FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 365 



much may be done by the owner to lessen the likelihood of an attack. 

 Seeing that affected horses are usually those that are sick or soft, every 

 possible means should be taken to prevent indigestion and fit the animal 

 to withstand lal)or in hot weather. Horses under five years of age 

 are more apt to suffer than seasoned, adult animals; hence should be 

 worked lightly during hot weather, as should new purchases and 

 horses being acclimated in a new location. Indigestion, the common 

 forerunner of sunstroke, is indicated by dullness, sluggishness, thick 

 urine, panting at light labor, sweating in stable and the changeable 

 character of the manure, which is normal some days, and again clay- 

 colored, mucouS' covered, or an undigested, offensive mass. When so 

 affected it is extremely dangerous to work the animal in extra hot 

 weather. 



The symptoms of overheating are: the horse lags, requires urging, 

 may pass soft manure and gas, sweats, but dries off suddenly, be- 

 comes weak, staggers, pants, has dilated nostrils, red eyelids and lin- 

 ings of nostrils, anxious countenance, weak, rapid pulse, high fever, 

 and falls. In sudden attacks may fall at once, show above symptoms 

 and die in a few minutes or hours after period of madness or uncon- 

 sciousness and loud snoring. Following bad attacks the brain becomes 

 softened and the animal stands with head jammed in corner, is blind, for- 

 gets to chew food and remains stupid, weak and useless in hot 

 w^eather. Less severe attacks recovered from unfit horse for work 

 in warm weather. 



Do not bleed or allow bleeding to be done. Do not give aconite, 

 belladonna, acetanilid. They are highly dangei^ous in amateur hands. 

 Do not put ice pack on the head, as it tends to produce softening of 

 the brain. Stop work immediately, remove harness, get horse into a 

 shady place under a tree where there is a breezre or draft of air. Ad- 

 minister half a pint of whiskey in equal quantity of water, or two 

 ounces alcohol well diluted with water, or two ounces sweet spirits 

 of nitre and one ounce aromatic spirits of ammonia in one quart water. 



Repeat in half above doses hourly initil horse revives. Add four 

 ounces of granulated hyposulphite of soda if he is bloated. Tap with 

 trocar and canula high in right flank if bloating is excessive, and in 

 bloated cases give rectal injections of soapy warm w^ater hourly. High 

 fever may be detected by hand in horse's mouth or use of thermometer 

 in rectum. If it is 108 degrees or over, give one ounce saltpeter dis- 

 solved in pint water, in addition to stimulants prescribed above and 

 repeat in six hours. From start of treatment keep cool, wet packs to 

 poll of head and sprinkle entire body with cold water from a sprink- 

 ling can held a foot above body. 



On recovery feed lightly upon bran mashes and a little grain, and 

 allow rest for two weeks. Do not work again in hot weather during 

 season of attack. Wherei symptoms of brain softening remains after at- 

 tack, give one drachm iodide of potash three or four times daily in a 

 little water according to severity of symptoms and continue cold wet 

 packs to head. Feed soft light easily digested food. 



