DISEASES OF ANIMALS 



101 



temperature runs up to 104° F. Occa- 

 sionally there may be slight catarrhal 

 symptoms, with discharge from the nos- 

 trils. Chills are never observed in the 

 course of this disease. There is almost 

 always some swelling of the legs, partic- 

 ularly between the fetlock and hock; 

 the sexual organs are also likely to be- 

 come greatly swollen. In the later 

 stages of the disease the animal becomes 

 markedly paralyzed. The appetite is 

 ravenous, but there is a gradual and ex- 

 treme emaciation. There is no satis- 

 factory treatment and affected animals 

 should therefore be slaughtered at once 

 and buried. 



Cerebro-spinal meningitis — This is, 

 in the most instances at least, a non-con- 

 tagious disease which occurs in horses 

 in isolated cases or occasionally in ex- 

 tensive outbreaks. The symptoms of the 

 disease are not well defined and it is 

 therefore probable that several different 

 diseases have been referred to under the 

 same name. Similar, if not identical, 

 diseases have been called choking dis- 

 temper, grass staggers and blind stag- 

 gers. Horses of all ages and both sexes 

 are affected and temperament and phys- 

 ical condition have nothing to do with 

 susceptibility to the disease. Mules are 

 affected as well as horses and the mor- 

 tality among them is equally great. Ac- 

 cording to certain European investiga- 

 tions, this disease is due to a bacterial 

 organism in the membranes of the 

 brain. Such conditions were found in 

 an outbreak investigated in Maryland. 

 Other writers have attributed the dis- 

 ease to ergot, smuts and other fungi 

 which are supposed to be taken with 

 the food. In some instances improper 

 feeding has been considered the cause 

 of the disease. Occasionally the use of 

 moldy corn causes a rapidly fatal dis- 

 ease in horses, usually referred to as 

 cerebro-spinal meningitis. 



The usual symptoms are staggering 

 gait, partial or total inability to swallow, 

 various muscular contractions and de 

 lirium. In violent cases treatment is 

 seldom effective, while in mild forms 

 the administration of cathartics, tinc- 

 ture of aconite and blisters on the neck, 

 spine and throat give some relief. 



New horse disease — A disease among 

 horses which acquired the name of 

 "new horse disease" was investigated in 

 Maryland and appeared to be cerebro- 

 spinal meningitis. Since no bacterial 



organism has been identified in con- 

 nection with this disease in the United 

 States, it seems well to avoid the use 

 of all moldy grain or fodder or, at least, 

 cease feeding such material if the symp- 

 toms of the disease should appear. In 

 some cases a beneficial effect is noted 

 from the use of cold water or crushed 

 ice about the head and favorable re- 

 sults have also been obtained from bel- 

 ladonna and strychnine. In an out- 

 break of this disease which occurred in 

 Delaware, decayed corn silage, musty 

 oats and musty wheat bran were sus- 

 pected of having caused the trouble. 

 Feeding experiments with suspected sub- 

 stances for the purpose of determining 

 their effect upon horses have usually 

 been without result. In such experi- 

 ments grain screenings containing a 

 large proportion of cockle seed, wheat 

 bran infested with stinking smut and 

 moldy oats failed to produce any symp- 

 toms of the disease in horses. In addi- 

 tion to the experiments already men- 

 tioned, it should be stated that in mild 

 attacks there is a loss of control of the 

 legs and tail and loss of appetite; also 

 a brown discoloration of the mucous 

 membranes of the mouth and nose. In 

 violent cases there is trembling, stupor 

 and complete paralysis, the animal stag- 

 gering and falling to the ground. In 

 such cases a large proportion of the an- 

 imals die in convulsions. Improvement 

 may begin on the third or fourth day, 

 or in more severe cases the disease lasts 

 eight to 14 days. This trouble needs fur- 

 ther investigation. 



DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE OR- 

 GAN'S 



The horse is subject to a number of 

 troubles due to improper rations, over- 

 feeding and unpalatable or moldy feed. 

 Moreover, water in excessive quantities 

 after an unusually long period of thirst- 

 ing may give rise to violent digestive 

 disturbances. As should be apparent to 

 every farmer, the quality of water given 

 to horses should be above suspicion. It 

 is besc to allow the horse to drink at 

 frequent intervals or whenever dry. No 

 bad results may be expected from allow- 

 ing the horse to drink small quantities 

 of water, even when heated from work- 

 ing. As already indicated, however, 

 after long periods without water, some 

 care must be exercised. Many cases are 

 on record where horses during transpor- 



