118 MANUAL FOR STABLE SERGEANTS. 



wearing away the opposite ones and projecting into and injuring the 

 soft tissues and bone at their roots. 



Symptoms. — Slobbering; difficult mastication; holding the head to 

 one side while eating or drinking; dropping balls of partly chewed 

 food from the mouth (quid ding), and retaining food in the mouth 

 for some time after eating. 



Treatment. — A dental operation is required. 



410. Decay of the teeth, — Confined almost exclusively to the 

 molars. 



Causes. — Injuries, such as splitting of the tooth or the breaking 

 away of the outer covering (enamel). 



Symptoms. — An offensive odor about the mouth; slobbering; slow, 

 painful, and difficult mastication; holding the head to one side while 

 eating or drinking; dropping food from the mouth, and a collection 

 of decomposing food around the diseased tooth. The decayed tooth 

 has an offensive smell and may be broken, split, or shorter than the 

 surrounding ones. If it be an upper one, there may be a discharge 

 from the nostril of the same side. 



Treatment. — The diseased tooth must be removed. This is a 

 difficult and dangerous operation, which only a veterinarian can 

 perform. 



Diseases of the Throat. 



411. Choke. — An obstruction of the throat with a foreign body. 

 Causes. — Hurried attempts at swallowing oats, bran (dry), or pieces 



of carrots, apples, etc., before they have been properly masticated. 

 Choke may also result from giving balls that are too large or of 

 improper shape. 



Symptoms. — Great distress, slobbering, champing the jaws, escape 

 of saliva through the nostrils, and frequent attempts at vomiting, 

 the head being drawn toward the chest and then suddenly shot out. 

 If the obstruction is in the neck it may easily be seen and felt. 



Treatment.— Fa-ss the hand into the pharynx and remove the 

 obstruction if within reach . This failing, place the animal in a stall 

 free from food and bedding, and put a bucket of water within easy 

 reach. In the course of a few hours the obstruction is usually 

 swallowed. It may, however, remain in the throat for a day or two. 

 Further treatment is surgical. 



