DISEASES OF HORSES. I37 



The breath is hot. Deep, snoring breathing indicates 

 disease of the brain. 



THE FEET. 



Coldness of the feet indicates inflammation of im- 

 portant internal organs, as the lungs, pleura, bowels, 

 bladder, etc. Heat and tenderness of the feet occur 

 in founder. 



THE HAIR. 



The hair is dry and staring in farcy, glanders, indi- 

 gestion, hide-bound from any cause, worms, mange, 

 consumption, surfeit, all diseases of the skin, and 

 starvation. The hair comes out in patches in mange, 

 and in spots in surfeit. 



THE SKIN. 



Heat of the skin is one of the principal signs of ex- 

 ternal local inflammation; it also shows the presence 

 of some fevers of a general character. A yellowness 

 about the mouth, eyes and nose shows jaundice, or 

 inflammation of the liver. Redness of the skin of the 

 heels is a forerunner of grease or scratches. Dryness 

 and huskiness of the skin and hair indicate consti- 

 tutional derangement, either of a chronic character, 

 or it may be some acute disease already present or 

 just coming on, as pleurisy or inflammation of the 

 lungs, in which the skin of the legs is cool or cold 

 throughout. 



THE DUNG. 



The appearance of the horse's dung shows the con- 

 dition of his digestion. The dung very offensive, like 

 that of a hog or human, indicates a want of action in 

 the absorbent vessels of the bowels, which is a form 

 of indigestion. The dung-balls are slimy in glanders, 

 farcy, and worms. 



