INDIGESTION. 77 



ered with dandruff, and the hide is tight over the body. The 

 flesh becomes dried up, and the horse can not improve, even 

 though his appetite ma}^ be perfectly greedy, as it often is. The 

 breath early becomes offensive, or even stinking, and the mouth 

 and teeth very foul. 



A dry, harsh, tearing cough will be present from almost 

 the first, which is very severe after the horse takes a big feed, 

 and especially if it has been a feed of the dirty litter of his 

 stall. His spirits are stubborn and disagreeable, and he per- 

 forms his labor with reluctance. The urine (or water) is change- 

 able in its appearance, but generally thick and offensive. 



Causes. — Half starving, and then stuffing and gorging the 

 horse, to bring him up quick; heavy feeding when going to 

 hard work ; allowing him to drink largely of cold water after 

 feeding ; too stimulating food ; bad ventilation and exposure, 

 are all fruitful causes of indigestion. Unwholesome feed, as 

 musty shorts, hay, and rotten corn, are very injurious to the 

 horse's stomach. 



Treatment. — There is no disease in which it is more important 

 to ascertain the cause wdiich produced it than indigestion. If 

 the cause can be ascertained, and the horse is still under its in- 

 fluence, the cause must be removed. If the horse is a foul 

 feeder, of course he must be prevented from his evil habits. 

 He must, in all cases, be kept in a clean place, and have pure 

 air. The quantity of feed each particular patient will require 

 must be ascertained by allowing it a reasonable quantity, and 

 increasing it by little, until the amount required is found. 

 Green feed is the best; but boiled oats, chopped corn boiled, 

 boiled hay, and the juice drank, are good. He should not be 

 allowed much water, and that should not be given near meal- 

 time. No water should be allowed for an hour before and an 

 hour after feedino-. 



Internally, the following, to restore the tone of the digestive 

 organs, may be given : 



