DISEASES OF THE HOKSE. 43 



and I confess I was, at my first examination, quite as much at a loss to offer any sat- 

 isfactory interpretation as others had been. While meditating, however, after my 

 inspection, on the apparently extraordinary nature of the case, it struck me that I 

 bad not seen the tusks. I went back into the stable and discovered two little tumors, 

 red and hard, in the situation of the inferior tusks, which, when pressed, gave the 

 animal insufferable pain. I instantly took out my pocketknife and made crucial 

 incisions through them both, down to the coming teeth, from which moment the 

 horse recovered his appetite and, by degrees, his wonted condition. 



The mouths of 3"oung horses should be examhied from time to time 

 to see if one or more of the milk teeth are not remaining too long-, caus- 

 ing the second teeth to grow in crooked, in which case the first teeth 

 should be removed with the forceps. 



Irregularities of teeth. — There is quite a fashion of late j^ears, espe- 

 cially in large cities, to have horses' teeth regularly "• floated," or 

 "rasped," by "veterinary dentists." In some instances this is very 

 beneficial, while in most cases it is entirely unnecessar3^ From the 

 character of the food, the rubbing, or grinding, surface of the horse's 

 teeth should be rough. Still, we must remember that the upper jaw is 

 somewhat wider than the lower, and that, from the fact of the teeth 

 not being perfectly apposed, a sharp ridge is left unworn on the inside 

 of the lower molars and on the outside of the upper, which maj^ excori- 

 ate the tongue or cheeks to a considerable extent. This condition can 

 readily be felt by the hand, and these sharp ridges when found should 

 be rasped down by a guarded rasp. In some instances the first or last 

 molar tooth is unnaturally long, owing to the fact that its fellow in the 

 opposite jaw has been lost or does not close perfectly against it. Should 

 it be the last molar that is thus elongated it will require the aid of the 

 veterinary surgeon, who has the necessary forceps or chisel for cutting 

 it. The front molar may be rasped down, if much patience is taken. 

 In decay of the teeth it is quite common to find the tooth correspond- 

 ing to the decayed one on the opposite jaw very much elongated, 

 sometimes to such an extent that the mouth can not be perfectly closed. 

 Such teeth must also be shortened by the tooth forceps, chisel, tooth 

 saw, or rasp. In all instances where horses " quid" their food, where 

 they are slobbering, or where they evince pain in mastication, shown 

 by holding their head to one side while chewing, the teeth should be 

 caref ull}' examined. Horses whose teeth have unduly sharp edges are 

 likely to drive badl}'; they pull to one side, do not bear on the bit, or 

 bear on too hard and "big," toss the head, and start suddenly when a 

 tender spot is touched. If, as is mostly the case, all the symptoms are 

 referable to sharp corners or projections of the teeth, these must be 

 removed by the rasp. If decaj^ed teeth are found, or other serious 

 difiiculty detected, or if the cause of the annoying symptoms is not 

 discovered, an expert should be called. 



Toothache. — This is rare in the horse and is mostly witnessed where 

 there is decay of a tooth or inflammation about its root. Toothache 



