146 . CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF i 



no doubt sooner or later they destroy the condition of the mouth, and 



it becomes necessary to destroy the animal, but it can be relieved to | 



some extent by the rasp, chisel, shears, etc. There is, as well as the j 



shears, a sliding chisel, and when you use it, it is better to use a : 



wooden mallet than a hammer. In using the straight chisel there is i 



another instrument for an assistant to hold against the back part of j 

 the tooth while you chisel it off. 



Caries of the Teeth. — The lower animals do not suffer from this as ' 

 much as man, for two reasons ; their teeth are complicated, and the i 

 mode of living. Sweets have a bad effect upon the teeth. Horses : 

 rarely suffer from toothache, but they frequently suffer from carious ; 

 teeth. Caries may commence either on the table surface, root or ' 

 fang, or even in that which surrounds the teeth ; or it may result from ■ 

 a slight injury, as getting a stone, etc., between the teeth when masti- '■ 

 eating ; or it may begin in the fang from improper development of , 

 the dentine, which receives its nourishment from the tooth-pulp, and \ 

 when this is gone the tooth does not receive proper nourishment, etc. 



Symptoms. — In the early stage they are not very plain, but become ! 

 better developed after a time. The animal will show some irritation | 

 while eating. Although he is hungry, and goes ravenously to eating, ' 

 he will all at once quit masticating, and either holds the food in the \ 

 mouth or throws it out unchewed. This may be due to a slight i 

 irritation of the teeth. He acts something similar to the human 

 being, and these symptoms may be present for some time before j 

 the well-marked symptoms appear. But in, it may be six months i 

 or a year, certain distinct symptoms appear. If it is in the table j 

 surface, the tooth is brittle, and wears down more readily, and the ■ 

 tooth opposite to it grows longer : he quids or rejects the food, \ 

 and a peculiar stench or fetor is present. The animal falls off ' 

 in condition, in most cases. "When it is in connection with the i 

 root or fang it is different. As it extends it involves the other tis- I 

 sues, sets up irritation in the superior maxillary sinus, if it is in the < 

 upper jaw, and gives rise to a somewhat putrid and offensive discharge. ; 

 If it is in the lower jaw, as well as the symptoms given, you will, ! 

 perhaps, notice a slight enlargement which extends down the lower ; 

 portion of the jaw ; sinuses form and matter is discharged. Exercise \ 

 care and judgment and you need make no great mistakes. I knew a '-■, 

 horse destroyed for glanders when it was only a carious tooth. 



Treatment. — Remove the tooth — and this is not very easily done, but : 

 there are various ways. Open the mouth by means of a balling iron, ! 

 and, if practical, use the forceps. The trouble with the forceps is, i 

 they are apt to break the tooth when they are closed upon it too tight. : 

 There is a tooth key which can be used in the lower jaw, as the teeth , 

 in that are easier removed than those in the upper jaw ; or you may ; 

 remove by trephining, and then by inserting a punch it can be driven ' 

 out. When you attempt to remove a tooth, and it breaks down, it i 

 will in many cases, come away of itself without further treatment, j 

 The first and second molars are the more difficult to punch out than , 

 the others. After treatment : keep the animal quiet ; feed upon soft '■■ 

 food that does not require much mastication. There is a difference in ; 

 treating the cavity. Some recommend filling it with gutta percha, to i 

 prevent the food from passing into the sinus. It will sometimes pass j 

 into both sinuses ; but generally there is no necessity for filling it. If 

 you trephine, it is more needful than in pulling. If food does pass : 

 into the sinuses, then it will be necessary to fill the hole. Sometimes i 



