DISEASES OF HORSES 27 



violently than in health, as in spasmodic colic, and also where there 

 is an excess of fluid or gas in the intestinal canal. 



The feces show, to a certain extent, the thoroughness of diges- 

 tion. They should show that the food has been well ground, and 

 should, in the horse, be free from offensive odor or coatings of mucus. 

 A coating of mucus shows intestinal catarrh. Blood on the feces indi- 

 cates severe inflammation. Very light color and bad odor may come 

 from inactive liver. 



Rectal examination consists in examination of the organs of the 

 pelvic cavity and posterior portion of the abdominal cavity by the 

 hand inserted in the rectum. This examination should be attempted 

 by a veterinarian only, and is useless except to one who has a good 

 knowledge of the anatomy of the parts concerned. 



The Examination of the Nervous System. The great brain, or 

 cerebrum, is the seat of intelligence, and it contains the centers that 

 control motion in many parts of the body. Abnormal mental excite- 

 ment may be due to congestion of the brain or to inflammation. The 

 animal so afflicted becomes vicious, pays no attention to commands, 

 cries, runs about in a circle, stamps with the feet, strikes, kicks, etc. 

 This condition is usually followed by a dull, stupid state, in which 

 the animal stands with his head down, and irresponsive to external 

 stimuli. Cerebral depression also occurs in the severe infectious dis- 

 eases, in chronic diseases of the liver, and with chronic catarrh of the 

 stomach and intestines. 



Fainting is a symptom that is not often seen in horses. When it 

 occurs it is shown by unsteadiness of gait, tottering, and, finally, in- 

 ability to stand. The cause usually lies in a defect of the small brain, 

 or cerebellum. This defect may be merely in respect of the blood 

 supply, to congestion, or to anemia, and in this case it is likely to pass 

 away and may never return, or it may be due to some permanent 

 cause, as a tumor or an abscess, or it may result from a hemorrhage, 

 from a defect of the valves of the heart, or from poisoning. 



Loss of consciousness is known as coma. It is caused by hemor- 

 rhage in the brain, by profound exhaustion, or may result from a 

 saturation of the system with the poison of some disease. Coma may 

 follow upon cerebral depression, which occurs as a secondary state 

 of inflammation of the brain. 



Urinary and Sexual Organs. In considering the examination 

 of the urinary and sexual organs we may consider, at the beginning, 

 a false impression that prevails to an astonishing extent. Many horse- 

 men are in the habit of pressing upon the back of a horse over the 

 loins or of sliding the ends of the fingers along on either side of the 

 median line of this region. If the horse depresses his back it is at 

 once said his kidneys are weak. Nothing could be more absurd or 

 further from the truth. Any healthy horse any horse with normal 

 sensation and with a normally flexible back will cause it to sink 

 when manipulated in this way. If the kidneys are inflamed and sen- 

 sitive, the back is held more rigidly and is not depressed under this 

 pressure. 



