256 THE STOCK owner's ADVISER. 



DEFORMITY OF THE MOUTH AND IRREGULARITIES OF THE 



TEETH. 



Parrot Mouth. — This is a well-known deformity, in which 

 the upper incisors project in front, overhanging the lower ones. 

 The treatment in such cases can only be palliative, and consists 

 in the periodic rasping of the edges of the teeth and feeding the 

 animal on soft food. Deformities of the incisors are occasionally 

 noticed. Loth as to position and number. They seldom cause any 

 inconvenience, unless, when projecting beyond a moderate 

 length, they bruise or other^vise injure the opposite jaw. They 

 must be removed by the incisor cutter, and dressed by a suitable 

 rasp, or, if not too long, may be rasped down. 



The molars are often seen to be irregular. The two opposing 

 rows are often of irregular length. The teeth not coming in wear 

 by this means, become elongated to such an extent as to cause 

 extensive disease in the lower or upper jaw, as the case may be. 

 The tooth should be cut by the molar cutters and dressed to a 

 level with the other teeth. A mouth speculum, or balling iron, 

 should be used to hold the mouth open. 



CARIES OF THE TEETH. 



Dental gangrene, or decay, is confined principally to the molar 

 teeth; the incisors seldom decay. Caries may commence prima- 

 rily in the fang, neck, or crown of the tooth. Caries in the lower 

 animals is generally caused by some injury to the teeth, as a 

 pebble or a piece of iron being taken into the mouth. Caries in 

 the neck of the tooth is seen in animals with teeth set wide apart, 

 and is caused by food remaining in the interspaces, and by decom- 

 position, exciting, inflammation in the periodental membrane. 



Symptoms. — Difficulty in mastication. Frequently, while eat- 

 ing, the animal suddenly s^ops, throws up his head as though 

 suffering a sudden twinge of pain, and perhaps drops the food 

 from his mouth. There will be a remarkable odor, a flow of 

 saliva, an appearance of a black spot on the carious tooth, sharp 



