The Aihnents of Horses. 23 



Of course the cause must first of all be 

 removed. 



Diarrhoea. — Colts and foals are the 

 most frequent sufferers from excessive 

 evacuation of liquid faeces. A distinction 

 must be drawn between moderate and 

 excessive purgation. 



Over-acidity of the stomach is the 

 usual cause of infantile diarrhoea, and it 

 is only when treatment is directed against 

 this hyper-acidity that one can hope to be 

 successful in stopping the discharge. 



A fairly common cause of diarrhoea in 

 yearlings is a blood-sucking worm, known 

 as " Strongylus Tetracanthus." Sudden 

 changes of diet, abuse of physic balls, 

 exposure to cold, too much green food, 

 and other special causes, are the chief 

 factors operative in the production of 

 diarrhoea. 



Treatment. — Try to ascertain the 

 cause, because be it understood that 

 diarrhoea is but a symptom of disease or 

 disorder. 



In the case of sucking foals, give the 

 dam half an ounce of bicarbonate of soda 

 or potash, along with her food, twice or 

 thrice daily. 



To the foal, give a couple of ounces of 

 castor oil, along with one drachm of lauda- 

 num. A few hom'S afterwards give it 

 two drachms of bicarbonate of potash, re- 

 peating this every six hours. This powder 

 can be given in a little milk. 



Or one may, instead of giving the castor 

 oil, administer a dose of grey powder — 20 

 grains placed on the back of the foal's 



B 2 



