HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY 



DISEASES 



PART ~I ' ^ 



DISEASES OF HORSES. 



HOW TO DIAGNOSE HOUSE DISEASES. 



ANIMALS of different races or families deport themselves differ- 

 ently under the influence of the same disease. The sensitive 

 and highly organized Thoroughbred resists cerebral depres- 

 sion more than does the lymphatic draft horse. Hence a de- 

 gree of fever that does not produce marked dullness in a Thorough- 

 bred may cause the most abject dejection in a coarsely bred heavy 

 draft horse. This and similar facts are of vast importance in the 

 diagnosis of disease and in the recognition of its significance. 



The cause of a disease is important, not only in connection with 

 diagnosis, but also in connection with treatment. The character of 

 food that the horse has had, the use to which he has been put, and 

 the kind of care he has received should all be inquired into closely. 

 It may be found by this investigation that the horse has been fed on 

 damaged food, such as brewer's grains or moldy silage, and this may 

 be sufficient to explain the profound depression and weakness that 

 are characteristic of forage poisoning. If it is learned that the horse 

 has been kept in the stable without exercise for several days and 

 upon full rations, and that he became suddenly lame in his back and 

 hind legs, and finally fell to the ground from what appeared to be 

 partial paralysis, this knowledge, taken in connection with a few evi- 

 dent symptoms, will be enough to establish a diagnosis of azoturia. 

 If it is learned that the horse has been recently shipped in the cars or 

 has been through a dealer's stable, we have knowledge of significance 

 in connection with the causation of a possible febrile disease, which 

 is, under these conditions, likely to prove to be influenza, or edema- 

 tous pneumonia. It is also important to know whether the particular 

 horse that is under examination is the only one in the stable or on 

 the premises that is similarly afflicted. If it is found that several 

 horses are afflicted much in the same way, we have evidence here of 

 a common cause of disease which may prove to be of an infectious 

 nature. It sometimes happens that medicine given in excessive quan- 

 tities produces symptoms resembling those of disease, so it is import- 

 ant that the examiner shall be fully informed as to the medication 

 that has been employed. 



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