482 WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE 



in harness wbile wearing a tight collar, and the animal is out of 

 condition. It BKiy also be due to disease — as in glanders, when 

 we have ulceration ; or to leeches getting up the nose while the 

 animal is drinking from a pond or stream. The blood comes away 

 by drops, sometimes in a very thin stream, and usually from only 

 one nostril; there is no foaming or cough, though the animal may 

 occasionally sneeze. It is rare that any bad eifects follow bleeding 

 from the nose when uncomplicated with disease. If it is due to 

 leeches, then these must be reached and picked oflF. 



Sponging the face and nose with cold water, and throwing it up 

 the nostril, will usually check bleeding. If it persists, however, 

 the horse's head should be tied up high to the hay rack, a beam, 

 or the branch of a tree ; and if it continues very severe the nostril 

 should be plugged with a sponge, handkerchief, or bundle of tow. 

 As the horse breathes only through the nostrils — not by the mouth 

 as well, like the ox, dog, pig, or sheep — both nostrils must not be 

 plugged at the same time. An examination should be made by a 

 veterinary surgeon, to ascertain the amount of injury or disease. 



Bleeding from the mouth is commonly due to injury or leeches, 

 and the blood is bright red in color. Allowing the animal to rinse 

 its mouth in cold water, or washing it out with a solution of alum 

 in water, will check or stop the hemorrhage. 



Bleeding from the stomach is symptomatic of serious disorder — 

 as of disease or poisoning — and demands the attention of the veter- 

 inary surgeon. The blood will be discharged from both nostrils in 

 the horse, but chiefly from the mouth in other animals. It is black 

 in color, has a sourish smell, and is more or less in clots. Attempts 

 at vomiting are usually observed in stomach hemorrhage. The 

 cause shciuld be discovered, if possible, and if poisoning is sus- 

 pected or ascertained, the poison will be of a corrosive nature, and 

 have caused ulceration of the interior of the stomach. In such 

 circumstances, linseed or olive oil, starch, or flour gruel, or a quan- 

 tity of beaten-up eggs, should be administered. If these do not 

 combine with the poison, and so render it inert, they will, at any 

 rate, act as a protection against the further action of the substance, 

 and more or less soothe the ulcerated surface. If there is pain, 

 opium' — either in the form of powder or watery solution — should 

 be given mixed with the gruel, oil, or eggs. The acetate of lead 

 in solution is also useful. 



Bleeding from the lungs is distinguished from that from the nos- 

 trils, mouth, or stomach, by the animal coughing very much, and 

 the blood — which passes from the nostrils in the horse, mouth and 

 nostrils in other animals — being bright red and foamy. There is 

 usually distress in breathing. It is ordinarily brought on by severe 

 exertion or coughing, though it may also be a result of disease — as 



