216 The Care of Animals 



calves it is generally preferable to teach them to drink 

 "by hand." 



PYEMIA, OK BLOOD-POISONING, IN COLTS 



Pyemia is a disease of young colts due to infection 

 by pus -producing bacteria. The disease usually occurs 

 within two or three weeks after the colt is foaled. 

 In the early stages of the disease the symptoms are 

 the collecting of pus in the pockets or swellings, and 

 usually some swelling of the joints in the affected' 

 region, with stiffness and difficult locomotion. If the 

 pockets are not opened, the pus often burrows along 

 the tendons and in the loose tissue about the joints, 

 until it finally breaks and discharges as a thin 

 j'ellow fluid from pockets that spread and ramify in 

 various directions. The source of infection is usually a 

 wound of some kind, in some cases probably the navel. 

 When this disease is neglected the colt becomes dull, loses 

 appetite, lies in the sun, grows weak, and finally dies. 



All cavities containing pus should be opened freely, 

 washed out with warm water, and treated with a solu- 

 tion of corrosive sublimate (one part to one thousand 

 parts of water). A solution of one part of peroxid 

 of hydrogen in two parts of water is excellent. A 

 solution of white lotion, made by diluting the ordinary 

 solution with one -third the amount of water, can be 

 used in place of the sublimate. An infected navel must 

 be treated with strong antiseptics, a weak tincture of 

 iodine, or cauterized with lunar caustic. The colt 

 should be well nourished. 



