Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 4 (of 5)Law, James
Science
Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 4 (of 5)
Law, James
Veterinary medicine
_Treatment._ In mild regular cases hygienic measures only are demanded.
Cleanliness, dry stalls, pure air, warmth (a sunny exposure if
available), nourishing, easily digested food, (grass, green corn stalks,
bran mashes, roots, carrots, turnips, apples, potatoes, ensilage,
scalded oats or hay) and pure water, or linseed tea, grooming and, in
cold weather, blanketing may suffice. Rest is indispensable, though
exercise may be allowed in a sheltered or sunny field or yard in fine
weather.
Castrations and all other surgical operations are forbidden.
For costiveness or tardy action of the bowels 1, 2 or 3 ozs. of sulphate
of soda may be allowed daily in the drinking water.
To soothe the inflamed air-passages it is well to steam them with the
vapor of hot water to which has been added an antiseptic such as oil of
tar, tar, phenic acid, or creolin. This may be placed in a bucket, and a
bag with its bottom cut so as to form a tube drawn over the bucket and
nose of the horse. It may be continued an hour or more at a time, or a
nasal douche of creolin (1:100) may be employed. In case of tardy
softening of the submaxillary swelling it may be assiduously fomented,
or covered with a linseed meal or other poultice to which a little
antiseptic (carbolic acid, creolin) has been added. It may be applied on
a cotton hood having holes for eyes and ears and furnished with ends to
tie back of the ears and down the middle of the face. If still indolent
the swelling may be rubbed with soap liniment or smeared with soft soap,
or finally a cantharides blister may be applied.
As soon as any indication of softening or fluctuation is detected a free
incision should be made to allow the exit of the pus. This further tends
to hasten the liquefaction and removal of the adjacent exudate. If the
pus lies near to the surface, with little more than skin to penetrate,
it may be freely incised with one thrust of the knife, but if there is
intervening glandular or other tissue, the skin only should be first
incised, and the connective tissue bored through with the finger nail,
or the point of a sterilized director, or of closed scissors. In this
way the important vessels, nerves and salivary ducts are pushed aside
and troublesome bleeding and saliva fistula alike avoided.
Fever usually subsides on the opening of the abscess, but if it fails to
do so, or if it reappears from slight absorption of septic matters it
may be desirable to favor elimination by small doses of sodium
bicarbonate, ammonium chloride, or potassium nitrate. In extreme cases a
few doses of acetanilid may be given, or full doses of quinia.
When the discharge from nose or abscess threatens to persist, such
agents as sulphur, yellow or black sulphide of antimony, are given with
bitters, but a more prompt effect can usually be had from injections of
weak solutions of creolin, cresyl, lysol, etc. When the cough is
troublesome it may be quieted by belladonna, or, in case of weakness of
the heart, by digitalis.
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