198 THE VETEEINAEIAN 



DIARRHOEA 



(Dysentery) 



Cause: Diarrhoea, or Dysentery, is a sign of some 

 irritation of the intestines resulting in increased secre- 

 tions, or increased muscular contraction, or both. The 

 irritation is sometimes the result of chilling from ex- 

 posure, improper feeding, as contaminated or frozen 

 foods, irritating foods, drinking cold or stagnant water, 

 indigestion, organic diseases of the intestines, or para- 

 sitic diseases. (See Strongylosis.) 



Symptoms: Movements from the bowels are fre- 

 quent, at first consisting of thin fecal matter, but as 

 this malady progresses it becomes watery and offensive 

 in smell, and streaked with blood. At first the animal 

 shows no constitutional disturbances, but eventually it 

 becomes weak and shows signs of abdominal pain by 

 looking around to the flank, throwing the feet together, 

 lying down, or moving restlessly. Sometimes this dis- 

 ease is accompanied by fever, great depression, loss of 

 strength, rapid loss of flesh ; terminating in death. 



Treatment: Determine the cause and remove it if 

 possible. When the disease is due to irritating proper- 

 ties of food which have been fed the animal, it is well 

 to give a physic of Castor Oil in two to six ounce doses, 

 according to the size of the animal. When there is 

 debility, want of appetite, and temperature normal, but 

 continuous water discharge from the bowels, give Pro- 

 tan, two ounces ; Gum Cathechu, one ounce ; Pulv. Ginger, 

 one ounce; Zinc Sulphocarbolates, eight grains. Make 

 into sixteen powders and give one powder on the tongue 

 every three or four hours, according to the severity of 

 the attack. Feed food that is easily digested, as wheat 

 bran mashes, steamed rolled oats, etc. See that the 

 drinking water is fresh and clean. 



