526 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



Broken wind or heaves is denoted by a characteristic hollow cough, 

 short, and something like a grunt, which once heard is easily recognized 

 a second time. Inspiration is performed normally, but expiration is 

 abnormal, being double, or what is commonly called the "double lift." 

 The first portion of the expiration expels the air as normally, and the 

 second apparently squeezes the remainder of the air from the lungs in 

 a gradual manner, seemingly with more or less voluntary exertion. 

 When such an animal is put to work, there is also a wheezing noise 

 with the breathing. From a commercial standpoint, a broken-winded 

 horse has practically no value, yet he may continue to work fairly well. 

 The cough is sometimes disguised by unprincipled persons through the 

 administration of such substances as shot and grease; but this is only 

 temporary. The abnormal breathing cannot be concealed. In some 

 cases of broken wind, the air vesicles of the lungs have been found, 

 after death, ruptured; the right side of the heart enlarged, and the walls 

 of the stomach dilated, though this is not always true. A predisposi- 

 tion to this disease may be inherited. In doubtful cases of broken 

 wind, give the animal all the water he will drink and then ride or drive 

 him uphill. This will bring out the symptoms if the disease is present. 



There is great diversity of opinion as regards the exact cause of 

 heaves. It is usually associated with disorder of digestion, or to an 

 error in choice of feed. Feeding on clover hay or damaged hay or 

 straw, too bulky feed, and keeping the horse in a dusty atmosphere or 

 a badly ventilated stable produce or predispose to heaves. Horses 

 brought from a high to a low altitude are predisposed. 



Capped elbow is commonly termed "shoe boil," and consists of a 

 bruise at the point of the elbow, generally caused by the heel of the 

 shoe when the horse is lying down, and sometimes from other causes. 

 The continued irritation leads to the production of a tumor at the 

 point of the elbow. The skin may be broken, and slight suppuration 

 very often occurs. The cause must be removed, and the animal pro- 

 vided with a leather or rubber ring around the fetlock while in the 

 stall. The remainder of the treatment is surgical. Capped elbow may 

 cause severe lameness, but it is usually a blemish only. 



Capped hock is quite common and may or may not constitute un- 

 soundness. It is the result of a bruise, either continuous or inter- 

 mittent, and may appear suddenly or gradually. Such bruises may be 

 received in shipping by train or boat, or by the habit some animals 

 have of kicking against the sides of the stall, or at fences, or even in 

 harness. The skin, bursa, or the bone may be involved in capped 

 hock. Usually it is the skin, which becomes very much thickened over 

 the point of the hock. It is in every case a blemish. Treatment con- 

 sists of hot and cold applications and blistering. 



