DISEASES OF THE HOKSE. 61 



half pound to a gallon of water, once or twice daily for a few days, 

 and follow by a physic, are most beneficial. It should be borne in 

 mind that intestinal worms are mostly seen in horses that are in poor 

 condition; and an essential part of treatment then is to improve the 

 appetite and powers of digestion. This is best done by giving the 

 vegetable tonics. One-half ounce of Peruvian bark, gentian, ginger, 

 quassia, etc. , is to be given twice a day in the feed or as a drench. 



To improve the general condition, one may give artificial Carlsbad 

 salts, 1 tablespoonful in each feed, and each dose to have added to it 

 3 to 5 grains of arsenious acid. 



Bot-fly larvss do not require special treatment unless they lodge in 

 the rectum, in which case thej^ may be dislodged by injecting tobacco 

 water. If plentj^ of rock salt is allowed for horses to lick, they will 

 thus be protected against intestinal parasites to a slight but useful 

 dcgTee. 



Indigestiox or gastro-ixtestinal catarrh. — There is ample reason 

 for considering these conditions together from the facts that the}^ merge 

 insensibly into each other and usually occur simultaneousl3^ This con- 

 dition ma}' be acute — that is, of sudden onset — or it may be chronic. 

 The clianges of structure produced by this disease occur in the mucous- 

 membrane lining of the stomach and intestines. This membrane 

 becomes red from increased blood supply or from hemorrhage into it, 

 it is swollen, and is covered by a coating of slimy mucus. In some 

 especially severe cases the membrane is destroyed in spots, causing the 

 appearance of ulcers or of erosions. 



The causes of indigestion are numerous but nearly all arc the result 

 of errors in feeding. 



Some horses are naturally endowed wntli weak digestive organs, and 

 such arc predisposed to this condition, x^nj^thing that irritates the 

 stomach or intestines may cause this disease. Foods that the animal 

 is unaccustomed to, sudden changes of diet, imperfectly cured, unripe, 

 or damaged foods, are all fruitful causes, and so are worms. In suck- 

 ling foals this condition may come from some disease of the dam that 

 renders her milk indigestible or from overexertion or overheating 

 of the mare. Another prolific cause is bad teeth making mastication 

 imperfect and thus causing the horse to swallow his food in a con- 

 dition unfit for the action of the digestive juices. Working a horse 

 too soon or too hard after feeding may cause either colic or indiges- 

 tion. Any condition that reduces the vitalit}^ of the horse, such as 

 disease, overwork, poor food, or lack of care, may indirectlj^ bring 

 on indigestion b}" weakening the digestive organs. 



Sywptoins. — Indigestion is characterized by irregular appetite; 

 refusing all food at times, and at others eating ravenously; the appe- 

 tite is not only irregular, but is often depraved; there is a disposition 

 on the part of the horse to eat unusual substances, such as wood, soiled 



