DISEASES OF HORSES. 731 







usually of the mucous or lining coat ; but sometimes all the 

 coats are affected. It often causes death in six or eight hours, 

 and seldom lasts longer than twelve hours. 



CAUSES. Colic sometimes terminates in enteritis, although 

 some say it never does. Other causes are, too much food, or 

 some food the animal is not accustomed to eating ; in short, 

 any thing that will irritate the intestines. Sometimes a dose of 

 physic will cause it. Stagnant water may cause it. Driving an 

 animal until exhausted and standing him in the cold may cause it. 

 It may be brought on by any thing which causes great weakness. 



SYMPTOMS. These are something like those of colic and 

 other painful bowel troubles. In inflammation of the bowels 

 there is generally a period of dullness preceding the pain 

 not so in colic. Then the animal begins to paw in a peculiar 

 manner ; he may paw for hours. The belly is tucked up ; he 

 looks at the sides. These are all symptoms of colic ; but in 

 colic they are not so gradual. Early in the disease the pulse 

 is not much affected about forty or forty-five beats in a minute, 

 but full and hard. The mouth, ears, and legs are hotter than nat- 

 ural. The pain still gradually increases. He begins to move 

 his legs, cringes, and lies down (but more carefully than in colic), 

 and gets up, but does not stand as in spasmodic colic ; but turns 

 around perhaps two or three times, and lies down again. There 

 are no periods of freedom from pain, as in spasmodic colic. 

 The eyes about this time have a very peculiar luster; they be- 

 come red. The lining of the nose also becomes red. The ears 

 and legs may now be either hot or cold, or alternately hot and 

 cold ; and the bowels costive, although they may have been loose 

 at first, and if any small pellets of dung are passed, they are 

 covered with mucus or slime. Frequent attempts are made to 

 pass water, and a small amount may be passed. Pressure on 

 the belly causes pain ; but in colic it affords relief. The pulse 

 may now run up to eighty or one hundred and twenty per 

 minute. 



TREATMENT. Treatment is seldom successful. Give powdered 

 opium, in one dram doses every hour, until four or five doses 

 are given, unless relieved sooner. And give twenty drops of 



