DISEASES OF THE HOKSE. 73 



cessful find recovery takes place, see to it that the horse aftei'wards 

 gets regular exercise and that his food is not of a too highly nutritious 

 character and not excessive. 



Jaundice, icterus, or the yellows. — This is a condition caused 

 by the retention and absorption of bile into the blood. It was for- 

 merlj^ considered to be a disease of itself, but is now regarded as a symp- 

 tom of disorder of the liver. "The yellows" is observed by looking 

 at the ayes, nose, and mouth, when it will bo seen that these parts are 

 yellowish instead of the pale-pink color of health. In white or light- 

 colored horses the skin even may show this 3'ellow tint. The urine is 

 saffron colored, the dung is of a dirt^^-gray color, and constipation is 

 usually present. Jaundice may be present as a symptom of almost 

 any inflammatory disease. We know that when an animal has fever 

 the secretions are checked, the bile ma}' be retained and absorbed 

 throughout the S3'stem, and yellowness of the nmcous membranes fol- 

 lows. Jaundice ma}" also exist during the presence of simple consti- 

 pation, hepatitis, biliary calculi, abscesses, hardening of the liver, etc. 



Treatment. — When jaundice exists Ave must endeavor to rid the sys- 

 tem of the excess of bile, and this is best accomplished bj- giving pur- 

 gatives that act upon the liver. Calomel, 2 drams, with aloes, 7 

 drams, should be given. Glauber's salts in handful doses once or twice 

 a day for a week is also effective. Mavapple, rhubarb, castor oil, and 

 other cathartics that act upon the first or small bowels ma}^ be selected. 

 We must be careful to see that tlie bowels are kept open by avoiding 

 hard, dry, bulky foods. 



Rupture of the liver. — This is known to occur at times in tli'i 

 horse, most frequently in old fat horses and those that get but little 

 exercise. Horses that have suffered from chronic liver disease for 

 jcars eventually present sjnuptoms of colic and die qitite suddenl}^. 

 Upon postmortem examination we discover that the liver had rup- 

 tured. The cicatrices, or scars, that are often found upon the liver 

 indicate that this organ maj^ suffer small rupture and jet the horse 

 recover from it. This result can not obtain, however, if the rent, or 

 tear, is extensive, since in such cases death must quickly follow from 

 hemorrhage, or, later, from pe:itonitis. Enlarged liver is particu- 

 larh^ liafjle to rupture. 



Causes.- — The immediate causes of rupture appear to be excessive 

 muscular exertion, as leaping a fence, a fall, a blow from a collision, a 

 kick from a horse, or sudden distention of the abdomen with gas. 



The symj>toms of rupture of the liver will depend upon the extent 

 of the laceration. If slight there will be simply the symptoms of 

 abdominal pain, looking back to the sides, lying down, etc.; if exten- 

 sive, the horse is dull and dejected, has no appetite, breathing becomes 

 short and catching, he sighs or sobs, visible mucous membranes are 

 pale, extremities cold, pulse fast, small, and weak or running down. 



