DISEASES OF FARM ANIMALS 1 37 



COFFIN JOINT LAMENESS.— See Navicular 

 Disease. 



COLDS.— See Catarrh. 



COLIC. — Colic is an inflammation of the bowels 

 characterized by a spasmodic contraction of the in- 

 testinal walls. It is a very common disease in 

 horses, and occasionally cattle and lambs are af- 

 fected with it. Both the small and large intestines 

 may be afflicted or only one of them. There are 

 many causes, but feed and water are the controlling 

 factors. An animal just stopped from hard work 

 and given a large quantity of cold water, especially 

 after eating, may be quickly troubled. And the 

 animal hot from work, on drinking very cold water, 

 often gets colic. Then, too, a change of food, or a 

 change from dry feed to green food or eating some 

 root crop when the animal is not used to it, may 

 bring on the disease. 



Then, again, some horses and cattle are more 

 given to colic than others. Some individuals are 

 never troubled, and others are almost constantly 

 under its influence. If much inflammation sets in, 

 a very serious case is on your hands. Two kinds 

 of colic are known — the spasmodic, a contraction, 

 commonly known as cramps of the bowels; and 

 wind or flatulent colic or bloating. Some author- 

 ities add a third, and call it worm colic. 



Spasmodic Colic. — This kind of colic is first 

 noticed when the horse begins to paw with his fore- 

 feet, cringes, bends his head around as if looking at 

 his side, lays on the ground and rolls as if in pain; 

 then he stands quietly for a while and repeats these 

 performances again. During the time between the 

 spasms the animal is more at ease and frequently 

 eats a little. When the spasms come on again the 

 shifting about and the roiling are repeated. If the 



