DISEASES OF THE KESPIRATORY ORGANS. 



401 



HORSE WITH PNEUMONIA. 



The appearance of a horse in the early stage 



of pneumonia. 



when tapped, it sounds solid like a barrel when full of water — the natural 

 when tapped being resonant, like a drum. The lower part of the lung 

 being usually most affected, the breathing is floated upward, as it were, 

 and becomes shallow; the breath becomes cold in conso(iuence; the nostrils 



flap, and the hor.se thrusts his nose 

 through the windows or doors of 

 the sta])le in search of more air; 

 the flanks heave; the ribs are workea 

 violently in and out; the legs spread 

 to stand in a braced position; the 

 strength becomes exhausted, and 

 the system suffocates for want of 

 oxygen, and the animal usually dies 

 in this stage. 



If he lives through this stage, the 

 third stage begins— that of absorption; in favorable cases this goes on to so 

 great an extent that recovery is complete. Unfavoralile cases fail to 

 absorb the liver -like condition of the lung, and suppuration sets in; the 

 whole diseased portion may turn to pus, and he thrown up through the 

 nose, where it has a grayish, lumpy appearance. This is the fourth stage, 

 and is always fatal ; the discharge is extremely offensive, attracting hosts 

 of flies and rendering a whole stable unfit for other horses to remain in. 



In this, as in bronchitis, the horse 

 never lies down till he is very much 

 better, or nearly well. 



In infectious pneumonia, in addition 

 to the above symptoms, there will be 

 marked yellowness of the mucous mem- 

 branes, more rapidly developing weak- 

 ness than in the sporadic form, and 

 occasionally diarrhoea and other symp- 

 toms of influenza. 



What to do. — The same treatment 

 prescribed for bronchitis will apply to 

 this, and, in addition, during recovery, 

 if weakness is great, give malt ale in 

 pint drenches three times a day. If 

 there is no appetite, put the ale in with oatmeal gruel, and give them 

 as a drench together. Clothe him warmly, and give plenty of fresh 

 air to breathe, but avoid a draft. It is a good plan, when feasible, 

 to isolate him from all other horses, particularly in the infectious form. 



THE POSITION ASSUMED BY THE HORSE 



DURING AN ATTACK OF 



PNEUMONIA. 



