510 THE MANAGEMENT OF FARM HORSES 



" Amongst the commonest causes are (i) Faulty feeding ; 

 (2) sudden change of food ; (3) long fasts followed by heavy 

 meals; (4) long draughts of cold water when overheated, 

 especially after beginning to cool down ; (5) excessive 

 amounts of green food, especially when first given in spring 

 following the hard keep of the winter months ; (6) constipa- 

 tion ; (7) internal parasites ; (8) twisted or invaginated gut ; 

 (9) calculi ; and (10) tumours. The first seven causes produce 

 either simple or flatulent colic. Attacks due to the latter 

 three are beyond the treatment of the stock-owner. The 

 symptoms of simple spasmodic colic are extremely sudden 

 in their onset : the animal may be at work, when he will 

 stop without warning, paw the ground, shake himself, and 

 try to lie down ; or, in the stable, he may be quietly eating, 

 when he suddenly stops, paws the ground, whisks his tail, 

 and looks round towards the abdomen. These signs increase 

 in proportion to the pain, which may become so acute that he 

 throws himself down, groans, rolls on his back, jumps up and 

 stands quietly for a few moments, and then rolls again. The 

 symptoms may keep recurring at longer or shorter intervals. 

 An attack may pass ofT in fifteen minutes, or last as many 

 hours. If it lasts longer than this, there is reason to fear the 

 more serious causes of colic. The animal sweats profusely, 

 the pulse is full and hard, the temperature is raised slightly, 

 and the distribution of the body temperature is uneven. 



" Curable colic may be confounded with the more serious 

 ailment of Enteritis (inflammation of the intestines) ; although 

 in colic the animal generally throws himself violently about, 

 while in enteritis he lies carefully down ; in the former the 

 pain is intermittent, the eye bright and natural, and the 

 temperature only raised one or two degrees ; in the latter the 

 pain is continuous, the eye dull and anxious, the temperature 

 raised at least 3 or 4 ; and pressure on the abdomen gives 

 relief in colic, but in enteritis it causes pain. The treatment 

 must be prompt to relieve the pain, and the best way is by 

 subcutaneous injection of morphia, 5 to 8 grains of the 

 hydrochlorate in an 8 per cent, solution, administered by a 

 veterinary surgeon ; but, failing this, give a draught of linseed 

 oil and turpentine ; or chlorodyne I oz., and sweet nitre 2 oz., 

 in warm water, followed by a pint of linseed oil. Repeat the 

 draught in two hours if the pain is not relieved. If faeces are 



