Part 40

Definition. Symptoms, stiffness, pointing of fore limb, catching inspiration, tender intercostals, less fever, cough, and hardness of pulse than in pleurisy, no friction sound nor signs of pleuritic effusion. Treatment, antirheumatic, derivatives, colchicum, alkalies, salicylate, salol, phenacetin, warm (steam) bath, warm building and clothing.

Definition. Rheumatism of the intercostal muscles. This has been occasionally observed in the horse, and is liable to be mistaken for pleurisy, which it closely resembles in its symptoms. There are the same stiffness of the fore limb on the affected side, the same short breathing, the same fixed and inactive appearance of the ribs, and the same extreme tenderness on pressure as in pleurisy; but the high type of fever, the cough and the full hard and accelerated pulse are usually absent; the tenderness tends to shift from one point to another, there is no shivering nor friction sound in the early stages, and no subsequent absence of sound and deadness on percussion over the lower part of the chest as result from effusion. When associated with fever it is very difficult to distinguish from pleurisy, and its recognition can only be made by these physical signs just mentioned.

Treatment. This must be the same as in rheumatic attacks in general. Rub the chest actively and repeatedly with a mixture of equal parts of spirits of turpentine, laudanum and olive oil, give ½ drachm doses of powdered colchicum daily and bicarbonate of potass freely in the water drank. Or give four times a day 2 drachms of salicylate of soda, or 1 drachm of salol, or phenacetin. A warm building and warm clothing are essential elements in treatment.

BRONCHIAL ASTHMA IN THE DOG.

Definition. Pathology, neurotic origin, bronchial spasms, swelling of mucosa, fibrinous inflammation of bronchioles, Berkart’s streptococcus, irritants formed in indigestion, overfeeding, inactivity, plethora, constipation. Symptoms, obesity, sluggishness, recurrent paroxysms of dyspnœa, hard cough, tense abdomen, constipation, piles, depilation of skin, tartar covered teeth, fœtid breath. Retching, vomiting, a glairy mucus, emaciation may follow. Lesions, emphysema, fatty deposits in mediastinum, old standing diseases of the heart, lungs and digestive organs. Treatment, antispasmodics by lungs or rectum, stramonium, nitre fumes, emetic, purgatives, vegetable diet, exercise, sedatives, blisters. Asthma in the horse.

Definition.—A neurotic affection mainly affecting the pneumogastric nerve, and leading to paroxysms of stenosis or constriction of the bronchioles and attacks of dyspnœa. In its initial stages it is associated with corpulence and disordered digestion, and later with congestion and swelling of the mucosa of the bronchioles, emphysema, and dilatation of the right side of the heart.

Pathology. Asthma is generally attributed to spasm of the bronchial muscles (Williams), and though recent observations have failed to sustain this it must be admitted that in the majority of cases it is of decided neurotic origin. Again it is attributed to erythematous swelling in patches of the bronchial mucosa, (Clark). Another theory is that it is a fibrinous inflammation of the mucosa of the bronchioles, the tenacious exudate blocking the tubes more or less completely and relief coming with a more diffluent secretion. Berkart found a streptococcus in the sputa which he supposed to be the final cause. Again it has been held to depend on the circulation in the blood of deleterious matters introduced during digestion. Again it has been attributed to a neurosis roused by constipation and the accumulation of irritant matters in the intestine. Whatever local conditions may be operative, there can be no doubt that in dogs it is almost exclusively confined to those kept indoors, overfed, without exercise, plethoric and constipated. The disease seems to originate in and persist by nervous disorder propagated from the digestive organs. A change of diet or any disturbing cause may bring on a paroxysm.

Symptoms. The disease is one of pet dogs, kept in towns, deprived of exercise, fresh air, and of the opportunity to relieve the bowels at will, and gorged with highly spiced meats, and sweets at least three times a day. Sluggishness and obesity are marked characteristics of the dog when first attacked though in the advanced stages the violence of the paroxysms and their frequent recurrence may have induced extreme emaciation.

The affection is usually ushered in by a cough, at first slight, but soon becoming frequent, hard and sonorous, as in the early stages of bronchitis. The cough becomes very troublesome and the breathing habitually labored, but at irregular intervals a paroxysm comes on which threatens death by suffocation. The dog stands or sits on his haunches with open mouth, pendent tongue and staring eyeballs, panting for breath, and has his condition aggravated by every change of position or other source of excitement. By the frequency and severity of the attacks may be estimated the danger of the patient.

