32 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TKEATMENT OF 



affected. It runs its course quicker than influenza, in six or seven 

 days- In cases that terminate fatally, the liver, lungs, and heart may be 

 affected. The animal is dull, pulse from fifty-five to eighty, mouth hot 

 and temperature increased ; slight swelling of the eyelids. Sometimes 

 the eyelid is slightly inverted. There is a purulent discharge from the 

 eye, limbs swell about the hock or fetlock. The pain is acute at an early 

 stage. At first the bowels are costive and then diarrhoea may set in : 

 there may be a slight cough. These symptoms may continue from two 

 to four days. Pregnant mares have a tendency to abort in this disease. 



Treatment. — Do not work the patient ; give easily digested food. Give 

 internally nitrate of potash, stimulants, and sometimes linseed oil, 

 ammonia carb., one or two drachms twice a day. If appetite is affected 

 give tonics. 



Purpura Heinniorrhagriea is a systematic disease of blood having 

 its origin in extensive changes of the blood and capillaries, characterized 

 by the presence of pertechial spots on the mucous membrane, and by the 

 existence of elevations on the cutaneous tissues and a tendency to 

 extravasations into internal organs. The blood is deficient in some of 

 the constituents of fibrine in the disease. 



Causes.— It is generally a sequel of some other disease, as influenza. 

 It is due to some poison in the blood, which renders the blood more fluid, 

 and prevents coagulation to some extent. If the animal is suffering from 

 any disease, and exposed to the cold and vicissitudes of the weather, you 

 need not be surprised on seeing purpura. The animal may do work well 

 as long as the weather is good, but from certain changes in the weather 

 purpura will develop readily. In such a case it frequently supervenes a 

 mild attack of influenza. It may be produced very suddenly from being 

 exposed, driving before entirely well, bad ventilation, bad grooming, etc. 

 It may be due to other causes, and from being exposed to the debris of 

 dead animals, but more frequently from bad ventilation, bad drainage, 

 etc. It is seldom seen in an animal at pasture. It may come from 

 strangles. 



Symptoms very plain and very characteristic. There is generally no 

 difficulty in detecting this disease. There is a slight swelling of the limb, 

 more likely to be about the hocks. The swelling may disappear by exer- 

 cise, but will soon return. The swelling presents a very abrupt appear- 

 ance, nearly the same as if a string was tied around the limb ; and 

 swelling very quickly is symptomatic of purpura. Exudation takes place, 

 in which, if on a white limb, you will see little red spots, from which 

 liquid is oozing. The swelling is very painful and the entire limb may 

 be swoollen ; small vesicles appear on the limb, and also in the mucous 

 membranes, and it is well to look at the mucous membrane before giving 

 your opinion, as you will no doubt detect these spots, which may extend 

 to the lungs. These spots increase and may run into each other. The 

 mucous membrane of the nose may become one mass of corrupt matter. 

 The under lip may hang pendulous, which is due to want of nervous 

 stimulous. If the nostrils are swelled very badly, and there is a difficult 

 breathing, and the animal is not able to take food, the symptoms are very 

 bad. The pulse varies much. In some cases, although the swelling is 

 very great, the pulse may not be more than forty, fifty, or sixty per 

 minute. There may be a cough and coffee colored discharge from the 

 nostrils. The mouth and eyes become affected, and, together with the 

 discharge from the nose, he is a loathesome object. In milder cases the 

 appetite is retained, or the animal may take food one day and the next 

 refuse it. The bowels costive, as a general thing, in the first stage of the 

 disease and the urine may be of a dark color ; may even contain blood. 



