22 BUliEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTKY. 



Thirst is diminished in a good man}'^ mild diseases unaccompanied 

 by distinct fever. It is seen where there is great exhaustion or 

 depression or profound brain disturbance. Thirst is increased after 

 profuse sweating, in diabetes, diarrhea, in fever, at the crisis of infec- 

 tious diseases, and when the mouth is dry and hot. 



Some diseases of the mouth or throat make it difficult for the horse 

 to chew or swallow his food. Where difficulty in this respect is expe- 

 rienced, the following-named conditions should be borne in mind and 

 carefully looked for: Diseases of the teeth, consisting in deca}'-, frac- 

 ture, abscess formation, or overgrov/th; inflammatory conditions, or 

 wounds or tumors of the tongue, cheeks, or lips; paral^'sis of the 

 muscles of chewing or swallowing; foreign bodies in upper part of 

 the mouth between the molar teeth; inflammation of throat. Diffi- 

 culty in swallowing is sometimes shown by the symptom known as 

 "•quidding." Quidding consists in dropping from the mouth well- 

 chewed and insalivated boluses of food. A mouthful of hay, for 

 example, after being ground and masticated, is carried to the back 

 part of the mouth.- The horse then linds that from tenderness of the 

 throat, or from some other cause, swallowing is difficult or painful, 

 and the bolus is then dropped from the mouth. Another quantity of 

 hay is similarly prepared, only to bo dropped in turn. Sometimes 

 quidding is due to a painful tooth, the bolus being dropped from the 

 mouth when this tooth is struck and during the pang that follows. 

 Quidding may be practiced so persistently that a considerable pile of 

 boluses of food accumulate in the manger or on the' floor of the stall. 

 In pharyngitis one of the symptoms is a return through the nose of 

 fluid that the horse attempts to swallow. 



In some brain diseases, and particularly in chronic internal hydro- 

 cephalus, the horse has a most peculiar manner of swallowing and of 

 taking food. A similar condition is seen in liyperemia of the brain. 

 In eating the horse will sink his muzzle into the grain in the feed 

 box and eat for a while without raising the head. Long pauses are 

 made while the food is in the mouth. Sometimes the horse will eat 

 very rapidl}^ for a little while and then slowly; the jaws may be 

 brought together so forcibly that the teeth gnash. In eating hay 

 the horse will stop at times with hay protruding from the mouth and 

 stand stupidlj^ as though he has forgotten what he was about. 



In examining the mouth one should first look for swellings or for 

 evidence of abnormal conditions upon the exterior; that is, the front 

 and sides of the face, the jaws, and about the muzzle. By this means 

 wounds, fractures, tumors, abscesses, and disease accompanied by 

 eruptions about the muzzle may be detected. The interior of the 

 mouth is examined by holding the head up and inserting the fingers 

 through the interdental space in such a wa}"" as to cause the mouth to 

 open. The mucous membrane should be clean and of a light-pink color, 



