48 DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 



the teeth of young horses by farmers and stock raisers. The 

 mcuths of all horses between the ag.es of one and five years should 

 b3 frequently examined, to see if one or more of the milk teeth 

 are not remaining too long, causing the second teeth to grow in 

 crocked, in which case the first teeth should be removed by the 

 forceps. During the time the animal is shedding a tooth, he may 

 or may not eat well, often cuds his food, and wastes more or less 

 of it The gums are found, on examination, to be red, swollen, 

 and very tender. The irritation of the gums may extend to and 

 involve the stomach and bowels, giving rise to constipation, diar- 

 rhoea, etc. Allow the animal to have soft food, of a laxative and 

 nutritious character. 



TEETH. 



The teeth of a horse, the principal organs of mastication, are 

 a very important part of his body, and should have proper atten- 

 tion when diseased or improperly shed. A horse has forty teeth, 

 and a mare 36, the tusks being seldom developed in a mare. The 

 teeth are of three classes, consisting of molars, or grinders; in- 

 cisors, or front teeth; and tusks,*or canine teeth. The horse, like 

 other animals, is provided with two sets of teeth: temporary or 

 colt teeth, and permanent or horse teeth. There are twenty-four 

 temporary teeth, twelve grinders and twelve front teeth. The 

 peimanent teeth are forty in number, consisting of twenty-four 

 grinders, twelve front teeth, and four tusks, except in mares, w r ho 

 seldom have fully developed tusks. 



A colt, at birth, generally has twelve temporary grinders, and 

 four incisors or front teeth two above and two below, in the 

 nrddle. The name for the two middle front teeth on each jaw 

 is the nippers; the next two, one on each side of the nippers, the 

 lateral incisors; and the outside ones, the corner teeth. At from 

 six to nine weeks, a colt cuts its lateral incisors, and at the age 

 of al)out nine month.s the corner teeth appear. The temporary 



