The Veterinarian Part 9

SYMPTOMS: When the dislocation is complete the affected limb is drawn forward, while the foot from the pastern down is drawn backward, and the animal may throw weight on it when made to move, which is accomplished with great difficulty. When the dislocation is partial, the symptoms are about the same as mentioned, only the limb is less rigid. If the horse is moved, the stifle makes a klick sound. In this form, you may have both limbs affected.

TREATMENT: In partial dislocation, the stifle bone may be replaced by drawing the leg forward, and with the hand pressing in on the stifle. In complete dislocation, tie a rope around the pastern of the affected leg, then draw the rope through a collar placed around the horse's neck and draw forward as far as possible and tie. Then press with both hands inward. After the stifle is placed back into position use the following liniment: Aqua Ammonia Fort., four ounces; Oil of Turpentine, four ounces; Raw Linseed Oil, four ounces. Mix and apply well over the stifle joint once or twice a day for two or three days. Feed nourishing food and put the animal to slow, easy work or turn out to good pasture.

In old chronic cases of Stifle Joint Lameness, treatment is of no value, therefore, care for the animal as soon as the catch in the walk or lameness appears.

STRING-HALT

CAUSE: Several theories have been put forth as to the cause of String-Halt which is generally supposed to be a nervous disease; a condition opposite to paralysis. The exact cause of this disease is hard to determine, but it is likely to occur in highly nervous horses. It sometimes follows an injury which may have irritated the nerves in some way. I believe that castration causes it in many instances, due to the severe struggle when being thrown, or pulling down severely on the spermatic cord when removing the t.e.s.t.i.c.l.e.

SYMPTOMS: Spasmodic contraction of one or both limbs. This sign varies, as sometimes it is very violent, while in others it may be so slight that it is hard to detect when stepping the horse forward, but on backing or turning the horse around the signs are easily noticed. All symptoms are better marked in the winter than in the summer, as some show it in the winter that do not show it in the summer at all.

TREATMENT: Very unsuccessful, although an operation proves beneficial in some cases, but if this is attempted, the services of a competent Veterinarian should be secured.

The feeding of laxative foods that are easily digested relieves String-Halt in many instances.

SORE THROAT

(Pharyngitis--Laryngitis)

CAUSE: Exposure to cold weather or rain when the animal is not accustomed to it; drenching with irritating medicines or inhaling irritating smoke or gases.

SYMPTOMS: At first the animal generally chills, the legs and ears are cold, but eventually they become very warm as the temperature increases, coughing, grinding of the teeth, saliva oozing from the mouth; the animal will hold its head in a stiff straight position, moving it as little as possible. There will be great difficulty in masticating and swallowing, as the food will come from the mouth in the form of wads, and as this soreness of the throat progresses food will also come from the nostrils. This is a bad sign, as extensive inflammation is no doubt present. Water, also, runs through the nostrils freely when the animal attempts to drink, due to the swollen condition of the throat. The animal forces the water back into the mouth, but is unable to swallow and hence the water gushes out through the nostrils. The animal evinces great pain when pressure is applied from the outside and he breathes with great difficulty. Although the pulse is not much affected at this stage, the temperature is elevated from one to two degrees above normal.

The urine becomes scanty and highly colored, the eyes bloodshot and discharging. Eventually the throat becomes greatly swollen and abscesses may form and discharge. As a rule constipation is a.s.sociated with this disease.

TREATMENT: Mild attacks of sore throat are easily treated, but when serious cases develop, it is unsuccessful. Place the animal in a clean, comfortable stall; permit as much fresh air as possible, but avoid all drafts. If the weather is chilly, blanket the animal, hand rub the legs and bandage with woolen cloths or bandage. Administer a mixture made from Chlorate of Potash, three ounces; Nitrate of Potash, three ounces; Tannic Acid, one-half ounce; Mola.s.ses, one-half pint; Pine Tar, one-half pint. Mix well and place about one tablespoonful on the tongue every two hours in severe cases; in mild attacks, give less frequently. When they will eat, feed food that is easily digested, as hot wheat bran mashes and steamed rolled oats containing two or three ounces of pure ground flaxseed. It is always necessary to apply strong liniments to the throat, as they relieve inflammation and stimulate the formation of an abscess. The following liniment will be found very beneficial: Aqua Ammonia Fort., four ounces; Oil of Turpentine, four ounces; Sweet Oil, six ounces; shake well and apply two or three times daily. If the swelling is extreme between the jaws, so as to interfere with the animal's breathing, it is well to lance the abscess if a soft spot can be found. Just cut through the skin with a knife; then use a clean blunt instrument to locate the pus cavity. Otherwise, severe hemorrhage may be produced.

SURFEIT

(Nettle-Rash--Urtecaria)

CAUSE: The usual cause of Surfeit is supposed to be due to a character of food consumed which upsets the animal's digestive organs, the skin being continuous with the mucous membranes lining the intestinal ca.n.a.l.

A disturbance of the one structure is readily communicated to the other.

Apparently, owing to the extreme dry nature of the forage during the greater part of the year, horses in the United States frequently suffer from Surfeit.

SYMPTOMS: Surfeit is a term applied to an eruption of small irregular lumps or boils which are more or less painful to the touch and which break out suddenly as a rule on the horse's body and neck, and in rare cases on the legs. A favorite seat of Surfeit is the parts covered with the harness or saddle and along the neck and withers. Surfeit is very troublesome and annoys both the horse and driver, especially when the horse perspires, as he will rub violently when coming in contact with any object.

