354 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



jaw is the one at fault. It gives rise to quidding of the 

 food, imperfect mastication, loss of condition, etc, A pro- 

 jecting tooth is one that grows longer than its fellows on 

 account of the opposing tooth immediately under or over it 

 becoming carious or having been extracted, in consequence 

 of which the tooth, meeting with no resistance, grows out 

 longer than is natural, and causes much pain and irritation, 

 which increase as the tooth increases in length, until it 

 becomes no longer possible for the animal to masticate his 

 food, great emaciation takes place, and, unless relieved, the 

 animal eventually dies, or has to be destroyed. 



Treatment. — The condition having been discovered, it 

 becomes necessary to remove the projecting portion of the 

 tooth, and reduce it to a level with its fellows. Gowing's 

 tooth-chisel is a very good instrument for the purpose, but the 

 best are Thompson's tooth-shears. If the above-mentioned 

 instruments fail, the projecting portion of the tooth may be 

 crushed off by means of the ordinary molar tooth forceps, 

 after which the ragged edges left by the forceps should be 

 removed by rasping the tooth until it is rendered smooth. 

 The after-treatment consists of feeding the animal on soft 

 food for a day or two, and in the course of ten days or a 

 fortnight he will improve to such an extent as to be scarcely 

 recognisable as the same animal seen a week or two before. 

 In some cases- there are present as symptoms a nasal dis- 

 charge, which may or may not be fetid, and a dribbling of 

 saliva from the mouth. 



CARIOUS TEETH. 



Caries of the teeth is characterized by gradual decay or 

 breaking down of the tooth-substance in small particles 

 by the ulcerative process. It is not a very uncommon 

 condition, especially in connection with the fourth molar, 



