMENT: First remove the cause. Do not lance the enlargement; let it come to a head of its own accord, by applying Red Iodide of Mercury, two drams; Pulv. Cantharides, three drams; Lard, two ounces. Mix well together and apply twice a week. When the swelling is hot and painful it is well to apply cold water or ice packs before applying the above mentioned prescription.

SPLINTS

CAUSE: This disease is chiefly produced by trotting or running on hard ground, etc. It is evident that horses with high knee action and heavy bodies are more liable to this disease. Jumping is also a common cause of splints, but the more accustomed a horse is to jumping the less liable he is to throw splints, because practice teaches the animal to regulate his movements so as to more or less diminish the disagreeable if not actually painful effect of concussion.

SYMPTOMS: A splint is detected by grasping the horse's leg with the fingers upon one side and the thumb upon the other, and tracing the inner and outer splint bones from their heads downward to their tapering extremities. Any actual enlargement will at once arrest the hand; any rising or irregularity will create suspicion and lead to close examination. Horses, especially young ones which have lately been put to work, not infrequently develop splints before any swelling appears. For this reason, in examining a case of obscure lameness, particularly if the animal is young, do not fail to look for the sign of splint lameness, namely: that the lameness is abnormally greater at a trot than at a walk and that the animal usually fails to bend the knees freely and grows worse with exercise. The last mentioned condition is also present with corns, but an examination of the foot will determine the question of their existence. In young horses splints are sometimes mistaken for coffin-joint lameness or navicular disease. To avoid this error, it should be remembered that, when brought on by navicular disease, the action of the limb improves with exercise; also that horses of five years of age or less very rarely suffer from coffin-joint disease. Some horses, owing to unusual development of the inner splint bones of the fore legs may appear to have splints, although careful examination may prove both limbs to be free from any bony deposit. When deciding such a point, note if the two inner splint bones are of the same size. Any swelling perceptible in a limb recently affected with splint-lameness is usually attended by heat and pain.

TREATMENT: If there is heat present, foment with hot or cold water; when heat has subsided, apply the following ointment: Red Iodide of Mercury, two drams; Turpentine, twenty drops, and mix. Apply every forty-eight hours until three applications have been applied. Rub in for twenty minutes each time.

During this treatment use the horse for slow work on soft roads, etc. As a rule the splints will not disappear at once, but will gradually. I may add that common splints are not considered an unsoundness.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Photograph of four horses.]

PRIZE WINNING PERCHERON STALLIONS LYCEE 105934 (102746); KAPON 97589 (90705); MICMAC 106083 (105208), AND MARTELET 106199 (106199).

Owned by Oaklawn Farm, Wayne, Ill. (Dunhams)

SPASMODIC COLIC

CAUSE: Horses seem to be predisposed to this form of colic on account of the great length of their intestines which are apt to be telescoped, twisted or their circular muscular fibers spasmodically contracted.

Perhaps the princ.i.p.al cause is a change of food, sudden change of temperature, constipation, drinking cold or too large a quant.i.ty of water, especially if the animal is warm; overloading the stomach with frozen or mouldy food. Worms frequently produce colic.

SYMPTOMS: If the animal is tied it will become uneasy, paw, point its nose to the flank, twitch the tail, lie down and get up frequently. If the animal is loose it will walk around, paw, kick at its belly with the hind feet, make attempts to lie down, roll on its back and remain in that position for a while. The pulse increases with the pain, temperature rises from one-half to one degree, breathing labored and fast, the animal sweats in spots, there may be diarrhoea present, but this does not frequently occur.

Unfavorable symptoms of spasmodic colic are cold legs to the feet, point of the ears cold, trembling of the muscles, cold sweats, mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and eyes have a dark color due to the congestion.

TREATMENT: In all cases of spasmodic colic, except where there is diarrhoea present or mares heavily in foal, give Aloin, two drams; Ginger, two drams. Place in gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun.

It is advisable to give rectal injection of Warm Water and Glycerine.

They are soothing and cooling to the intestinal ca.n.a.l. Also give the following prescription: Pulv. Nux Vomica, four ounces; Carbonate of Ammonia, four ounces; Asafoetida, four ounces. Make into six powders; place one powder in gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun every two hours until relieved. The former prescription removes the cause as it is a physic. The latter contains medicines blended so as to counteract the spasmodic contractions of the bowels. It is also a heart stimulant, just what is needed in colic to keep up the animal's vitality. Beware of colic remedies that are given in drop doses. They contain drugs to only relieve the pain and not remove the cause. When their effects are worn off, the disease has progressed; the animal's heart action has been weakened and chances are that the animal will die. If drenching is resorted to, it must be done with great precaution. Remember a horse cannot breathe through his mouth.

