18 RURAL VETERINARY SECRETS 



age case. When, however, the discharge is profuse or the patient 

 shows fever, a douche consisting of a solution of one tablespoonful 

 of common salt dissolved in two quarts of tepid water may be 

 injected into the nostrils and allowed to flush the anterior air cham- 

 bers once or twice daily. Inhalations of volatile substances are of 

 value. Turpentine or benzoin (1 to 5 per cent in form of steam) 

 may be tried. The crust on the nostrils may be greased with lard 

 or vaseline. 



BLEEDING FROM THE NOSE, HEMORRHAGES 



(Epistaxis) 



In some families of horses hemorrhages are an inherited pre- 

 disposition. In such cases the bleeding occurs without apparent 

 cause. It may follow over-exertion as in the case of the race horse. 

 It may also be caused by passing tubes, sponges, and other instru- 

 ments up into the nostrils. In forcibly ejecting dust and foreign 

 matter from the nose, horses sometimes induce hemorrhage. Frac- 

 tures of the facial, nasal and maxillary bones and tumors in the 

 nose may be followed by nose bleeding. 



SYMPTOMS 



It is usually not difficult to determine the origin of the hem- 

 orrhage, but to find the cause may require a most careful examina- 

 tion of the patient. Pulmonary hemorrhages are characterized by 

 a bright red, foamy nasal discharge emitted from both nostrils and 

 accomplished by cough, dyspnea, and weak pulse. When placing 

 your ear to the chest, however, you will hear a rattling sound with 

 each breath of the patient. If, however, the hemorrhage is from the 

 nose, these rattling sounds will not be noticed, although some of 

 the blood may be inspirated into the lungs and confuse the layman 

 as to the proper location of the hemorrhage. In hemorrhages from 

 the stomach the blood is also discharged through the nose in the 

 case of the horse and ox, but is more or less clotted, brown in 

 color, of acid reaction, and mixed with food particles. In the case 

 of the hog and dog the blood from stomach hemorrhages is vomited 

 throusrh the mouth. 



