514 DISEASES AND INJURIES OF THE FACIAL REGION. 



When an animal of this age is seen to stop feeding, to lose 

 condition, or to drivel from the mouth, it is necessary that the 

 mouth be duly examined, and if the unshed teeth are the source 

 of irritation, they ought to he at once removed. The smaller 

 tooth forceps will be found sufficiently strong. Many hundreds 

 of young cattle have been sacrificed from this cause; when a 

 proper examination has not been made, they have actually died 

 of starvation in the midst of plenty. In the horse the same 

 condition of the molars may occur, but it is very unusual ; the 

 corner incisors, however, may present the same anomalous con- 

 dition ; the loosened crown of the temporary tooth grasping the 

 crown of the permanent one, which seems to fit its irregularities 

 sufficiently tight to prevent its being shed in the natural manner. 

 It must be removed, as it proves a source of irritation. Horses 

 from four years to four years and six months should have their 

 mouths occasionally examined to see if all is going on well; 

 and all 3^oung teething animals — horses, cattle, sheep, and dogs 

 — if at any time seen to fall off in condition without apparent 

 cause, should undergo an inspection of their mouths in order to 

 ascertain the condition of the teeth. 



Horses at four years old are very subject to a distressing 

 cough. At this age the third temporary molar is replaced by 

 its permanent substitute, and at the same time the sixth molar, 

 or that standing last in the row, is being cut. Some amount 

 of irritation is seen to exist in the gums during the eruption 

 of all teeth, but in some instances the irritation is excessive, 

 and extends from the gum into the fauces and larynx. This is 

 particularly the case with the sixth molar ; and, as a result of 

 the extension of the irritation, cough is excited, more particularly 

 in the morning, when the animal begins to feed. The cough is 

 loud, sonorous, and prolonged: the horse may cough twenty, 

 thirty, or even forty times without ceasing. It is a throat cough, 

 originating in laryngeal irritation, which the animal endeavours 

 to be rid of by coughing. 



In some instances the cough is associated with a tendency to 

 diarrhoea, more particularly if the animal is being fed on un- 

 crushed corn and bran. The corn, swallowed without being 

 properly masticated, acts upon the irritable condition of the 

 mucous membrane, and easily sets up the diarrhoea. 



The cough is alarming, as it is supposed to terminate in 



