Part 3

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 appetite 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 principally 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: Potassi Nitrate, eight ounces; Sodii Bicarbonate, eight ounces; Potassi 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 rectum 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. Allow the animal to drink often, though in small quantities, 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 Potassi 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.

(Hemorrhage)

Bleeding sometimes follows operations as castration and wounds due to various causes.

TREATMENT.—When bleeding from a large artery, it should be tied with a clean silk or linen thread or twisted with a pair of forceps or cauterized with a hot iron. Sometimes compression by the use of tightly bound bandages proves effective, although the former appliances are more practical. Tincture chloride of iron, applied to small arteries or veins, causes the blood to clot in the arteries or veins, and hence stops the hemorrhage. It is very essential that all wounds should be treated antiseptically and I cannot say that I am in favor of washing a wound with water only in cases where the wound is very filthy, and I prefer powder applications in preference to any liquid antiseptics. The following will be found very effective in the treatment of the majority of wounds: Boracic acid, two ounces; iodoform, two drams; tannic acid, two ounces; calomel, one dram; powder finely and mix well. Place in sifter top can and apply two or three times daily.

BLOOD POISONING.

(Septicaemia or Pyemia)

CAUSE.—By the popular term, “Blood Poison,” is meant a state of constitutional 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.

SYMPTOMS.—It is introduced through any wound or abrasion, whether due to injury, disease or by an operation. Signs of septic poison are heat, pain and swelling.

TREATMENT.—It is necessary to see that the wound has good drainage, and wash with Carbolic Acid, one tablespoonful to one pint of distilled water or Bichloride of Mercury perhaps is the best in an infected wound. Apply one part to one thousand parts water. Also, give internally, Potassi Iodide, one ounce; Sodii Hyposulphite, eight ounces. Make into eight powders and give one powder two or three times a day in their drinking water or in capsule, and give with capsule gun. This is an intestinal antiseptic which is very valuable in the treatment of Blood Poisoning. Feed soft, laxative food and green grass, if possible.

BOG SPAVIN.

CAUSE.—Faulty conformation, slipping, falling through a bridge or culvert; large loosely built draft horses are prone to this blemish. Bog Spavin is hereditary, and you should, therefore, select a good type of animal for breeding purposes.

SYMPTOMS.—A puffy swelling located in front and on the inside of the hock, varying from the size of a walnut to that of a man’s fist. It very seldom causes lameness, but is a serious disfigurement and blemish.

TREATMENT.—Treatment is not satisfactory unless taken in its first stages and when the animal is young. If there is heat, pain and swelling, apply cold water or ice packs until the inflammation has left the parts. Then use the following prescription: Tincture of Iodine, two ounces; Gum Camphor, two ounces, Gasolene, one pint. Mix and shake well before applying with a nail or tooth brush twice a week.

I may add that I have derived some wonderful results in treatment of Bog Spavin with the above mentioned prescription in both young and old animals, and perhaps it will be well to use it on both young and old animals in both acute and chronic forms of Bog Spavin.

BONE SPAVIN.

CAUSE.—Sprains of the hock from falling, slipping, jumping, pulling, traveling on uneven roads, falling through bridges, etc.

Since Spavin is due to causes which come into existence after birth, it cannot be regarded as an hereditary disease. Hereditary predisposition, however, is largely accountable for its appearance. In the first place, the process of evolution in the horse, which is a single-toed animal, descended from a five-toed ancestor, predisposes him to suffer from union of the bones of the hock, just as it predisposes him to splints. The weaker the bones of the hock in comparison to the weight of the body the more inclined will the animal naturally be to contract Spavin.

SYMPTOMS.—Spasmodic catching up of the spavined limb, the moment the heel of the foot touches the ground, something after the manner of string-halt. At times the stiffness can be observed only when the animal is pushed from one side of the stall to the other. Spavin may often be detected when riding a horse down a steep hill from the fact that he drags the toe.