Special Report on Diseases of the HorseUnited States. Bureau of Animal Industry
Science
Special Report on Diseases of the Horse
United States. Bureau of Animal Industry
Horses -- Diseases
_Symptoms and lesions._--The symptoms which typify sporadic or epidemic
cerebrospinal meningitis in man are not witnessed among horses, namely,
excessive pain, high fever, and early muscular rigidity. In the
recognition of the severity of the attack we may divide the symptoms
into three grades. In the most rapidly fatal attacks the animal may
first indicate it by weak, staggering gait, partial or total inability
to swallow solids or liquids, impairment of eyesight; twitching of the
muscles and slight cramps may be observed. As a rule, the temperature is
not elevated--indeed, it is sometimes below normal. This is soon
followed by a paralysis of the whole body, inability to stand, delirium
in which the animal sometimes goes through a series of automatic
movements as if trotting or running; the delirium may become very
violent and the unconscious animal may bruise his head very seriously in
his struggles; but usually a deep coma renders him quiet until he
expires. Death in these cases usually takes place in from 4 to 24 hours
from the time the first symptoms become manifest. The pulse is variable
during the progress of the disease; it may be almost imperceptible at
times, and then again very rapid and irregular; the respirations
generally are quick and catching. In the next form in which this disease
may develop it first becomes manifest by a difficulty in swallowing and
slowness in mastication, and a weakness which may be first noticed in
the strength of the tail; the animal will be unable to switch it or to
offer resistance when we bend it up over the croup. The pulse is often a
little slower than normal. There is no evidence of pain; the
respirations are unchanged, and the temperature little less than normal;
the bowels may be somewhat constipated. These symptoms may remain
unchanged for two or three days and then gradual improvement may take
place, or the power to swallow may become entirely lost and the weakness
and uncertainty in gait more and more perceptible; then sleepiness or
coma may appear; the pulse becomes depressed, slow, and weak, the
breathing stertorous, and paroxysms of delirium develop, with inability
to stand, and some rigidity of the spinal muscles or partial cramp of
the neck and jaws. In such cases death may occur in from 6 to 10 days
from the commencement of the attack. In many cases there is no evidence
of pain, spasm, or fever at any time during the progress of the disease,
and finally profound coma develops and death follows, painless and
without a struggle.
In the last or mildest form the inability of voluntary control of the
limbs becomes but slightly marked, the power of swallowing never
entirely lost, and the animal has no fever, pain, or unconscious
movements. Generally the animal will begin to improve about the fourth
day and recovers.
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