104 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



2 drams, followed by half-dram doses 

 of calomel every two or three hours. 

 Mustard poultices or other counter irri- 

 tants may also be applied to the belly. 



Diabetes i s characterized by an ex- 

 cessive secretion of a clear, watery urine, 

 great thirst, loss of strength and rapid 

 emaciation. The cause of the disease is 

 to be sought in any drug or food which 

 unduly stimulates the kidneys. Affected 

 horses may live for months or may die 

 of exhaustion within a short time. 

 Treatment is not always successful by 

 any means, but should properly con- 

 sist of a change of diet, the use of 

 wholesome food, boiled flaxseed in the 

 drinking water and tonics like powdered 

 gentian in doses of 4 drams and phos- 

 phate of iron in two-dram doses. 



Saccharine diabetes is another form 

 of the disease primarily due to an affec- 

 tion of the liver rather than of the kid- 

 neys. The chief symptom is the 

 secretion of a large quantity of urine 

 containing sugar. As is well known, 

 the liver has the function of storing 

 sugar in the form of glycogen, but may 

 at times fail to perform this function, 

 leaving large quantities of sugar in the 

 blood which is excreted through the kid- 

 neys. The excessive use of sugar or 

 molasses in the ration may give rise 

 temporarily to this form of diabetes. 

 If the liver is not seriously affected the 

 disease may best be treated by allowing 

 the horse to run at pasture and by ad- 

 ministering carbonate of potash in doses 

 of ^4 ounce ; mix vomica in half -dram 

 doses is also useful in improving the 

 general health. 



Bloody urine is ordinarily caused by 

 mechanical injuries or sprains in the 

 region of the loins or by bladder stones. 

 Certain plants also produce this effect, 

 at least temporarily. Thus, in some 

 cases bloody urine may be observed as 

 the result of feeding pea straw to horses 

 for long periods. In treating this dis- 

 ease it is necessary to avoid all irritating 

 substances in the food. Slippery elm 

 or linseed tea may be added to the drink- 

 ing water and in some cases cold water 

 applied to the loins is beneficial. It is 

 also well to give chloride of iron in 

 three-dram doses. 



Azoturia, also called hemoglobinuria, 

 is due to disease of the liver rather than 

 that of the kidneys, but the characteris- 

 tic symptoms are loss of control of the 

 hind legs and the excretion of dark-col- 



ored, ropy urine of a reddish or brownish 

 color. This disease is in most instances 

 connected with the use of a highly nitrog- 

 enous diet containing large quantities 

 of beans, peas, cottonseed meal, oats, 

 etc, especially when given to working 

 horses during a period of idleness. 

 Azoturia never appears among horses 

 at pasture and rarely among working 

 horses, except on holidays or days when 

 they are allowed to rest without a cor- 

 responding reduction of their ration. 

 Azoturia may cause death within a few 

 hours or days, or recovery may take place 

 under the proper treatment. The dis- 

 ease may be largely prevented by atten- 

 tion to the diet, reducing the amount of 

 protein and reducing the whole ration 

 during periods of idleness. Treatment 

 may consist in the use of laxatives, 

 daily exercise and a one-ounce dose of 

 saltpeter given each day. Bromide of 

 potash in a four-dram dose sometimes 

 yields encouraging results, as does also 

 iodide of potash in half-ounce doses 

 every four hours. 



Inflammation of the urinary organs 

 — Horses are also subject to acute or 

 chronic inflammation of the kidneys, 

 tumors in the kidneys, parasites in these 

 organs, inflammation and paralysis of 

 the bladder and stricture of the urethra 

 as well as urinary calculi. In cases 

 where evidence appears of stones or 

 gravel in the urinary organs, whether 

 in the kidneys, ureter, bladder or 

 urethra, the treatments ordinarily rec- 

 ommended have not shown very encour- 

 aging results. The continued use of 

 carbonate of potash or muriatic acid in 

 the drinking water may break down the 

 stones formed in the urinary organs, but 

 it is seldom that any method of treating 

 this disease is perfectly satisfactory. 



DISEASES OE THE RESPIRATORY 

 ORGANS 



The horse is subject to colds, catarrh, 

 bronchitis, pneumonia and other simple 

 inflammatory or more serious diseases 

 of the respiratory organs, and these 

 troubles are frequently due to badly ven- 

 tilated stables, and exposure to cold 

 rains or sudden changes of temperature. 

 In a case of simple cold, no serious re- 

 sults need be feared, provided the trouble 

 is not unduly neglected. . It may be well 

 to allow the horse to rest a few days and 

 supply warm food and water in a stable 

 where the temperature and pure air sup- 