SIDE BONES

CAUSE: The chief causes of Side Bones are: Deprivation of frog pressure, injuries, high heeled shoes, the use of which is almost entirely confined to draft horses. A high-heeled shoe prevents the frog from resting on the ground which is its natural support.

SYMPTOMS: Enlargement just above the hoof, usually affecting the front feet, or may affect only one side of one of the feet. The pain which produces the lameness is due to pressure on the soft tissues between the newly formed side bone and the hoof. Sometimes the enlargement has a tendency to spread the hoof. In such a case the lameness is not so severe.

TREATMENT: Clip the hair from over the Side Bone and rasp the foot below the enlargement, so that the hoof will be flexible on pressure from the fingers. Then apply the following to both the enlargement and the rasped surface on the hoof: Red Iodide of Mercury, two drams; Pulv.

Cantharides, four drams. Mix well in two ounces of Lard and apply every forty-eight hours until three applications have been applied.

If you must work the animal, put it to some easy work where it has soft ground to walk upon.

STAGGERS

(Forage Poisoning--Inflammation of the Brain)

(Cerebral Meningitis)

CAUSE: Certain plants or stagnant water are most commonly instrumental in producing staggers; frequently seen in the early autumn months when the gra.s.s in the pastures becomes dry and certain forage remains green which contains toxic principles. These plants are ravenously eaten by horses on account of being green and tender. This is one of the common causes of the disease, although mouldy, indigestible or highly nitrogenous foods are frequently producers of staggers. This form of staggers is not contagious, although what produces staggers in one horse will also produce it in another. In this way several horses may become affected with staggers at the same time. Inflammation of the brain may occur as a complication of some infectious or digestive disease. Other causes are blows to the head, tumors in or on the brain, which cause the animal to naturally stagger, as the brain controls the horse's organs of locomotion.

SYMPTOMS: Vary to a certain extent, but a careful observer will detect some trouble connected with the nervous system, as the animal walking unsteadily, stepping high and keeping the legs spread apart, bracing itself to keep from falling. There is also great depression, as dullness and sleepiness with little or no inclination to move about. The head may be placed against a wall or fence and the legs kept moving as if the horse were trying to walk. As the disease progresses and no attempts are made to relieve it, they will become fractious, nervous, easily excited, pawing and eventually fall, keeping the feet moving as if walking, throwing their heads about in a delirious manner and eventually death follows. The horse as a rule eats and drinks ravenously when the first signs of staggers are noticed, but in its latter stages the tongue and gullet become paralyzed and although the animal attempts to eat and drink he cannot swallow. The pulse varies. It is strong, but subnormal when the first symptoms of staggers are noticed, that is to say, it is as slow as twenty to twenty-five beats per minute. As the disease progresses, however, it becomes weaker and faster. Constipation frequently accompanies this disease, also paleness tinged with yellow about the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes. In many instances I believe that the poisonous forage eaten by horses depresses the heart action to such an extent that it results in the brain not receiving the proper blood supply, causing dizziness or staggers.

TREATMENT: Place the animal in a clean, dark stall, keeping the surroundings as quiet as possible. In its first stages it is easily treated, but as the horse becomes easily excited and his swallowing becomes difficult, treatment becomes more difficult. When the first signs are noticed, administer a physic as: Aloin, two or three drams; Ginger, two or three drams, according to the size of the animal. Place in gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun. This physic removes the irritant from the intestines and prevents its absorption into the blood.

Also administer the following: Bromide of Pota.s.sium, twelve ounces; Nitrate of Potash, four ounces; Iodide of Potash, three ounces. Make into twenty-four capsules and give one capsule every four hours.

My method of administering medicine to animals places me in a position to treat them and compel them to take the medicine even though paralysis may exist. When animals will eat, feed food that is easily digested, as hot wheat bran mashes, steamed rolled oats and vegetables and give small quant.i.ties, but often, of clean fresh water. It is necessary to give stimulants and tonics as soon as they are on the road to recovery, as Pulv. Nux Vomica, four ounces; Pulv. Gentian Root, four ounces; Sulphate of Iron, two ounces. Make into sixteen capsules and give one capsule three times daily.

STIFLE JOINT LAMENESS

(Dislocation of the Patella)

Although dislocations are infrequent, this is the most common form which occurs in the horse.

CAUSE: Young loose jointed horses are predisposed to dislocation of the stifle on account of the comparative want of strength of their ligaments. They are much more liable to this accident than older horses, especially if they are in poor health or in rough hilly pastures; the nature of which would naturally make them susceptible to this injury, which, however, may take place as a result of accident at any age. Young horses that suffer, off and on from dislocation, often lose their liability with increasing strength and age. This dislocation may be partial or complete. In the former instance and the most common is where the patella, or the little stifle bone that glides in the groove composed of the lower hip and upper thigh bones, has become partially dislocated or removed from its natural position.