106 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS 

 SYSTEM 



While the diseases peculiar to the 

 nervous system of the horse are not 

 readily recognized by the average farmer 

 and are not easily treated, it may be 

 well to mention briefly some of the 

 more important ones. The membrane 

 of the brain may undergo an inflamma- 

 tion, which gives rise to cerebritis or men- 

 ingitis, as it is also called. This trouble 

 is usually caused by exposure, extreme 

 heat or cold, overfeeding with nitrogen- 

 ous food or injury to the brain. The 

 first symptoms are usually those of men- 

 tal excitement and are followed by de- 

 pression, muscular twi tellings and con- 

 vulsive or spasmodic movements. In 

 violent cases there is delirium and 

 plunging. About the only treatment 

 which can be applied in such cases is 

 the use of ice packs upon the head and 

 bleeding in case the heart action is very 

 violent. Some benefit is also derived 

 from the use of a cathartic, such as 

 Barbadoes aloes, in doses of 7 drams. 



Congestion f the brain, also known 

 as megrims, may be due to the influence 

 of great heat, sudden excitement or arti- 

 ficial stimulation. Tat horses with 

 short necks are especially subject to this 

 disease. The symptoms appear sud- 

 denly. The animal stops, staggers and 

 falls and the breathing is fast and 

 noisy. In some cases loosening the col- 

 lar gives immediate relief. The animal 

 may be given a large dose of Glauber 

 salts or some other purgative and bleed- 

 ing from the jugular vein will give re- 

 lief if the blood pressure is high. 



Sunstroke — In cases of this disease 

 the animal suddenly stops, droops his 

 head, staggers and falls to the ground 

 unconscious. The breathing is noisy 

 and the pulse slow and irregular. The 

 temperature may rise to 107° or 109° 

 F. In sunstroke no bleeding should ever 

 be permitted. Ice or cold water may be 

 applied to the head and spinal cord and 

 whiskey in six-ounce doses given with 

 half an ounce of carbonate of ammonia 

 may be administered. 



Minor nervous diseases — Among the 

 other nervous diseases to which the 

 horse is subject, mention may be made 

 of apoplexy, anemia of the brain, dropsy 

 of the brain, nervous spasms affecting 

 various parts of the body, epilepsy, 

 paralysis, spinal congestion, nerve tu- 



mors, electric shock and chorea or St 

 Vitus' dance. The last named trouble 

 is characterized by involuntary muscu- 

 lar contractions affecting different parts 

 of the body. Stringhalt is sometimes 

 considered as a form of chorea. In 

 cases of stringhalt, one or both of the 

 hind legs may be suddenly jerked up to 

 a much greater height than is usual in 

 walking. The disease rarely affects the 

 front legs. The symptoms usually be- 

 come more pronounced in old age. 

 There is little success to be expected 

 from treatment of this trouble. Occa- 

 sionally some benefit is derived from 

 giving iodide of iron in doses of 1 dram. 



DISEASES OF THE BLOOD SYSTEM 



Nearly all of the troubles which come 

 under this head are difficult to recog- 

 nize, except for the trained veterinarian, 

 and are not easily treated. A number 

 of inflammatory diseases of the heart 

 are known, affecting the muscle proper, 

 the external covering or the internal 

 covering. The symptoms of inflamma- 

 tion of the heart may include a chill, 

 sudden increase in temperature and ir- 

 regular heart sounds which may be noted 

 by placing the ear over the heart on the 

 left side of the animal. The horse may 

 also be affected with pericarditis, val- 

 vular disease of the heart, palpitation, 

 fainting, enlargement of the heart, 

 fatty degeneration, arterial weakness, 

 varicose veins and other similar troubles 

 which closely resemble in their symp- 

 toms the same diseases in man. 



Purpura hemorrhagica — This disease 

 ordinarily occurs as a sequel to stran- 

 gles, influenza or some other infectious 

 and debilitating trouble. It may, how- 

 ever, occur as a primary and independ- 

 ent disease. Swellings suddenly ap- 

 pear on various parts of the body, head, 

 lips, legs, belly, etc. The swellings are 

 not very painful to the touch, but may 

 acquire large size. The nostrils may be- 

 come so badly swollen as almost to be 

 closed. In the mouth and nostrils dark 

 red or purple spots may be seen and a 

 blood-colored discharge may take place 

 from the nose. This trouble is best 

 treated by the use of sulphate of iron 

 in one-dram doses every six hours or by 

 giving carbonate of ammonia in one- 

 dram doses, together with half an ounce 

 of tincture of ginger and 2 drams of 

 fluid extract of red cinchona bark. If 

 colloidal silver can be obtained, this 



