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
It should be understood that gastritis signifies an inflammation of the
stomach and enteritis an inflammation of the intestines. The two terms
may be used together to signify a disease of the stomach and intestines,
as gastro-enteritis.
COLIC.
The disease of the horse that is most frequently met with is what is
termed "colic," and many are the remedies that are reputed to be "sure
cures" for this disease. Let us discover, then, what the word "colic"
means. This term is applied loosely to almost all diseases of the organs
of the abdomen that are accompanied with pain. If the horse evinces
abdominal pain, he probably will be considered as suffering with colic,
no matter whether the difficulty is a cramp of the bowel, an internal
hernia, overloading of the stomach, or a painful disease of the bladder
or liver. Since these conditions differ so much in their causation and
their nature, it is manifestly absurd to treat them alike and to expect
the same drugs or procedures to relieve them all. Therefore, it is
important that, so far as possible, the various diseased states that are
so roughly classed together as colic shall be separated and
individualized in order that appropriate treatments may be prescribed.
With this object in view, colics will be considered under the following
headings: (1) Engorgement colic, (2) obstruction colic, (3) flatulent or
tympanitic colic, (4) spasmodic colic. Worm colic is discussed under the
heading "Gastrointestinal parasites," page 90.
The general symptoms of abdominal pain, and therefore of colic, are
restlessness, cessation of whatever the horse is about, lying down,
looking around toward the flank, kicking with the hind feet upward and
forward toward the belly, jerky switching of the tail, stretching as
though to urinate, frequent change of position, and groaning. In the
more intense forms the horse plunges about, throws himself, rolls,
assumes unnatural positions, as sitting on the haunches, and grunts
loudly. Usually the pain is not constant, and during the intermissions
the horse may eat and appear normal. During the period of pain sweat is
poured out freely. Sometimes the horse moves constantly in a circle. The
respirations are accelerated, and usually there is no fever.
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