330 COLIC. 



Symptoms. — In the generality of cases of Colic the animal 

 is suddenly attacked with acute pain in the bowels ; the patient 

 crouches, stamps with the feet violently upon the ground ; kicks 

 the abdomen with the hind feet, or throws himself down and 

 rolls over. The pulse at first is seldom quickened ; the breath- 

 ing is sometimes short and hurried. In this state the patient 

 will usually continue for a few minutes, when a cessation of the 

 pain occurs and the horse for a like period is quiet ; after which 

 the pain returns with perhaps even greater severity than before. 

 As the disease goes on it either slowly subsides or it takes on 

 greater intensity; the patient rolls and tumbles with greater 

 violence ; large patches of perspiration break out upon several 

 parts of the body — such as the sides, under the abdomen, upon 

 the haunches, and between the bird limbs. 



A second form of the malady is where the above symptoms 

 are present, but in a modified form, attended with a manifesta- 

 tion as though desirous to urinate ; the fore limbs are advanced, 

 the body stretched forth, and the tail is erected. In this posi- 

 tion the horse may remain for two or three minutes at a time, 

 with the head either elevated or the nose turned either towards 

 the right or the left flank, which is regarded with a fixed, earnest 

 look ; the position is then changed, and he commences to paw 

 afresh, and to roll upon the ground. 



In a third form, the abdomen is tense, attended with rum- 

 bling of the bowels, the emission of flatulence, accompanied by 

 the animal occasionally dropping small portions of dung. This 

 is a form which partakes more of Tympany than genuine Colic* 



In a fourth variety of this afiection the patient does not 

 manifest any symptoms of a violent character. The pains 

 which occasionally become intense are generally mild and slow ; 

 the animal sometimes crouches, and regards its side with a dull, 



* See Article Tympany, page 317. 



