DISEASES OF THE HORSE 75 



If you must work the animal, put it to some easy work 

 ^'here it has soft ground to walk upon. 



STAGGERS 



(Forage Poisoning — Inflammation of the Brain) 



(Cerebral Meningitis) 



Cause: Certain plants or stagnant water are most 

 <?ommonly instrumental in producing staggers; fre- 

 quently seen in the early autumn months when the grass 

 in the pastures becomes dry and certain forage remains 

 green which contains toxic principles. These plants are 

 ravenously eaten by horses on account of being green and 

 tender. This is one of the common causes of the disease, 

 although mouldy, indigestible or highly nitrogenous foods 

 are frequently producers of staggers. This form of stag- 

 gers is not contagious, although what produces staggers 

 in one horse will also produce it in another. In this way 

 several horses may become affected with staggers at the 

 same time. Inflammation of the brain may occur as a 

 complication of some infectious or digestive disease. 

 Other causes are blows to the head, tumors in or on the 

 brain, which cause the animal to naturally stagger, as 

 the brain controls the horse's organs of locomotion. 



Symptoms: Vary to a certain extent, but a careful 

 observer will detect some trouble connected with the 

 nervous system, as the animal walking unsteadily, step- 

 ping high and keeping the legs spread apart, bracing it- 

 self to keep from falling. There is also great depres- 

 sion, as dullness and sleepiness with little or no inclina- 

 tion to move about. The head may be placed against a 

 wall or fenca and the legs kept moving as if the horse 

 were trying to walk. As the disease progresses and no 

 attempts are made to relieve it, they will become frac- 

 tious, nervous, easily excited, pawing and eventually fall, 

 keeping the feet moving as if walking, throwing their 

 heads about in a delirious manner and eventually death 



