152 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



RABIES OR MADNESS. 



The symptoms of which are that while the horse is 

 apparently in good health it will stop all of a sudden, be 

 seized with a trembling all over its body, will paw the 

 ground violently, heave heavily, stagger, and fall 

 down ; in a few seconds it will rise again and proceed 

 a little way on its journey, when it will again stand 

 still, look anxiously about and will again come down, 

 it will again get up and is then seized with a paroxysm 

 of frenzy, attempting to bite everything that comes in 

 its way, and will kick and plunge in a most fearful 

 manner, and if in a stable will strike the wall or the 

 sides of its stall, or indeed any object that may be 

 near, until the perspiration stands upon its whole 

 body like foam. The animal is seized with almost 

 insatiable thirst, and will remain in a quiescent con- 

 dition for some hours, when another paroxysm will 

 ensue; these fits will succeed each other at intervals 

 for two or three days, when a termination will be put 

 to them by death. It is neither safe nor wise to keep 

 the horse alive under such circumstances. If the 

 owner is uncertain if it is rabies, the animal should be 

 slung ; this will prevent it injuring itself or others who 

 have the charge of it. The symptoms, however, are 

 well marked, and the sooner the animal is dead and 

 buried the better, as there is no chance of its recovery. 

 When symptoms of rabies have manifested themselves it 

 is in vain to attempt a cure, but in cases where horses 

 have been bitten by dogs, whether they appear harm- 



