DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF THE HORSE. 145 



SWELLING AFTER CASTRATION. 



As we mentioned before, a small amount of swelling" is not a 

 bad sign, but when he begins to swell up very bad, especially 

 around the scrotum and cuts as well as in the sheath, the animal 

 seems very stiff and does not want to move nor care to eat; and 

 if the discharge from the cuts is of a red waterish color, the case 

 becomes more serious and needs immediate attention. 



Causes. — From lying on cold, damp ground or standing out 

 in cold east winds or a cold rain and he gets cold in the cuts, 

 which sets up inflammation and swelling; or allowing the cuts to 

 heal up too soon and dam back the natural discharge ; or it may 

 be from the cuts being poisoned from dirt on the hands of the 

 operator or on some of the instruments, or standing in a dirty 

 stable, or it may be from the colt's blood being- very bad. 



Treatment.— Keep the bowels loose by giving small doses of 

 raw linseed oil, bathe the cuts well with warm water and tap the 

 point of the sheath in a few places with a sharp penknife, allowing: 

 the watery stuff to keep dropping out; this will help to relieve the 

 swelling. After you give him a good bathing and get the 

 swelling down some, put salty butter on your finger and open the 

 cuts well, this will allow any discharge that is formed above to 

 run out. After the bathing and the opening of the cuts, then 

 apply a poultice of hot linseed and bran, hold this poultice to the cuts 

 by means of strings over the back. It will not be necessary to 

 tap the sheath and open up the cut every time you dress the 

 swelling — once a day will be all that is necessary; but bathe and 

 put on hot poultices three or four times a day, this will allay the 

 inflammation, and if there is poison in the cut, the poultice and 

 hot water will draw it out. Feed the animal on soft food and 

 give gentle exercise, which has a tendency to take down the 

 swelling. As soon as the colt begins to eat, and there is a good 

 healthy white discharge from the cuts, you may then consider him 

 as going to come all right. 



SCIRRHUS CORD. 



This is a growth on the end of the cord. 



Causes. — From the cord being pulled down in taking off the 

 clamp, or from the colt when it is itching from healing, biting it 

 and pulling it down. The cord is pulled down through the cut 

 and if not noticed at the time and put back into the bag, the cut 

 heals tight around it and holds it down, and the cord being 



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