xi] ORGANIC, FUNCTIONAL AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES 149 



on heavy feed and then given hard work pre- 

 dispose to an attack. 



Symptoms. Horse goes well at first, then 

 becomes dull ; later, goes slow, and gets stiff 

 over hindquarters ; will drag hindlegs, and may 

 then paw with the forefeet. May be stiff in fore- 

 legs (caput muscles). Later, staggers, sweats 

 profusely, and shows great pain, may tremble 

 and fall down. Muscles over hindquarters are 

 very hard, pain on pressure generally. Breath- 

 ing difficult, signs of great nervousness ; may 

 moan. Urine is colour of tar, due to the colour- 

 ing matter in the muscles escaping into the blood 

 and thence into the kidneys ; may be in fore- 

 quarter only, but very rare. Temperature may 

 go up to 104 ; pulse always affected, which is 

 quick, jerky and hard. Mucous membrane red- 

 dened ; if very bad, may be dirty yellow. Legs 

 and ears cold. Coma is generally acute. May 

 recover almost instantaneously. May recur. 

 May leave partial paralysis. 



Treatment. Keep quiet in big box-stall with 

 plenty of bedding. Apply hot water over hard 

 muscles. Do not put into sling. Pass catheter 

 every four hours. Give purgative at once, areco- 

 lene 1 gr. hypodermic. Massage gently with 

 stimulating liniment over hard part. Give plenty 

 of water and pot. bromide. Keep bowels loose 

 afterwards. Give adrenaline, if pulse is not full 

 and quick. Give anodynes and stimulants. After 

 acute stage give nux vomica F.E. 1 dr., tine, iron 

 1 oz., soda carbonate i oz., morning and night, 

 for two or three days, and massage affected 

 muscles. If paralysis of muscles, give electric 

 treatment. 



Diseases of Heart 



573. PERICARDITIS, or inflammation of peri- 

 cardial sac, which encloses heart, is uncommon. 



Cause. Chill, external injury, blood poison- 

 ing, swallowing nails, etc. May follow pleurisy, 

 rheumatism, influenza, tuberculosis, lung 

 abscess, etc. 



Symptoms. Palpitation of heart. Difficult 

 breathing, respiration quick ; may be mistaken 

 for pleurisy. Eyes unnaturally bright. Mouth 

 hot, ears and legs alternately hot and cold, pulse 

 generally small and weak ; often a pulse in the 

 jugular veins, due to valve of heart not closing 

 properly. Bowels and appetite irregular. 



Treatment. Absolute rest, no excitement or 

 fright. Cold water irrigation for half an hour 

 over region of heart (outside sixth and seventh 

 ribs). Followed by mustard plaster. Give oral 

 laxative to keep bowels free. Small and re- 

 peated doses tine, aconite 5 min. Give opiates if 

 pain bad. Give pot. bicarbonate 2 dr. every two 

 hours until relief. Pot. iodide helps to absorb 

 effusion. Never give digitalis if valves of heart 

 are not working well. Feed very carefully after- 

 wards, and continue giving pot. iodide until 

 symptoms of iodism appear. 



574. HYPERTROPHY OF HEART. A hypertrophy 

 is not in itself a diseased condition, but merely 

 a part that has increased in size due to increased 

 work of that part, and, therefore, increased 

 nourishment. 



Cause. Excessive exercise, as in racehorses. 

 Valvular defects. May result from tuberculosis 

 or chronic nephritis. 



Symptoms. Great weakness, pulse strong 

 and hard, or weak and quick. Pulse in jugular 

 veins ; may be fainting fits. Throbs of heart 

 shake the whole body. If compelled to move, 

 almost suffocates. Respiration quick. If only 

 slight, as in many racehorses, there will be no 

 serious symptoms. 



Treatment. If very slight, give horse slow 

 work. If bad, of little use. Give pot. iodide 

 2 dr. twice a day, and diffusible stimulants. 



575. DILATATIONS OF HEART. May follow 

 hypertrophy. Size of heart cavities is increased, 

 and walls are thinner. 



Symptoms and Treatment. Similar to hyper- 

 trophy. Horse may sometimes continue at slow 

 work. 



576. RUPTURE OF HEART. May be the result 

 of any sudden exertion, or follow any heart 

 trouble. Death follows instantaneously. 



CYANOSIS, or blue disease (very uncommon), 

 is due to the non-closure at birth of opening in 

 heart (foramen ovale), which normally becomes 

 closed. Medicinal treatment is of no use. In 

 foetal life the foramen ovale is the communica- 

 tion between right and left auricles. Normally, 

 this closes at birth, leaving the fossa ovalis. 



Blood Vessels 



577. ANEURISM OF ARTERY, or DILATATION OF 

 WALL OF ARTERY. 



Cause. Exertion, fall, blow, weakness. 



Symptoms. Faintness, staggering, difficult 

 breathing. May fall down, and get up, after 

 fifteen minutes, apparently all right. 



Treatment. Give lead acetate 1 dr., pot. 

 iodide 2 dr., twice a day. If possible, operate 

 under anaesthetic ; ligature artery, and dissect 

 out the aneurism. 



578. THROMBOSIS, or CLOT IN ARTERY. 

 Cause. Aneurism, breaking up of a diseased 



vessel, heart disease. The block caused by the 

 clot (thrombus) is generally in femoral artery, 

 near the front border of the pelvis (where the 

 artery gives off the profunda femoris and pre- 

 pubian arteries). 



Symptoms. Sudden and severe lameness, 

 but not hardened muscles, as in azoturia. Limb 

 deathly cold. May be sweat patches, due to 

 severe pain. May suddenly recover. Perhaps 

 only places toe on ground while pain lasts. 

 Trembling, quick breathing, may fall down. 

 Examination per rectum may assist in diagnos- 

 ing case. 



