Diseases of the Horse. 45 



attacked. One attack of lung fever predisposes to others. 

 When kmg fever follows a severe blow or injury to the 

 chest, the injury must be looked on as a predisposing cause. 

 Cold does not effect the lung fever rate, except in colts and 

 old horses. March and April statistics usually exhibit the 

 highest lung fever rate. Colts and old horses are greatly 

 depressed by the intense cold of winter, and the chilling 

 winds of March and April. 



SYMPTOMS: Generally the horse is seized with 



a chill, which usually occurs in the night. This chill is 

 nitense and lasts from one-half of an hour to three hours. 

 A distinct chill is less frequent in lung fever of an old 

 horse; yet when an old horse has a marked chill, lung 

 fever may always be suspected. A protracted fit of shiver- 

 ing and pain in the side, are the two initial symptoms in 

 about fifty per cent, of the cases of lung fever. In the 

 other half of the cases, the onset is attended by slight in- 

 crease in the frequency, and irregularity of breathing, 

 slight fever, short hacking cough and an appearance of 

 great exhaustion. With these initial symptoms, there is 

 a rapid rise in temperature accompanied by pain in the 

 side, which is aggravated by coughing and deep breathing. 

 The breathing is difficult, cough, expectoration, , the coun- 

 tenance anxious, loss of appetite, and intense thirst. The 

 urine is scanty and dark. The bowels are constipated. 

 The respiration is more constantly increased in frequency 

 in lung fever, than any other disease. The breathing is 

 panting, not "catching" in character. Cough is present 

 in ninety per cent, of the cases. It comes on within twen- 

 ty-four hours after the advent of the disease. At first it 

 is short, "hacking" in character. 



TREATMENT: — It is absolutely necessary to have a 



