DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF THE HORSE. 113 



CHAPTER VI. 



DISEASES OF THE URINARY ORGANS. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS (NEPHRITIS). 



This disease is divided into two kinds — acute inflammation 

 and chronic inflammation. 



ACUTE INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 



Ca.USeS. — Exposure to cold or standing- out in cold rain storms, 

 such as we have in the fall and spring- ; lying- on the ground when 

 it is cold and damp ; by giving- large quantities of medicine which 

 acts on the kidneys; from carrying a heavy weight on the back; or 

 in running horses, from violent exertion in racing. 



Symptoms. ^The animal seems feverish, the pulse is full tend 

 bounding and runs from 60 to 80 beats per minute, the moutl is 

 hot and dry, he sweats freely and breathes heavy, he looks arou.»d 

 to the sides, and, in some cases, puts his nose right upon the side 

 opposite the kidneys ; the animal will sometimes cringe and lie 

 down easy, stretch out, and will be heard moaning, as if in great 

 distress ; sometimes he will lie for half an hour at a time, but will! 

 lie quiet and will not try to roll on his back as he does in bowel 

 diseases ; also, by pressing over the loins it causes him more pain. 

 If you listen at the bowels you do not hear much movement or 

 rumbling in them, and there is very little passage from the bowels. 

 He will try and make water often, but passes very little at a time, 

 and it is generally of a red color and tinged with blood. If the 

 animal does not get relief after two or three days, all the symptoms 

 gradually grow worse, and when he tries to make water he passes 

 nothing but blood ; in this case he generally dies in a day or so. 



Treatment. — The treatment must be quick if you want to 



save the life of the animal. Give the following drench : 



Raw Linseed Oil 1 pint. 



Tincture of Laudanum 1 ounce, or 4 tabiespoonfuls. 



Fleming's Tincture of Aconite 10 to 12 drops. 



Mix and give as a drench. Apply woolen blankets, wrung out 

 of hot water, over the small of the back and cover this over with 

 dry blankets so as to keep the heat in and cause the animal to 

 sweat. Always apply mustard plaster over the back after the 

 blankets are taken off. It is also recommended to apply a newly 

 flayed sheep skin over the loins and leave on for twenty-four hours. 



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