I50 THE FARM DOCTOR. 



IMPACTION OF THE LARGE INTESTINES IN HORSES. 



This results from overfeeding, especially on grain (Indian 

 corn, wheat), from hard, fibrous, indigestible food taken in 

 excess to make up for the deficiency of quality ; from imperfect 

 preparation of the food in diseases of the teeth, jaws, or salivary 

 glands ; from insufficiency of water, and eminently from want 

 of exercise. 



Symptoms. — Considerable impaction may last for a time 

 without any sign, and the disease finally shows itself suddenly 

 as a violent colic. More commonly transient colics come on 

 after meals for several days in succession. There are pawing 

 with the fore-feet, uneasy movements, or kicking of the belly 

 with the hind, lying down and rising at short intervals, turning 

 of the nose toward the flank, and the frequent passage of wind 

 and of dung, the latter a few small pellets at a time. There is 

 special fulness and tension of the right side of the belly, dulness 

 on percussion, solid resistance when pressed, and if the soaped 

 hand is introduced through the last gut the solidly impacted 

 bowels are usually to be felt. The pressure of these on the 

 bladder often causes frequent discharges of urine. A favourite 

 position is one with the fore limbs stretched forward and the 

 hind backward. 



Treatment — In mild cases and in the early stages give a 

 laxative diet (roots, soft bran mashes, oil meal, corn-stalks), and 

 two or three ounces of Glauber salts daily in the food. In the 

 more severe, give aloes, gentian, and nux vomica, and in case 

 of tympany, carbonate of ammonia or peppermint ; relieve pain 

 by hyoscyamus or belladonna, and follow up with frequent 

 injections of warm water, and frictions and fomentations of the 

 abdomen. The aloes should not be repeated under twenty- four 

 hours, but if there is evidence of their having passed off by the 

 kidneys they may be replaced by linseed or olive-oil. The 

 action of the bowels may be deferred three or four days without 



