Part 5 (1/2)

INFLUENZA

(Pink Eye-Epizootic Catarrh)

CAUSE: Influenza is a specific and infectious fever, which shows a marked tendency to rapidly spread over a large area of country. It generally appears suddenly, without, preliminary symptoms, and may become fully developed in twenty-four hours.

SYMPTOMS: The usual symptoms are those of Catarrh, although the bowels, lungs and brain complications may be present, either singly or combined.

It always gives rise to great weakness. The distinguis.h.i.+ng characteristics of Influenza from Distemper, Sore Throat, and other diseases affecting the organs of breathing, are the suddenness of the attack, rise of temperature, varying from 103 to 106 degrees F., pulse feeble and fast, and a pinkish, swollen appearance of the inside of the eyelids. The animal is dull, in some cases almost unconscious. Sometimes the legs are very stiff and swollen, and there is great difficulty in moving about.

TREATMENT: Place the affected animal in a clean, well ventilated stall, avoid drafts, give pure water to drink with chill taken off, in small quant.i.ties but often. Blanket if the weather is chilly, hand rub the legs and bandage, give Quinine, two drams, in a gelatin capsule with capsule gun every four hours. In addition to the above, administer the treatment recommended for Acute and Chronic Coughs.

Feed good, nutritious food that has a laxative effect on the bowels, as it is dangerous to give horses physic with this disease. Hot bran mashes, steamed rolled oats and vegetables are very beneficial.

LAMPAS

CAUSE: In young horses it is commonly caused by cutting teeth. In older animals it is usually due to indigestion.

SYMPTOMS: A puffy swelling and redness of the gums. The animal may have difficulty in eating.

TREATMENT: In young animals, when cutting teeth, let nature take its course, but when an animal is five years or over, place two drams of Aloin, and two drams of Pulv. Ginger, in a gelatin capsule and administer with capsule gun. Then tone up the digestive organs by mixing one ounce of Pulv. Gentian Root, one ounce of Pulv. Nux Vomica, four ounces of Bicarbonate of Soda. Make into eight powders and give one powder in feed twice daily, or place in gelatin capsule and administer with capsule gun.

LEECHES

(Haemopis)

The leeches which suck the blood of the horse may be divided into two cla.s.ses, the external parasites which attach themselves to the skin of the legs and adjacent parts of the horse, and the Haemopis Sanguisuga, and others of this cla.s.s, which, not being able to penetrate the skin, endeavor to enter the mouth or nostrils of the horse when he is drinking or grazing in wet and leech-infected pastures. They sometimes cling to the mucous membrane of the eyes. The horse leech, which lives in the water, usually gains access to the mouth and nostrils of the animal, when young and not more than one-tenth of an inch long. They rarely go beyond the air and food pa.s.sages, generally fastening themselves to the walls of the windpipe and gullet, where they cling till the animal dies from loss of blood or suffocation. They often cause bleeding from the mouth and nostrils, and may be seen by close examination.

TREATMENT: Endeavor to build up the condition of the animal with suitable food. Also feed liberal quant.i.ties of stock salt. Where the leeches cling tightly to the mucous membranes of the mouth and nostrils, it is well to cause the horse to inhale the vapor from hot water containing turpentine.

LOCK-JAW

(Teta.n.u.s)

CAUSE: The bacilli of Teta.n.u.s are widely distributed and can be found in practically every part of the globe. Their favorite place of production, however, is in barn yards and marshy ground. They are frequently swallowed by stock along with forage, and can often be found in recently expelled feces. The most favorable temperature for their development is about 70 degrees F. They act by means of extremely virulent poisons which they produce, and which causes the terrible symptoms that are characteristic of the disease.

SYMPTOMS: The muscles of expression are usually the first brought under the continual spasm of teta.n.u.s, and when thus affected give the face of the animal a pinched and drawn-in appearance. The other muscles of the head and those of the neck are next attacked. The mouth is closed, the nose poked out, the head elevated. The muscles of breathing, and those of the limbs, become contracted so that the neck is hollowed, and the tail is raised, the horse stands with outstretched limbs. The animal shows great stiffness or rigidity in attempted movements. The eyes are sunken, and when startled or excited, the breathing is quickened and the flanks have a wrinkled or corrugated appearance. Death may quickly occur from continuous spasms of the muscles of the throat. Another sign is the flying up of the accessory eyelid when the animal is excited.

TREATMENT: If noticed in its first stages, and if the animal is able to eat, secure the services of an accomplished Veterinarian and insist on the use of fresh vaccine. This disease is almost impossible to cure, and about ninety per cent die.

LUNG FEVER

(Pneumonia)

CAUSE: Predisposition is largely accountable for this disease, which is more common to young horses than old; also, changes of temperature, introduction of foreign bodies or liquids into the trachea (windpipe) and the bronchial tubes, inhalation of smoke or irritating gases, excitement, exposure to cold after clipping, turning out to pasture from a warm stable, or injury to chest or ribs from being struck with a pole, etc.