Part 5

BLEEDING AFTER CASTRATION.—Frequently you will be called on to stop bleeding after veterinaries or farmers have used some obsolete method of castration, and I would recommend that you use either of the following suggestions:

If bleeding is from the little artery in the back portion of the cord, it will generally stop of its own accord, but if it should continue to bleed for 30 minutes, throw clean, cold water against the part.

When bleeding is from the large artery in front of the cord, it is considered dangerous. The artery should be tied with a silk thread if possible, or twisted with a pair of forceps. Occasionally the artery cannot be found, in which case the hole in the scrotum should be plugged with a clean cloth saturated with Tincture of Iron, which will clot the blood and thus close the artery.

CHOKING.

This term applies to obstruction of the gullet as well as that of the windpipe.

CAUSE.—Too rapid eating, from which pieces of carrots or other roots, or a quantity of dry food becomes lodged in the gullet. Although obstructions of the windpipe caused by drenching, or from food entering the lungs, may not prove fatal for several days, an obstruction in the gullet will kill a horse in a very short time.

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, 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.

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 assist 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 Oakum; 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.

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 pass 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 grass, carrots, turnips, potatoes and apples, but do not feed too large a quantity at one time. Hot bran mashes or steamed rolled oats are very nourishing and easily digested. Rectal injections of Soap and Turpentine in small quantities, 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 it 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° F. to 103° 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.