DISEASES OP HORSES 103 



Reference has already been made to those horses that bolt their 

 food, and it need only be remarked here that the consequences of 

 such ravenous eating may be prevented if the grains are fed with 

 cut hay, straw, or fodder. Long or uncut hay should also be fed, 

 even though a certain amount of hay or straw is cut and fed mixed 

 with grain. 



One objection to feeding cut hay mixed with ground or crushed 

 grains, and wetted, must not be overlooked during the hot months. 

 Such food is apt to undergo fermentation if not fed directly after it 

 is mixed; and the mixing trough even, unless frequently scalded 

 and cleaned, becomes sour and enough of its scrapings are given 

 with the food to produce wind colic. A small amount of salt should 

 always be mixed with such food. Bad hay should never be cut 

 simply because it insures a greater consumption of it; bad foods 

 are dear at any price and should never be fed. 



TEETH. 



Dentition. This covers the period during which the young 

 horse is cutting his teeth from birth to the age of five years. With 

 the horse more difficulty is experienced in cutting the second or 

 permanent teeth than with the first or milk teeth. There is a 

 tendency among farmers and many veterinarians to pay too little 

 attention to the teeth of young horses. 



The mouths of young horses should be examined from time 

 to time to see if one or more of the milk teeth are not remaining 

 too long, causing the second teeth to grow in crooked, in which 

 case the first teeth should be removed with the forceps. 



Irregularities of Teeth. There is quite a fashion of late years 

 especially in large cities, to have horses' teeth regularly floated, or 

 rasped, by veterinary dentists. In some instances this is very bene- 

 ficial, while in most cases it is entirely unnecessary. From the 

 character of the food, the rubbing, or grinding, surface of the 

 horse's teeth should be rough. Still, we must remember that the 

 upper jaw is somewhat wider than the lower, and that, from the 

 fact of the teeth not being perfectly apposed, a sharp ridge is left- 

 unworn on the inside of the lower molars and on the outside of 

 the upper, which may excoriate the tongue or cheeks to a consid- 

 erable extent. This condition can readily be felt by the hand, and 

 these sharp ridges when found should be rasped down by a guarded 

 rasp. In some instances the first or last molar tooth is unnaturally 

 long, owing to the fact that its fellow in the opposite jaw has been 

 lost or does not close perfectly against it. Should it be the last 

 molar that is thus elongated, it will require the aid of the veteri- 

 nary surgeon, who has the necessary forceps or chisel for cutting it. 

 The front molar may be rasped down, if much patience is taken. 

 In decay of the teeth it is quite common to find the tooth corre- 

 sponding to the decayed one on the opposite jaw very much elon- 

 gated, sometimes to such an extent that the mouth can not be per- 

 fectly closed. Such teeth must also be shortened by the tooth for- 

 ceps, chisel, tooth saw, or rasp. In all instances where horses quid 

 their food, where they are slobbering, or where they evince pain in 



