DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 181 . 



of the weather. So long as a horse is well kept and well cared for j 

 exposure does not affect him so much. In man it is often brought | 

 about by nervous excitement or hard work, especially nervous work, i 

 The animal loses condition and flesh, has an unthrifty appearance ; ' 

 swelling of the legs, which perhaps partially disappears during exer- I 

 cise ; the appetite irregular ; pulse weak ; stiffness of the back and j 

 loins ; costiveness, but not constipated ; the urine straw-coloured, and ■ 

 if tested albumen can be detected. Take a small amount of urine and I 

 apply heat (100° Farenheit), and the albumen coagulates if the urine i 

 is acid, and the coagulum does not dissolve by heat, but if it is alkaline '- 

 you must add nitric or some other acid ; no doubt it may sometimes 

 act upon the urea and form a precipitate, but this precipitate will dis- , 

 solve by heat. "i 



Treatment. — Attend to the hygienic treatment, and do not expose ; 

 the animal to the vicissitudes of the weather. Give perhaps boiled ; 

 food, as boiled oats, barley, etc., and in some cases give a mild purge. 

 But perhaps the animal is weakened ; in such a case be careful with ; 

 purgatives ; but I think this is an exception to the rule, and I think a ' 

 purgative is beneficial, especially if the limbs are swollen. For the i 

 after-treatment give sulphate of iron, one to one and one-half drachms, • 

 with arsenious acid, one to two grains. Then give vegetable tonics, ': 

 and build up the system as well as you can. I knew a case of a man ' 

 whose limbs and testicles became swollen, and after various remedies ; 

 had been tried without success — which acted violently, causing exten- j 

 sive watery evacuations — it relieved the man for several years. After ; 

 it attains a certain stage it is incurable, for all the food is passed off ; 

 through the kidneys instead of building up the tissues. It may, in j 

 some cases, be necessary to stimulate the kidneys, to a certain extent. I 



Calculi may be found in all glands, but more commonly in the j 

 urinary organs. They are found in all animals in the kidneys, 

 withers, bladder and urethra. They are called renal when in the 

 kidneys, and are generally in the pelvis of the kidney, but at first they 

 may have formed in the tubes and come down and lodged in the pelvis. 

 This may exist without any disease being present, but no doubt we , 

 occasionally meet with disease of the kidney, induration, enlargement, ■ 

 or tumours which may have been excited by calculi. 



Symptoms. — The animal shows uneasiness and colicky pains, which ' 

 pains, perhaps, disappear in a short time, and the animal is appar- 

 ently restored to health. There is straining in passing the urine, and ■ 

 after it is passed there is pain, and if it exists to any great extent, the 

 animal gradually falls off in condition, and if you examine the urine, ; 

 the true character may possibly be seen by the sediment which is : 

 deposited after standing for some time. It is more common in cattle i 

 than in horses. 



Causes. — The exciting causes are the food and water. It is said that j 

 animals fed on turnips are more liable. Calculi are made up of car- 

 bonate of magnesia, phosphate of lime, etc. I have noticed that 

 where the water is strongly impregnated with the salts of lime the j 

 animals suffer more from this. Sometimes the animal may be in j 

 good condition and have calculi to a great extent — even remain in ■ 

 good condition until death. And it is possible that calculi may be '. 

 present for a considerable length of time before the symptoms become ; 

 well marked. The animal lies down, turns the head to the side, etc. j 

 Examine the condition of the urine, either chemically or by letting it ! 

 stand. 



