COLIC AND AZATUREA 



I)K. M. Hamilton, Delhi. X. V. 

 Veterinarian and Farmers' Institute Lecturer 



COLIC 



Colic is a general term often applied to all affections of the 

 digestive apparatns. It is always accompanied by pain, which 

 mav he jnst no.ticeahle, moderate, or very intense. It is a very 

 convenient term for the veterinarian, for he considers his diag- 

 nosis correct, he the tronble in the stomach, ca'cnm, or small 

 or large intestines. \^eterinary writers, however, describe a num- 

 ber of kinds of colic, but a discussion of each in an article of this 

 kind would be far too complicated for the average layman. 



The horse seems to be predisposed to this disease. In his 

 natural state he ate often and in small quantities, so that his 

 oroans were never overloaded ; and, through the ages of evolution, 

 his digestive apparatus gradually adapted itself to that condition. 

 Xot manv centuries ago man discovered that the horse could be 

 made a useftd beast of burdeu, consequently his environment was 

 changed. Instead of roaming the fields and partaking of his 

 food at pleasure he has been forced to feed less often and in 

 larger amounts. 



Causes of Colic 



Anything that arrests or suspends digestion may cause colic. 

 The causes may be divided under two general headings: 



1. A diseased or disturbed condition of the animal's digestive 

 apparatus so that he cannot properly digest the food that is given 

 him, be it ever so wholesome. 



2. Anything that renders the food difficult of digestion; as, 

 for example, nuisty or moldy feed. 



Several factors may be included under the first heading : 

 (a) Poor teeth, long teeth or teeth with long corners that cut 

 o.r lacerate the cheek and tongue, induce the horse to swallow his 

 food with as little chewing as possible. This leaves the food in 

 such hard masses that it is rendered less capable of being 

 thoroughly acted upon by the digestive juices. 



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