FOOD AND FEEDING . 657 



attainable. We may restrict the diet as a whole or in part. 

 Starving diminishes circulatory protein, increases tissue 

 waste, weakens an animal, and lessens the natural resistance 

 against disease. Restricting the diet is useful in controlling 

 unmanageable animals, in diminishing sexual excitement, 

 and in the treatment of plethora when combined with proper 

 exercise. In most acute inflammatory diseases, as in acute 

 laminitis, a light laxative diet is desirable, as steamed oats 

 with bran and salt, roots and green fodder. In the milder 

 forms of acute gastro-enteritis we must restrict the diet to 

 small quantities of easily digested food, as cracked or 

 steamed oats, chopped hay and gruels, with the addition of 

 a little green fodder or roots for horses ; while carnivora are 

 given milk and lime water. In chronic digestive disorders 

 the food must be readily digestible and assimilable, and of a 

 nitrogenous character, since anaemia and malnutrition follow 

 the defective digestion and absorption. In chronic indiges- 

 tion or gastro-enteritis of horses, Zuill recommends oats 

 (boiled, scalded or steamed, and allowed to stand 12 hours), 

 2 parts ; bran, 1 part ; and malted barley, 1 part. The 

 addition of salt and a little green fodder to this ration is 

 palatable and desirable. The dietary for constipation in 

 horses should consist of bran mashes twice a week with 

 plenty of salt ; roots and green fodder at frequent intervals, 

 combined with suitable exercise and appropriate drug treat- 

 ment. Dogs suffering from constipation may be given raw 

 liver twice a week, or may be put on an occasional or exclu- 

 sive diet of one of the commercial dog breads or biscuits. 

 These are laxative and are invaluable in eczema of dogs, 

 commonly resulting from lack of exercise and over-indul- 

 gence in food. If constipation is very obstinate, total abstin- 

 ence from all food, water excepted, for a time, followed by 

 the use of lean meat with salt and beef tea, are indicated till 

 the bowels are emptied manually or by enemata. The ration 

 for diarrhoea embraces the partial restriction of water, which 

 increases the bulk and fluidity of the intestinal contents and 

 so stimulates the movements of the bowels. If the diarrhoea 