An examination in the intervals of the attacks detects some disturbance of the digestive organs. The tense and distended condition of the abdomen usually manifests the existence of overloaded stomach and bowels, of indigestion, tympany and constipation. Piles are often present as a result of long continued costiveness. The skin is dry and unthrifty, and often in patches denuded of hair. The teeth are covered with tartar and the breath fœtid.

Retching is occasionally seen to occur during a violent access of coughing, but only a little glairy mucus is brought up.

The cough, hurried breathing, and paroxysms of dyspnœa become aggravated, the general health suffers largely, and death often ensues in a state of great weakness and emaciation.

On dissection of such cases the lesions of various old standing diseases of the heart, lungs, or abdominal organs have been met with at times, and such disorders have doubtless assisted in maintaining and aggravating the asthma. The most constant lesions, however, are emphysema of the lung, and accumulations of fat in the mediastinum.

=Treatment.= 1st. =During a paroxysm.= This is confined to the administration of antispasmodics either by inhalation or as an injection to avoid the additional suffering of swallowing. Ether or chloroform may be inhaled from a sponge, but the employment of these should be guarded especially in advanced cases when besides the prevailing weakness there is reason to suspect structural changes in the heart. The same agents in doses of one, two or three teaspoonfuls, or laudanum in double that quantity may be thrown up as an enema, and may be combined with a couple of ounces of castor oil when costiveness exists. The fumes from burning stramonium or from burning brown paper which has been previously soaked in a strong solution of nitrate of potass, will in many cases suddenly cut short the paroxysm. If on the other hand there is reason to believe that the stomach is overloaded the attacks will often be suddenly cut short by giving an emetic. For this purpose a grain of tartar emetic may be shaken upon the tongue, or a dessert spoonful of wine of ipecacuan, or of antimony, poured over the throat. 2d. =In the intervals between the paroxysms.= Attention must be given to counteract any inflammatory action in the chest by which the disease may be maintained. Our chief object, however, must be to divest the animal of its superfluous fat and bring the digestive organs into a healthy condition. Unfortunately the propensity to fatten in some dogs seems to be a morbid condition. The food appears to be stored up as fat at the expense of muscular and other tissues even when the animal is kept on the borders of starvation. All flesh must be withheld and coarse vegetable fare alone allowed. A well boiled pudding (porridge) made with oatmeal or Indian corn meal, water and a little salt, with a small quantity of skimmed milk or buttermilk, is an excellent diet in such cases. The amount must be small, though the hitherto pampered favorite will rarely seek to fully replenish his stomach until he has forgotten his former extravagant habits.

A good deal of open air exercise must be given, not violent, but gentle and long continued, and this though the patient may appear physically unfit for it. Exercise should be given three hours or more after a full meal. Purgatives (one ounce castor oil) should be administered twice a week. A clean bed, not too soft nor luxurious, should be allowed in a dry, airy place. The skin should be well brushed daily and occasionally washed thoroughly with soap, care being taken to dry the coat completely afterwards. Sedatives should be given daily, such as a half grain each of stramonium and tartar emetic, and in advanced stages with weakness and emaciation vegetable tonics will be demanded.

Blaine strongly advocates a course of emetics, given every alternate day, and Mayhew lauds frequently repeated ammoniacal blisters to the sides. Such measures will be especially applicable when there is irritation and discharge from the bronchial mucous membrane. Strong subjects can alone, however, bear such treatment.

All cases of asthma in the dog are obstinate and critical and require much judgment in treatment.

ASTHMA IN THE HORSE.

Hering records a case of spasmodic asthma, in a strong cart horse. Besides the oppressed and difficult respiration, the animal was excessively dull and had no appetite, but the pulse was almost of the natural standard. The animal was not benefited by opening medicine but improved under active doses of extract of hyoscyamus. Quillaume reports two asses attacked apparently in the same way, and Delwart and Robertson refer to other cases. They recovered under antispasmodics. These are at least closely related to heaves, which is largely a neurosis at first.

ASTHMA. BROKEN WIND. HEAVES. DYSPNŒA.

