532 DISEASES OF THE PHARYNX, (ESOPHAGUS, ETC. 



Tympanitis is also occasionally present in tlie horse. In the dog 

 violent retching and cough, with staring, prominent eyes, are the 

 most conspicuous signs. 



In some rare cases in the horse the actual cause of disorder 

 may be overlooked, more especially when the foreign body is 

 within the thoracic portion of the oesophagus, and I have seen 

 cases where loss of appetite, bloodshot eyes, constipation, and 

 discharge of sahva from the mouth, were the only apparent 

 symptoms, until a more minute examination proved the exist- 

 ence of a swelling along the course of the oesophagus, on the 

 left side of the neck. 



Mr. Gamgee arranges the causes under two heads : " 1st. Those 

 dependent on the animal itseK; and 2d. The nature of the food." 

 With reference to those under the first head, they are — " 1st. Any 

 influence wliich may favour the contraction of the throat or 

 gullet on the object swallowed. 2d. Inflammation or ulcera- 

 tion of the throat and gullet, which favour choking. The ulcera- 

 tion which follows bad accidents of this description, and which 

 is especially troublesome a week after an animal has been reheved 

 (of choking), often causes a dangerous accumulation of alimen- 

 tary matters low down in the oesophagus, od. Organic disease 

 of the oesophagus, especially constrictions such as are observed 

 in crib-biting horses. Ath. Injuries and diseases of the sahvary 

 apparatus or organs of mastication, whereby food is imperfectly 

 chewed and moistened. If the parotid ducts in a horse are both 

 opened, so as to allow of the escape of the secretion, the animal 

 soon suffers from impaction of the gullet. 5th. Voracious appe- 

 tite and rapid deglutition of bulky or dry food." 



The following cases may be interesting. They are from a 

 paper published in the Veterinarian, by Mr. King of Stanmore : — 



Mr. King observes that "choking is common among old 

 horses whose grinders are imperfect, and whose keen appetites 

 incite them to bolt their corn. He has seen the oesophagus in 

 this manner distended " almost from the stomach to the throat " — 

 a case in which recovery is very rare. Mr. King's practice is to 

 pour down fluids, and press and squeeze the oesophagus, with a 

 view of mingling the liquid introduced among tlie masses of 

 corn ; and this manipulation has occasionally succeeded. 



The following case shows how much a practitioner may be 

 led astray by false or imperfect accounts : — 



