132 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



Some animals are predisposed to it, and such often have a 

 peculiar appearance of wildness, and are easily excited. 



Sfjmpttvns. — The peculiTirity of vertigo is the suddenness of 

 the attack. While being driven, the animal stops, falters in 

 his action, elevates his head, staggers about from one side of 

 the road to the other, becomes perfectly unmanageable, 

 and finally falls to the ground ; lies there awhile, then gets 

 uj), stares about him in a vacant manner, shakes himself, 

 and apparently is all right again. He is a very dangerous 

 animal to possess, as the trouble is liable to come on at 

 any time without the slightest premonitory symptom, and 

 he may fall and kill some one. It is oftener noticed in 

 harness horses than in any other kind, and may be due to 

 pressure of the collar on a bloodvessel. Sometimes pre- 

 monitory symptoms are presented, as for a day or two the 

 animal appears languid, etc. 



Treatment. — Endeavour to ascertain the cause ; if it is 

 a Ijadly fitting collar, remedy it. Give a laxative, and one 

 or two good doses of potassae bromide. Some animals 

 never have but one attack. When attacked two or three 

 times it may be known that he is subject to it, and is an 

 extremely dangerous animal to ride or drive. 



APOPLEXY. 



This disease is not very often met with in the horse, and 

 is now and then the cause of death when it does occur. In 

 the dog it is also seen, but occurs with greatest frequency 

 amongst pigs, as they take on fat very readily, and eat large 

 quantities of food, which tends to weaken the bloodvessels. 

 It mny be due to the formation of a small blood-clot in the 

 circulation. Apoplexy is common in fat animals not getting 

 much exercise, as pigs and pampered dogs. 



Pathology. — It is due to arrest of the circulation of the blood 

 in the brain, and there may pt3ssibly be rupture of some of 

 the small bloodvessels of the part, and extravasation of blood. 



