DISEASES OF HORSES AND CATTLE. 27 



iron in the mouth to keep it open. If you have not 

 a balling iron, the iron stirrup of the saddle will 

 answer. Put this in the mouth to keep it open, 

 then pass the hand through it and into the throat 

 and feel for the offending body and remove it, if 

 possible. If it is a potato or piece of cob it may 

 be removed by giving a little oil, then pressing on 

 the outside of the throat it may be pressed up and 

 the animal cough it out. The horse probang can 

 be used with success in some cases. 



Choking in Cattle. — This is usually caused by 

 swallowing a potato, apple, piece of turnip or car- 

 rot or a piece of corn cob. No matter what part of 

 the gullet it is lodged in, it causes great distress. 

 The animal coughs, saliva runs from the mouth, 

 eyes bulge out, back arched, and bloating also 

 takes place. If it is in the upper part of the gullet 

 the animal soon dies from suffocation. If it is in 

 the middle or lower part the animal may live for 

 several days. If it is in the upper part of the 

 throat use the same means as for the horse. If it 

 cannot be removed in this way, use the probang, 

 which is made of spiral wire covered with leather, 

 and will bend with the neck; there is also a gag 

 to put in the mouth with a hole in the center 

 through which the probang passes; oil the pro- 

 bang and let one man take hold of the animal's 

 horns or ears while another passes the probang 

 through a hole in the gag and back into the gul- 

 let. Press gently until you feel the object, then by 

 steady pressure it will pass into the stomach; too 

 much force should not be used in case of rupturing 



