DISEASES AND ACCIDENTS OF THE ALIMENTARY CANAL 409 



The broken and sharp teeth make mastication not only painful, but 

 almost impossible, consequently the horse 

 bolts the food half chewed, which causes 

 indigestion, colic, dyspepsia, hidebound, 

 emaciation, etc., any of which may run on 

 to a fatal termination. The food is fre- 

 quently quidded and dropped into the man- 

 ger. 



Colts, when sheddins: their teeth, often suf- 



- i. -, ^ f " 4^1 1 • 1 ^ HORSE QUIDDING. 



fer a great deal from sore mouths, which 



causes them to look rough and scaly until the old teeth are shed, and new 



ones grow. 



What to do. — In case of a discharge froia the nose, always examine 

 the teeth, and if any are decayed so as to cause the trouble, remove them. 

 If a tooth extends below the others on account of the opposite one being 

 broken, file it off even with the others. If the edges get sharp, so as to 

 scarify the checks and tongue, tile them off round. There are files made 

 expressly for that purpose. The edges only need filing ; the surfaces get 

 very rough, but that is intended to be so by nature ; it is h-er millstone 

 to grind the grain ; and the arrangement of the tooth material is such 

 that the more it wears the sliarpe'* it gets. 



In case of a parrot mouth, where the upper incisors i)roject over the 

 lower ones, the horse is unable to graze, anjl the mouth, as far as age is 

 concerned, presents a horril)le appearances, passing for 

 double the age he really is. Either file or saw them off 

 even Avith the lower row. 



Wolf Teeth. — These are small, insignificant teeth, that 

 come immediately in front of the upper rows of molars. 

 It is a popular idea that these affect the nerve running 



. ,, 1 1 T J 1 A. n J. PARROT MOUTH. 



to the eye and cause moon-bbndness, weak eyes, etc. But 

 it is a whim ; they do no possil)le harm, except, perhaps, to wound the 

 cheek by its being pulled against the wolf tooth by the bit. But they do 

 no possible good, and, consequently are just as well, and a little better, 

 out. Take a pair of blacksmith's pinchers and pull them out. They are 

 usually only in the gums, and come out easily. When the new teeth of 

 colts come before the old ones are out, the old ones should he removed, 

 to make room for the new. 



n. Tongue Laceration. 



Causes. — The tongue is sometimes bitten by falling and striking on the 

 mouth ; torn with the halter chain, or by being pulled forcibly out of the 

 aQouth on one side, being cut against the sharp molar teeth. 