Definition, neurotic affection with digestive and respiratory disorders. Causes, no racial exemption, disease largely coextensive with leafy hay from clover, alfalfa and other leguminous plants, musty hay, cryptogams, overloading the stomach, active work on a full stomach, overdriving, bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema. Nature, a neurotic affection, starting with derangement of some part of the vagus, dilatation of the right heart, congestion of the bronchioles. Symptoms, double expiratory action, flatulence, weak, husky cough, wheezing, glairy, grayish nasal discharge, wheezing, increased resonance along the margins of the lungs, sibilant râle, heart’s impulse strong, even felt on right side, aggravation with overloaded stomach, costiveness or muggy atmosphere, improvement on laxative (green) food. Treatment, succulent green food, natural pastures, relieve any abnormal state of lungs or bowels, pure air, heart tonic, diet, arsenic, special diagnosis, guard against masking of symptoms by narcotics, privation of water, shot, lard, recto-vaginal fistula, diagnostic signs, dilated nostrils, auscultation and percussion signs of emphysema, relapse under hay and water.

Definition. A chronic affection of the equine species, manifested by a hurried, wheezy breathing, greatly aggravated by close, muggy weather, a full stomach, certain kinds of diet, or by exercise; by a double lifting of the flank with each expiration; by a small, weak, dry cough, often occurring in paroxysms and easily excited by a drink of cold water, exposure to cold air or a fibrous quality of food; and lastly, by a marked disorder of the digestive organs.

Causes. This disease is essentially the result of faulty feeding and working, though pre-existing diseases of the air passages and sudden violent muscular efforts no doubt occasionally contribute to its development.

It has been alleged that some races of horses are exempt from this disease. Among these the Arabian, Persian, Barb, Spanish and Portuguese are especially named but their immunity in all probability depends on the feeding and management rather than on any peculiarity of breed. The countries where these horses are met with are not subject to a prolonged winter but yield green food throughout the greater part of the year, and it is a notorious fact that no horse becomes broken winded at pasture. The Arabians moreover “feed their horses on the scanty plants which the borders of the deserts supply and when these are wanting they are fed on a little barley with chopped straw, withered herbs, roots dragged from the sands, dates when these can be obtained, and in cases of need the milk of the camel. They drink at long intervals and in moderate quantities,” (Low). Since an habitually overloaded stomach is the most common cause of heaves the absence of the affection in the Arab is not surprising. But the Arab unfortunately enjoys no such security in England or America. Concerning the Barb, Delwart remarks that after a day’s hard work, fasting, he is fed on six or seven pounds only of barley, and without the cut straw that the Arab is allowed in similar circumstances.

In Spain and Portugal horses at work are fed on broken wheat and barley straw, from twelve to twenty-five pounds, and barley from six to twelve pounds daily, according to the size of the animal and the demands upon his strength. The mares are constantly at pasture and according to the rainfall they are starved or in abundance. Green food and a limited straw and grain diet are precisely the conditions in which broken wind does not appear. Rodriguez, veterinarian to the queen says that the disease was unknown to Spain until the cultivation of red clover, lucerne, and sainfoin. At Aranjuez, horses fed on the hay of these plants, lost vigor and wind and several became decidedly broken winded. All were, however, restored to health and vigor by a return to their former diet. Count Cardenas found that his horses gained in flesh on the new fodder, but that symptoms of broken wind developed themselves rapidly.

In France, M. Demoussy records similar facts. In Segala, where the aliment is substantially hay, broken winded horses abound, whilst in the adjacent district of Causse where horses are fed through the winter on straw and barley broken by the mules feet in the act of threshing or treading out, the disease is virtually unknown.

Lucerne and sweet trefoil are indigenous and grow abundantly in Causse and Caussergne but eaten green or after their seed has been shaken off and the stems have acquired a dry ligneous character these are innocuous. When however condemned to stand in the stable through a severe winter, with their racks constantly filled with hay, they will eat from thirty to thirty-five pounds of this daily and many become broken winded. The breeding mares which get little hay, seldom become affected though the plenitude of their abdomen and the impaired respiratory function might be thought to conduce to the affection.

In England broken wind is much less prevalent than on the European Continent and it is deserving of notice that lucerne and sainfoin hold no place among the British green crops, that red clover hay is only exceptionally met with owing to the amount of land that is clover-sick, that natural hay is largely used, and that when horses are largely fed on hay it is qualified by such laxative agents as turnips, carrots, beet, etc.