DISEASES OF RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND INFIJTENZA. 61 



If the animal breathes with great difficulty, manifested by making 

 a loud, wheezing sound, an opening should be made in his windpipe 

 and the edges of the opening held apart by inserting a suture in each 

 side, tying the silk ends up over the neck; or a tube may be inserted 

 in the opening. This operation is called tracheotomy. 



The sore-throat yatient should never he drenched. If the horse 

 should cough while taking medicine in this manner, the liquid might 

 enter the lungs and cause pneumonia. 



Fever may be combatted by cold-water injections into the rectum, 

 1 to 2 gallons at a time. 



STRANGLES, COMMONLY CALLED "DISTEMPER." 



Strangles is an acute, infectious disease, and usually attacks young 

 horses. 



Symptoms. — The disease begins with a high fever, ranging from 

 104° to 106°; a discharge from the nose, at first watery, rapidly 

 becoming thicker, and later assuming a whitish-gray or greenish- 

 yellow color. The glands below the lower jaw become swollen, hot, 

 and painful, and occasionally there is soreness of the throat; loss of 

 ap})etite, depression, great muscular 'weakness, and, occasionally, 

 swelling of the hind legs follow. Sometimes a swelling may be 

 found on some portion of the windpipe or other part of the body. 



Treatment. — Separate the sick animal from the healthy ones and 

 place him in a well- ventilated stall, free from drafts; clean the nos- 

 trils frequently; clothe the body according to the season of the year; 

 apply hot i)oultices to the abscess several times daily, and, as soon 

 as pus is formed, open and wash twice daily. 



Give easily digested food, gredfi fodder, roots, or slops made of 

 bran or steamed oats, and to his drinking water add \ ounce of salt- 

 peter; do not drench, as the throat in many cases is sore. 



PNEUMONIA. 



Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung structure, and usually 

 runs a course of from seven to ten days. 



Among the externaf causes of the disease are to be })artioular]y 

 mentioned excessive exertion and cold; also carelessness in giving 

 a drench, particularly if the animal has a sore throat. This dis- 

 ease frequently follows acute nasal catarrh, sore throat or strangles, 

 and may accompany influenza. 



Symptoms. — The first symptom is an intense fever accompanied 

 by a chill; the patient shows great fatigue and muscular weakness; 

 temperature ranges from 103° to 107°, the apj)etite is diminished, 

 at times almost wanting; the patient is constipated; breathing is 

 rapid and diflicult; the nostrils are much dilated, and expired air is 



