4)4 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMKNT OF 



it may be taken a second time. It may and does occur at any 

 season of the year, but is more likely to be prevalent in the spring and 

 summer, and is likely to attack those animals that have been running 

 out during the winter Dentition has also been said to have something 

 to do with it, .but some do not have it, so it is not sure to attack them 

 during dentition, but it is now known to be due to a micro-organism 



Symptoms are very often similar to catarrh. The animal is dull and 

 languid, and a small amount of work fatigues him. The attack is not 

 very sudden ; by-and-by there is a swelling ; the animal keeps his head 

 in a peculiar position : saliva issues from the mouth ; the pulse is slightly 

 affected, which you can detect by close examination. The bowels costive, 

 coat staring, and it is hard to tell at this stage whether it is strangles or 

 laryngitis, but it will soon show itself by a tumour in the submaxillary 

 space. It may interfere with respiration ; the tumour will break and 

 discharge, or you may disperse it by absorption, but it is better to allow 

 it to discharge externally. The tumour may be the first thing that 

 makes its appearance, but j^ou have more or less fever even if it is not 

 noticed. There is generally a considerable discharge of matter from the 

 nostrils, and there may be symptoms of suffocation. These symptoms 

 may not be in proportion to the size of tbe tumour, but if affected with 

 strangles and influenza at the same time, there will be severe symptoms 

 of suffocation, and death may result. It usually runs its course in from 

 six to twelve days, and in about twenty days the horse usually resumes 

 his work. Some continue their work during the attack, but it is not 

 best. You may have these symptoms, except the tumour in the throat, 

 and by-and-by a swelling will appear on the shoulder or in the groin, 

 and there may be a discharge from the nose. The tumour is generally 

 the result of the fever ; if ihis tumour forms upon the shoulder close to 

 the trachea, it must be carefully watched, for it may burst internally, 

 and cause death. In some cases the horse becomes greatly emaciated ; 

 becomes a mere skeleton, so to speak. Tumours may be in the thoracic 

 or abdominal cavity, producing slight abdominal pain or colicky pain, 

 and such cases generally terminate fatally. 



Treatment.— It is generally extremely satisfactory to treat. The dis- 

 ease should be allowed to run its course It must not be checked, for 

 that would be attended with great danger. Give pure air, and clothe 

 the body according to the seasun of the year. Give good food, such as 

 is easily digested— boiled food, if it will be taken, but if not. then give 

 the ordinary food. It is a disease that does not require any great amount 

 of medicine. In the first stages give a few doses of febrifuge medicine, 

 chlorate or nitrate of potash, but not so freely as in influenza, as there 

 is danger of acting too freely on the kidneys. Good feeding hastens the 

 formation of the abscess. If the breathing is not much affected, it is 

 not necessary to apply any external treatment. In some cases it is 

 necessary to use a mild external application or counter irritant, but if it 

 is a pure case of strangles, the pulse not very high, use a mild comphor- 

 ated liniment. In connection with the above treatment, and if in the 

 summer time, use a poultice, and if there are no violent symptoms, 

 allow the abscess to form pretty well, and do not open too soon. After 

 you have opened the abscess, give tonics and bathe the abscess with 

 tepid water. You will sometimes meet with a serious case, in which the 

 animal is breathing hard and the abscess does not form soon enough. In 

 such a case blister, and then use poultices. In winter, treat with hot 

 wool, just to keep the parts well warmed. You will find beneflt from 

 judicious steaming with hot water, but I warn you against using a close 

 nose bag, for you are in danger of suffocating the animal ; but keep up 