TREATMENT: Give two to four ounces of Epsom Salts in hot wheat bran mashes every morning. Feed as much sloppy food as possible, vegetables, etc. Avoid feeding dry woody hay, as it irritates the intestines and aggravates the disease.

SWEENEY

(Atrophy)

CAUSE: An ill fitting collar, one tug longer than the other, striking an object when pulling, like a stone or a corner of a building, slipping, kicks, or the animal may have a splint, sprain, ringbone, side bone, coffin-joint lameness, curb, corns, stifle lameness, in fact anything that tends to make an animal favor the use of certain muscles. It is not a disease, just a lack in the development of the muscles, which waste away or shrink when not used as nature provided. For instance, perhaps you have had or have seen persons that had a fractured leg or arm and on account of not being able to use the leg or arm the muscles wasted away (Atrophy), until they were used normally for sometime, when the muscles again came back to their normal size.

SYMPTOMS: First locate the cause. The animal may be very lame although I have seen Sweeneys where lameness was very hard to detect, being those which were usually due to ill fitting collars. Remember you can have a Sweeney of the hip as well as the shoulder, and keep in mind the above mentioned causes.

TREATMENT: When you have an animal affected with Sweeney, find the true cause and remove it if possible. Unless the Sweeney is an old chronic one, it is successfully treated with Aqua Ammonia Fort., four ounces; Turpentine, four ounces; Sweet Oil, four ounces. Mix and apply well over wasted muscles once a day. If the application is too irritating, as some horses have thinner skins than others, it is advisable to add more Sweet Oil than above mentioned.

TAPEWORM

(Taenia)

These worms have been found in the horse, but so rarely that they need not be considered.

THOROUGHPIN

CAUSE: Generally due to some irritation of the hock joint such as severe sprains from animal jumping, slipping, kick or falling through a culvert or bridge or it is frequently hereditary; so be very careful in choosing a sire when breeding.

SYMPTOMS: Sometimes there is lameness when the Thoroughpin is first noticed, but it will gradually disappear as soon as the inflammation ceases. There will be a puffy, soft enlargement which occurs at the upper and back part of the hock, beneath the great tendons. Generally both sides are enlarged and puffy, but occasionally it happens that one side is only involved. Thoroughpin is also a forerunner of Bog Spavin as they generally are connected, as you are aware that the hock contains joint oil as all other joints do, retained in place by a thin, white fibrous membrane. Irritation of the hock joint tends to develop an extra large quant.i.ty of joint oil, and the hock is less protected by tendons where a Thoroughpin or Bog Spavin occurs--hence those puffy swellings are filled with joint oil and are connected. If you press on one side of a Thoroughpin, you will see the other side bulge out. If you press on a Bog Spavin and there is a Thoroughpin present, you will see it bulge on either side of the Thoroughpin--or vice versa.

TREATMENT: If on an old horse and the Thoroughpin is of long standing, treatment is unsatisfactory, but on the other hand if the animal is young it can be successfully treated with Tincture of Iodine, one ounce; Gum Camphor, two ounces; Gasolene, one pint. Mix well and rub in with nail or tooth brush twice a week. Keep the animal as quiet as possible as the results will be accomplished much sooner. Never attempt to open or lance a puffy swelling about a joint as it contains joint oil. The result would be an open joint.

THRUSH

CAUSE: The two main causes of Thrush are lack of pressure on the frog and the decomposing effect of filth and fermentation of organic matter which acc.u.mulates in the cleft of the frog.

SYMPTOMS: The animal in some cases is lame; there will be a swelling accompanied by a very fetid discharge; in some cases the frog has practically rotted away; there will be more or less inflammation in the foot. The legs may even swell. Thrush is more frequently found in the hind feet because of the manure and filth with which they must come in contact.

TREATMENT: Cut away all loose pieces of horn from over the frog and apply a Flaxseed meal poultice and leave it on for twenty-four hours, after which wash well with Soap and warm water. Then apply Calomel to the groove in the frog. Keep the foot clean. Do not allow the animal to stand in filth.

WIND COLIC

(Flatulent Colic)

CAUSE: This dangerous form of Colic is a distension of the bowels with gas, resulting generally from the decomposition of undigested food in the bowels. It sometimes follows Spasmodic Colic, in which there is first spasms due to the irritations set up by the presence of undigested matter, and subsequently this food decomposes and forms gas. I may conclude that Flatulent or Wind Colic is usually caused by errors in feeding and watering horses. Perhaps the animal has been given large quant.i.ties of rank gra.s.s, watery roots, which on account of its moist nature is quickly swallowed without being properly masticated.

SYMPTOMS: The signs resemble those of Spasmodic Colic, except that they are less violent. In most cases there is general acc.u.mulation of gas, the abdomen distended to a considerable size before the animal shows signs of uneasiness. In cases where the animal swells on the right side, it is the large intestines filled with gas. In other cases where both sides are equally swollen, the stomach and small intestines contain gas.

The horse's back will have an arched appearance, pa.s.sing of gas from the a.n.u.s frequently, the horse will make attempts to vomit. In some cases actual vomiting takes place. This is a bad sign, as rupture of the stomach usually occurs at this stage.

TREATMENT: Give Aloin, two drams; Ginger, two drams, in gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun. However, this is a physic and should not be given to mares heavily in foal. Also apply to the abdominal cavity, liniment consisting of Aqua Ammonia Fort., four ounces; Oil of Turpentine, four ounces; Sweet Oil, four ounces. Mix and rub in well over the abdomen.

To mares heavy with foal, apply the above liniment and give rectal injections of Glycerine and warm water frequently.