156 



MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT 



[chap. 



in temperature shows that tuberculosis is present 

 in some form. If animal shivers, it may be a 

 sure sign. A sudden rise in temperature is not 

 a sure sign. The degree of rise in temperature 

 is not in proportion to the amount of tuberculosis 

 present. The period of incubation of tuber- 

 culosis is two to eight, or more, weeks. 



Treatment. — Fresh air, isolation, absolute 

 sanitation. Perfect hygiene and antiseptic pre- 

 cautions. Give internally, antiseptics, pot. 

 iodide, and nutritive diet. Give mineral and 

 vegetable tonics, and quinine, iron and chiretta. 



611. Influenza, or Pink-eye. 



Cause. — Directly by a micro-organism, strep- 

 tococcus. 



Symptoms. — Usually ushered in with rigors. 

 Temperature up to 106°. Coat staring, pulse 

 quick, eyelids swollen, pinkish colour to eye. 

 Difficult defaecation, uneasy movements, due to 

 swollen joints, may be accompanied with lung 

 trouble. An improvement is generally seen after 

 three or four days. 



Treatment. — Fresh air and very careful stable 

 management and feeding. Linseed tea and easily- 

 digested mashes. Bathe eyes, if much swollen, 

 with 10 per cent. sol. boracic acid and warm 

 water. If pulse is weak, give digitalis. Do not 

 give aconite, as it tends to lower the blood 

 pressure, and thus increase liability of blood 

 clotting. For this reason antifebrin (acetanilin) 

 should not be given in large quantities, as it 

 might cause serious harm, and even stasis of 

 circulation and death. Strychnine should be 

 given with it. Give one grain strychnine, hypo- 

 dermically, in neck, if pulse is weak, first day, 

 and half a grain on the following days. The 

 best drench that I know is the following: 



Ammonium chloride . . J dr. 



Pot. dichromate . . . 5 gr. 



Water, siifiicient; Ihree limes a day. 



The ammonia is a diaphoretic and diuretic, 

 liquefies mucus, is a heart stimulant, and, if 

 there is any jaundice present, it is a chola- 

 gogue. The chromate is a systematic antiseptic 

 which reaches the whole system through the 

 blood. 



A pint of whisky every four to six hours 

 should be given in bad cases. Give green grass 

 and a few crushed oats to tempt the horse's 

 appetite. I have seen excellent results with 

 Parke Davis's equine influenza vaccine ; one 

 tablet being given the first day, hypodermically, 

 two tablets the fourth day, three tablets the 

 eighth day, and, if necessary, four tablets on the 

 twelfth and five tablets the sixteenth day. Each 

 tablet contains 100 million streptococci equi and 

 200 million staphylococci. The following drench 

 may be given as an alternative to the one above : 

 Gentian, spirits ether nitrate, pot. chlorate, and 

 quinine sulphate. Excellent results have been 

 obtained from the use of a strangles vaccine, 



prepared from the streptococci equi by Dr. 

 Evans, of Ottawa. 



612. Strangles, or Distemper, is a constitu- 

 tional disease peculiar to young horses, produced 

 by a vegetable microbe, the streptococcus coryzee. 

 Characterised by the formation of abscesses in 

 the space between the lower jaw bones ; 

 abscesses may appear in other places. 



Symptoms. — Generally ushered in like an 

 ordinary cold. Running from nostrils, pain on 

 pressure under jaw, perhaps cough, sore throat, 

 off feed, fever. Later, swelling on the jaw, or 

 perhaps on other parts of the body. A skin erup- 

 tion may be present ; the fluid from these 

 eruptions is infectious. The swellings turn to 

 abscesses. Period of incubation is generally only 

 a few days. The abscesses in strangles tend to 

 point, thus distinguishing them from glanders 

 abscesses. 



Treatment. — Good hygiene, cool, fresh air, 

 good and careful feeding on mashes. Warm 

 clothing. Inhalation of steam and eucalyptus oil 

 and turps, of each 4 oz., in bucket of boiling 

 water. Do not cover head up, but allow fresh 

 air to get to nostrils as well. Tracheotomy may 

 have to be performed if there is danger of suffo- 

 cation. Foment the abscesses with hot water 

 until pus forms, then lance. Keep parts syringed 

 out with antiseptic daily. Swellings will soon 

 subside. It may be necessary to poultice the 

 lower jaw with an antiseptic poultice. Do not 

 give purgative. Keep bowels loose by warm 

 water and soap enemas. On recovery, give 

 gentle exercise, feed carefully, and give mineral 

 and vegetable tonics. The strangles vaccine, 

 mentioned in Sec. 611, has been used with 

 success. 



613. Glanders (sometimes called Farcy). — 

 Glanders is caused by a bacterium or vegetable 

 organism, the bacillus mallei. 



Cause. — Indirectly, unclean utensils and other 

 contagion. 



Symptoms. — OfT feed, watery discharge from 

 nose, which later becomes thick and dark. 

 .Abscesses form on the lower jaw, with no ten- 

 dency to point. Skin may become hidebound, 

 and hair may be easily rubbed off. Later, will 

 be pimples and abscesses on Schneiderian mem- 

 brane. The nasal discharge is very infectious, 

 and has bad smell. Generally no cough ; sore 

 throat or fever present. 



Treatment. — Any suspect must at once be 

 isolated, inspected, and all bedding burnt ; stall 

 made quite aseptic, according to veterinary regu- 

 lations, and all clothing and tools isolated. 

 Mallein test must be resorted to at once. Keep 

 hands well soaked with antiseptic while examin- 

 ing, wear long white coat, and avoid horse blow- 

 ing any of the discharge from its nose into one's 

 face, as man readily contracts the disease, which 

 is generally fatal. 



Mallein Test. — Keep horse quiet, tiike lem- 



