DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 26 



the oesophagus, etc. Bronchitis is oftener seen in the city from these 

 causes than in the country. 



Treatment. — You may find benefit from a few drops of aconite, but 

 you must be very careful in giving sedatives. You may find great benefit 

 from giving opium in the first stages — one or two ounces of the tincture ; 

 or from hot applications, hot water, mustard, etc. Nitrate of potash is 

 an invaluable remedy in chest diseases ; if there is great depression you 

 may use stimulants, but be very careful in drenching an animal or in 

 forcing food in this disease. You may give whisky, ale, beer, etc. After 

 the acute stage has passed there is a discharge from the nose (and is not 

 a very bad sign). Give nitrate of potash; and you will find benefit from 

 small doses of tartar emetic — two to four drachms ; or you may use 

 liquor acetate of ammonia ; or you may give one or two drachms of the 

 carbonate of ammonia, dissolved in water, or given in a ball of linseed 

 meal. There is also a parasitic bronchitis, which may be noticed by- 

 and-by. . 



Broken Wind, asthma, heaves, etc. This is common among Cana- 

 dian horses. 



Pathology. — There are a great many theories brought forth with regard 

 to it. It is generally, I believe, brought on by some lesion of the pneumo- 

 gastric nerve. Pneumonia and other such afi'ections may produce it. 

 An animal can generally do moderate work. Hepatization of the lungs, 

 heart disease, etc., is generally the result, and not the cause, of heaves. 

 Emphysema of the lungs does sometimes produce it. in which cases the 

 air may pass in between the lobules of the lungs, or the air cells may be 

 ruptured, and two or more become one, by rupture of their walls. In- 

 flammation of the bronchial tubes may produce broken wind, but it is 

 generally from some lesion of the pneumogastric nerve which sends 

 branches to the lungs, trachea, stomach, etc. The small air tubes are 

 surrounded by involuntary muscular tissue, which is used in expelling 

 the air, and is to ' ome extent under the control of the pneumogastric 

 nerve. The nerve loses its power of contracting the lungs. The 



Causes that produce this condition are often the result of injudicious 

 feeding, and fast exertion after injudicious feeding, which causes an 

 increased determination of blood to the lungs ; often by feeding upon 

 dusty food, or keeping the stomach in a greatly distended condition ; from 

 chopped food ; however, good chopped food is the best food. We find 

 it is comparatively rare in our cavalry horses, as they are fed upon the 

 very best of food, and before being put to fast exertion are prepared for 

 that exertion. It is easily detected in a well established case. There is 

 a peculiar way of breathing, a short in-piration with a sort of jerk. The 

 nostrils are expanded ; the abdominal muscles are sometimes contracted 

 so as to show a line along the belly ; the animal is said to be bellied 

 from being a very big eater ; gas passing up through the nose was at one 

 time thought to produce it. On a damp, hot, sultry day the symptoms 

 are greatly increased and may be very alarming, and might lead to sup- 

 pose the animal was suffering from inflammation of the lungs, but the 

 pulse is not quickened, as in pneumonia— heaves being a non inflamma- 

 tory disease ; or you may see such s\Tnptoms in a pregnant mare, and 

 might think the animal would live but a few hours, but the pulse is found 

 to be almost natural. There is in heaves a loud, hacking, painful cough ; 

 it is a deep, internal, sonorous cough, but gets easier after being taken 

 out and exercised. If an animal has been fed properly, and you give 

 him a feed or two of poor or bad food, he will show distressing symptoms. 

 Clover hay is very bad food for such an animal. You must be on the 

 look-out for this, especially in heavy horses. In examining for sound- 

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