204 DISEASES OF ANIMALS. 



down each nostril, three successive mornings. The 

 calves must fast the night previous to giving the dose. 

 If the first trial does not succeed, repeat it after eight or 

 nine days. 



DIARRHCEA, OR LOOSENESS. 



There are various causes for diarrhoea, such as 9 

 change from dry to green food, or from short to luxu- 

 riant pastures, change of climate, change of food ot 

 water, poisonous plants, atmospheric influence, and 

 other causes. 



It should not always be regarded as a disease ; there- 

 fore it should not be stopped immediately, as it may be 

 only an effort of nature to throw off disease, or prevent 

 it, by discharging something that is injurious. Let it 

 run twenty-four hours. Then if it be violent, give half 

 a dose of physic, with a table spoonful of ginger, in ordei 

 to assist nature in ridding the bowels of any irritant 

 matter. Next day, give astringent medicines, and keep 

 the animal on dry food. If neglected or ill treated, this 

 disease is liable to degenerate into dysentery, which is a 

 more serious complaint. 



These diseases are often confounded ; diarrhoea is the 

 voiding of dung in too fluid a form, in large quantities, 

 and in a fuU stream. It sometimes has an offensive 

 smell, and is occasionally mingled with blood; it is 

 incidental, occurring at all seasons of the year, and 

 often stopping of itself. Yet this is often the precursor 

 of 



DYSENTERY. 



Causes. Long journeys, and lying out on cold, wet 

 nights, exposure to sudden changes of weather, taking 

 cold after calving. It is most common in spring and 

 fall, and in low, wet, swampy situations. It sometimes 

 results from neglected diarrhoea. 



Symptoms. If not preceded by diarrhoea, it begins 

 with frequent and painful efibrts to discharge dung, 

 which is thin, slimy and stinking, mingled with mucus, 



