148 



MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT 



[CHAP. 



flesh side down, put on for eight hours ; not 

 longer, or hairs of coat will come out. Oil pur- 

 gatives, not aloes. Hot water enema. Tine, 

 aconite. Anodynes (morphine). Sod. hypo- 

 sulphite is good. Careful diet for several 

 weeks. 



CHRONIC NEPHRITIS. 



Cause. More common in old, hard-worked 

 and debilitated horses. Exposure to cold, abuse 

 of drugs, bad food. 



Symptoms. Much milder than acute form. 

 Urine scanty, high colour. No acute pain, stiff- 

 ness in regions, passes off on exercise, may 

 stretch out hindlegs. Falls off in condition, legs 

 may swell while standing. Dull and sluggish, 

 pulse slightly up, appetite uncertain. 



Treatment. Remove cause, feed on easily 

 digested food. Give plenty of good water and 

 fresh air and gentle exercise. 



566. CYSTITIS, or INFLAMMATION OF BLADDER. 

 Uncommon. 



Cause. May follow parturition. Exposure 

 to cold and damp, irritant medicines, abuse of 

 diuretics, such as nitre. 



Symptoms. Pulse up, fever, pain, mouth 

 hot, constipation, generally straddling gait. 

 Frequent urinating, which is a sure sign. Horse 

 may roll very gently, often stamps feet. Exami- 

 nation per rectum reveals heat around bladder, 

 probably pain on pressure. The bladder is 

 situated under the rectum, on the floor of the 

 pelvic cavity. 



Treatment. Give febrifuges, inject opium 

 1 dr. and tepid water into bladder through cathe- 

 ter. Clothe warmly, especially over loins. Warm- 

 water enema every half-hour ; keep quiet, give 

 linseed tea. 



567. CATARRH OF BLADDER. 

 Cause. Chill, calculi. 



Symptoms. Urine thick and slimy, no symp- 

 toms of any other disease. 



Treatment. Flush out bladder with 2 per 

 cent, solution boracic acid. Give pot. chlorate 

 1 dr. twice a day. A fair-sized horse will hold 

 over half a gallon in bladder ; hold fluid in for 

 several seconds, and then let out. 



568. DYSURIA, or RETENTION OF URINE. 

 Cause. Obstructions in urethra (the tube 



that passes from the bladder to the end of the 

 penis). Damage to penis, paralysis of bladder, 

 contraction of neck of bladder. May follow 

 colic. 



Symptoms. Pain and uneasiness, which in- 

 creases. Violent attempts to urinate. Groans ; 

 may lie down and get up. Rectal examination 

 reveals full bladder. 



Treatment. Pass catheter and insert hand, 

 and press all urine out of bladder. Warm-water 

 enemas. Give nux vomica i dr., belladonna 

 F.E. 1 dr. In mare, rub belladonna F.E. around 

 neck of bladder, which is felt on the bottom of 

 the vagina about six inches inside the vulva. 



569. INCONTINENCE OF URINE (Dribbling). 

 Cause. Generally nervous disease, probably 



of brain. May follow stringhalt, which is a 

 nervous disease. Influenza, weakness, feeding 

 on much sugar, diabetes. 



Symptoms. Dribbling of urine continually. 



Treatment. Remove cause, give mild purga- 

 tive, good food and strychnine (nux vomica 

 F.E. | dr. morning and night) for four or five 

 days. Iodine crystals given in the form of a 

 bolus often produce good results. 



570. DIABETES MELLITUS. Very uncommon in 

 horses. Generally unfavourable. 



Cause. May be due to too rich, starchy feed- 

 ing. Probably from liver disease. 



Symptoms. Debility, depression, weakness, 

 unthrifty coat, great thirst, appetite much in- 

 creased, urine has sickly smell and contains 

 sugar. Test for sugar : 



Fermentation Test. Take a test tube of urine, 

 add yeast, invert. Carbon dioxide gas will form 

 in top if sugar is present. 



Trammer's Test. Take two inches of urine 

 in test tube, add about one-eighth of its volume 

 soda hydrate solution, then add, drop by drop, 

 1 per cent, solution copper sulphate. Shake. If 

 sugar is present, cuprous hydrate will be dis- 

 solved. Add until this remains precipitated at 

 the bottom of the test tube. On boiling, top part 

 of solution goes yellow ; boil more, and it turns 

 red (cuprous oxide). If too much copper sul- 

 phate has been added, the solution will turn 

 black, and experiment must be commenced 

 again. 



Treatment. Reduce starchy foods, give dilute 

 hydrochloric and salicylic acid and preparations 

 of iron. 



571. DIABETES INSIPIDUS, or POLYUREA. 

 Cause. Bad stable management, dusty or 



heated oats. May follow influenza or brain 

 diseases. 



Symptoms. Weakness, digestion impaired, 

 colic pains, excessive urinating, excessive thirst 

 (drinking 17 to 18 gallons of water per day). 

 Temperature normal or low. No sugar in urine. 

 Urine is alkaline and plentiful, coat harsh and 

 staring, much debility, mouth clammy, sour 

 smell, pulse quick. 



Treatment. Good food. Do not allow much 

 water ; mix clay in water. Give mild purgative 

 and lead acetate. Give Lugol's solution (iodine, 

 pot. iodide, and water) 2 dr. twice a day. If 

 stomach is acid, shown by regurgitation, give 

 chalk. 



572. AZOTURIA. Called hsemoglobinuria, but 

 it is now thought that it has nothing to do with 

 the blood. 



Cause. Idleness and stimulating diet. Bad 

 hygiene and want of fresh air predispose horse 

 to an attack. Heavy horses suffer most and die 

 more easily from it. More common during raw 

 cold winter days. Standing for a day or two 



