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
_Treatment._--One should commence with the feed--its quality, quantity,
and time of feeding; examine the water supply, and see, besides, that it
is given before feeding; then carefully observe the condition of the
mouth and teeth; and, continuing the observations as best we may,
endeavor to find the seat of the trouble. If the teeth are sharp or
irregular they must be rasped down; if any are decayed they must be
extracted; if indigestion is due to ravenous eating or bolting, the feed
must then be given from a large manger where the grain can be spread and
the horse thus compelled to eat slowly.
Any irritation, such as worms, undigested feed, etc., that is operating
as a cause is to be removed by appropriate treatment, as advised
elsewhere. If there is a tendency to distention of the stomach and
bowels, with gas, during indigestion, the following may be used: Baking
soda, powdered ginger, and powdered gentian, equal parts. These are to
be thoroughly mixed and given in heaping tablespoonful doses, twice a
day, before feeding. This powder is best given by dissolving the
above-named quantity in a half pint of water and given as a drench.
As a digestive tonic the following is good: Glauber's salt, 2 pounds;
common salt, 1 pound; baking soda, one-half pound. Of this a heaping
tablespoonful may be given in each feed. If diarrhea exists, the
treatment advised below may be used.
DIARRHEA.
Diarrhea is due to indigestion or intestinal catarrh or to irritation of
the bowels from eating moldy or musty feed, drinking stagnant water,
diseased condition of the teeth, eating irritating substances, to being
kept on low, marshy pastures, and to exposure during cold nights, or in
low, damp stables. Some horses are predisposed to scour and are called
"washy" by horsemen; they are those with long bodies, long legs, and
narrow, flat sides. Horses of this build are almost sure to scour if fed
or watered immediately before being put to work. Fast or road work, of
course, aggravates this trouble. Diarrhea may exist as a complication of
other diseases, as pneumonia and influenza, for instance, and again
during the diseases of the liver.
The symptoms are the frequent evacuations of liquid stools, with or
without pronounced abdominal pain, loss of appetite, emaciation, etc.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account