Notes on Diseases of the Horse: Cause, Symptoms and TreatmentKorinek, Charles James
Science
Notes on Diseases of the Horse: Cause, Symptoms and Treatment
Korinek, Charles James
Horses -- Diseases
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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