ANIMAL DENTISTRY. 253 



larities, pin punctures, etc. Specific inflammations of the 

 tongue are seen in actinomycosis and infectious stomatitis. 



Symptoms — Same as lacerations of the tongue. 



Treatment — Removal of the cause; soft food; mild as- 

 tringent irrigations; alum, borax, boric acid. 



Prognosis — Seldom serious. Necrosis of the extremity 

 may require amputation. 



ABERRATIONS OF THE FUNCTION OF MASTICA- 

 TION. 



The common aberrations of mastication in animals are 

 quidding, ejecting, bolting, and wadding of food. 



QUIDDING. 



Definition — Quidding refers to that aberration in which 

 the food is rolled and shifted about in the mouth and then 

 finally ejected into the manger. 



Etiology and Symptoms — This abnormality occurs in 

 three distinct forms: (i) From dental irregularities which 

 produce pain when attempt is made to masticate, or from 

 some lesion of the temporo-maxillary articulation. In these 

 cases the food is not comminuted, but is simply rolled about 

 in the mouth and ejected in large masses soaked with saliva. 

 (2) From senile dissolution of the molar arcades. The 

 molars will be found irregular, short in the crowns and fre- 

 quently loosened in their cavities, and the food will be 

 ejected, as in the former cases, because the molars are no 

 longer capable of performing their function. (3) From a 

 neurosis affecting the nerves of deglutition. In this variety 

 of quidders the food is finely comminuted before being 

 ejected into the manger. The condition is seen most fre- 

 quently in horses past the age of fifteen years. 



Treatment — The quidding horse must be treated ac- 

 cording to the cause. Sometimes the extraction of a tooth, 



