DISEASES OF THE HEART AND ITS MEMBRANES. 427 



than usual; the legs and ears are alternately hot and cold. The 

 bowels and appetite are irregular. When hydrops pericardis re- 

 sults, a lingering death is the only termination. 



Treatment. — The treatment is similar to carditis. To sum it 

 up, fomentations to the side, warm clothing, bandaging the legs, 

 with careful administration of medicines calculated to relieve 

 the urgent symptoms arising during the progress of the disease, 

 and supplying the animal with good food. 



ENDOCARDITIS. 



This consists of an inflammation of the lining membrane of the 

 heart. It gives rise to symptoms similar to pericarditis. The 

 treatment should be similar. 



HYPERTROPHY OF THE HEART. 



Hypertrophy is a condition in which the walls of the heart 

 become thickened and the cavities enlarged. It is frequently 

 seen in race horses and stallions, roncentrie hypertrophy is that 

 form of hypertrophy in which the walls of the heart become 

 thickened and the cavities lessened. This disease is frequently 

 associated with heaves and with valvular disease of the heart. 



Symptoms. — Fainting fits and regurgitations of blood in the 

 jugulars. The pulse varies considerably; it may be weak and 

 quick or strong and hard. The diagnostic symptoms are not 

 plain. Treatment is of no avail. 



Heart Dilatation. — This condition is said to be most com- 

 mon in pampered and irregularly exercised animals. I have 

 never been able to diagTiose this condition from liypertrophy, 

 but have seen it frequently during post-mortem. Potassium 

 chlorate should be administered freely. 



RUPTURE OF THE HEART. 



Rupture occurs as a result of dilatation, occasioned while the 

 animal is undergoing some severe exertion, as in racing. Death 

 immediately results. 



