481 



intestines, and the laminae of the feet, is more apt to have pneumonia 

 congestive colics, and founder, while lymphatic, cold-blooded animals 

 have pleurisies, inflammation of the bones, spavins, ring bones, etc., 

 inflammation of the glands of the less vascular skin of the extremities,' 

 greasy heels, thrush, etc. 



Young horses have inflammation of the membranes lining the air 

 passages and digestive tract, while older animals are more subject to 

 troubles in the closed serous sacks and in the bones. 



The work to which a horse is put (saddle or harness, speed or 

 draft) will influence the predisposition of an animal to inflammatory 

 diseases. Like in congestion, the functional activity of a part is an 

 important factor in localizing this fonn of disease. Given a group of 

 horses exposed to the same draft of cold air or other exciting cause 

 of inflammation, the one which has just been eating will be attacked 

 with an inflammation of the bowels; the one that has just been work- 

 ing so as to increase its respiration will have an inflammation of the 

 throat, bronchi, or lungs; the one that has just been using its feet 

 excessively will have a founder or inflammation of the laminae of the 

 feet. 



The direct cause of inflammation is usually an irritant of some 

 form. This may be mechanical or chemical, external or internal. 

 Cuts, bruises, injuries of any kind, parasites, acids, blisters, heat, 

 cold, secretions, as an excess of tears over the cheek or urine on the 

 legs, all cause inflammation by direct injury to the part. Strains or 

 wrenches of joints, ligaments, and tendons cause trouble by lacera- 

 tion of the tissue. 



Inflammations of the internal organs are caused by irritants as 

 above, and by sudden cooling of the surface of the animal, which 

 drives the blood to that organ which at the moment is most actively 

 supplied with blood. This is called repercussion. A horse which 

 has been worked at speed and is breathing rapidly if suddenly chilled 

 is liable to have pneumonia, while an animal which has just been fed 

 if exposed to the same influence is more apt to have a congestive 

 colic, the blood in this case being driven from the exterior to the intes- 

 tines, while in the former it was driven to the lungs. 



Symptoms.— The symptoms of inflammation are, as in congestion, 

 change of color, due to an increased supply of blood ; su-elliny, from the 

 same cause, with the addition of an effusion into the surrounding tis- 

 sues; heat, owing to the increased combustion in the part; j^in"^ due 

 to pressure on the nerves and altered function. This latter may be 

 augmented or diminished, or first one and then the other. In addition 

 to the local symptoms, inflammation always produces more or less 

 constitutional disturbance or fever. A splint or small spavin will 

 cause so little fever that it is not appreciable, while a severe spavin, 

 an inflamed joint, or a pneumonia may give rise to a marked fever. 

 5061 — HOR 10 



