30 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF 



Pre-disposing causes. — Ill-ventilated stables, the animal not receiving at 

 the same time a suflBcient supply of nutritive food. It occurs in the most 

 severe form in larger cities and in larger stables, and especially in under- 

 ground stables, and may attack the great nervous centres. Experience 

 tells us that if animals are compelled to breathe bad air, and are not 

 given sufficient exercise, they are more likely to have influenza ; while one 

 that is well exercised and well fed is not so susceptible ; but all are sub- 

 ject to it. 



Symptoms vary much, and depend upon the organ or organs most 

 affected. The early symptoms are a dull, languid appearance ; eats 

 poorly, sweats freely upon the slightest exertion ; coat somewhat staring 

 and dirty-looking ; mouth hot and dry ; and there may be a cough. After a 

 short time there will be well marked symptoms. The cough is easily excited 

 by pressure upon the throat ; the bowels usually costive. The feces passed 

 after a few days are small, dry pellets. The pulse considerably altered ; gen- 

 erally a quick, weak pulse, varying from sixty to eighty beats per minute : 

 but it may not be very quick. The dulness may be followed by more marked 

 symptoms. The horse appears to be suffering from intense headache, 

 and if caused to walk off, shows great signs of nervous depression, and 

 appears so weak that you could almost throw him over. The pul?e in 

 such a case will be intermittent, showing that the poison was acting 

 upon the nervous centre, and not in the ordinary manner. In such a 

 case the respiratory organs may not be affected so much as in other 

 cases. Cerebro spinal meningitis may be produced in this way, so that 

 you will have various forms of influenza. In other cases, the breathing 

 is very much affected, which is, perhaps, more perceptible at the nostrils 

 than at the flank ; the throat sore : the bronchial tubes soon become in- 

 volved, and you hear a peculiar noise. The legs and ears change in 

 temperature very much. They may be hot, and in an hour may be the 

 normal temperature; then, again, cold, etc. The general temperature 

 may be some increased, to 10-5'', perhaps. A discharge from the 

 nostrils is a favorable sign, if it is of a yellowish white colour ; but if it 

 has a brownish red or rusty appearance, it is symptomatic of great 

 depression. In some instances the breathing is increased, and the blood 

 is discharged from the nostrils. Pulse is changeable — a kind of false, 

 irregular pulse, and such are very bad signs. In a great many cases the 

 liver is functionally deranged, but there is not much organic change ; in 

 such a case there is yellowness of the mucous membrane of the mouth, 

 eye, etc. Influenza may terminate in enteritis and death. If the liver 

 is affected the bowels will be quite irregular, costiveness and diarrhcea 

 alternating. Any of the secreting glands may be more or less affected, 

 and it may assume another form, that of a dropsical form, in which the 

 legs, sheath, udder and eyelids may present oedematous symptoms ; and 

 if in the last stages it is a bad sign, but if in the first stages, and the 

 swelling is confined to the legs, and but slight, it is rather favourable. 

 Unless there is great fever present, and great depression, it is rather a 

 good symptom, but if in the latter stages, it is from debility, and is apt 

 to soon terminate in well marked disease of the lungs and pleura. If 

 the lungs are affected, the pulse becomes weaker and is oppressed, and in 

 the last stages the animal stands until death. It is more apt to produce 

 subacute disease of the lungs and pleura. Owing to impaired functional 

 power of the organ, effusion and suppuration takes place readilj'. If it 

 is of a subacute character, effusion is much more than in a common 

 case of pleurisy. The animal usually maintains a standing position in 

 influenza ; he may lie down, and when down the breathing is increased 

 much, but if he is in an easy position, allow him to lie. It gives great 



