Part 15

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 testicle.

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.—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 congested and discharging. Eventually the throat becomes greatly swollen and abscesses may form and discharge. As a rule constipation is associated with this disease.

TREATMENT.—Mild attacks of sore throat are easily treated, but when serious cases develop, treatment 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 bandages. Administer a mixture made from Chlorate of Potash, three ounces; Nitrate of Potash, three ounces; Tannic Acid, one-half ounce; Molasses, 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 canal. A disturbance of one structure is readily communicated to the other. Apparently, owing to the extremely 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 humps 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, sidebone, 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 the muscles of which through lack of use had 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 cases.

TREATMENT.—When you have an animal affected with Sweeney, find the true cause and remove it if possible. Unless the Sweeney is a 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 only is involved. Thoroughpin is also a forerunner of Bog Spavin, as they generally are connected; as you are aware 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 quantity 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 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 accumulates in the cleft of the frog.