172 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS ANt) TREATMENT Of 



valves of the heart, which affects the whole system, to some extent, and 

 usually the liver ; and also in chronic disease of the lungs. Chronic 

 emphysema has been said to cause it, but we have seen horses with the 

 heaves live for some time and show no signs of liver disease. If it pro- 

 ceeds from heart disease, it produces passive congestion of the veins, and 

 sometimes of the arterial vessels; but a stimulating diet is the most com- 

 mon cause— a large amount of corn, oats, etc. — and doing but little work. 



Symptoms. — They are not very plain, and you will have trouble in 

 diagnosing it. The attack is, perhaps, somewhat sudden, but before this, 

 perhaps, the animal is dull ; the bowels disordered ; slight diarrha-a, and 

 then costiveness ; slight abdominal pain, but not such as in colic or 

 enteritis ; it is shown by more or less restlessness, turning the head and 

 looking at the side — more to the right than the left, some say ; the pulse 

 quick, and, in some cases, weak ; and after a time the secretion of the 

 liver is interfered with, the result of which is yellowness of the mucous 

 membranes, and, although he suffers pain, he does not lie tor any length 

 of time, especially if the capsules of the liver is affected, but stands up 

 much the same as in lung disease ; but in lung disease the quickened 

 breathing and changes can be detected by auscultation and percussion 



Treatment. — If it occurs in a pampered animal, give from seven 

 to nine drachms of aloes. I do not recommend calomel. However, 

 in some cases it is a benefit, in others it is injurious. Apply judi- 

 cious counter irritation, and you can scarcely ever go far wrong in 

 applying heat to the abdomen, even if there is difficulty in making 

 up your mind. Sulphate of magnesia is another remedy, but do not 

 give a purgative dose ; or you may give, instead, sulphate of soda, which 

 acts as a febrifuge. Give g'auber or Epsom salts in the water one to 

 three times a day. Another good one is iodide of potassium ; regulate 

 the diet. Congestion of the liver is more common in sheep than in horses, 

 and may produce softening or disintegration, which is due to the feeding, 

 especially if fed on a stimulating diet. There may be no signs till shortly 

 before death ; then there is pain ; the animal rolls, perhaps ; the mucous 

 membranes show a yellow tinge, and the post mortem shows the liver en- 

 larged ; has a yellowish appearance, and can easily be broken between the 

 thumb and finger. There can be but little done for it. but if you are 

 called, and find that several have died, make a post mortem and try to 

 find the cause of the death, and you may prveent it in others by giving a 

 less stimulating diet — the sulphate of soda, or the hypo-sulphite of soda, 

 iodide of potassium, a slight purgative, etc. It is more frequent in dogs, 

 usually the result of being pampered, fed upon sweets and getting but 

 little exercise. He refuses food ; seems weak and debilitated ; there is a 

 yellowish tinge of the mucous membranes ; and if in a light- skinned ani- 

 mal, the whole skin is yellow. Give a good purgative of jalap or syrup of 

 buckthorn, then iodide of potassium ; regulate the diet and give some ex- 

 ercise. Feeding nothing but cold water for two or three days, and giving 

 exercise, will often cure it in dogs. 



Hepatitis, or Inflammation of the Liver, may either be acute or 

 chronic. It may involve a part or the whole of the organ, but in most 

 cases, in the horse, I think it only involves a part, and suppuration may 

 result, and an abscess of the liver, which may result either from circum- 

 scribed or diffuse inflammation. 



Symptoms. — The animal shows pain by looking at the sides, lying 

 down, etc., but does not roll in a violent manner, although some works 

 say he does. In other cases he stands most of the time ; the breathing 

 slightly affected ; the pulse quick ; the head turned to the side ; the inner 



