RURAL VETERINARY SECRETS 131 



STRANGLES (Horse Distemper) 



(See Fig. 14, opposite page.) 



Horse distemper or strangles is due to a specific germ which 

 gains access to the blood by the horse coming in contact with other 

 infected horses, drinking out of the same vessels or rubbing its nose 

 on a post or manger where the discharge of an infected horse has 

 been deposited. This disease is the fore-runner of many more 

 serious diseases than strangles itself. The germ particularly at- 

 tacks the red corpuscles of the blood, which causes a general weak- 

 ness of the system to such an extent that it cannot resist other dis- 

 eases. 



TREATMENT 



(See Fig. 15, opposite page.) 



Distemper can be prevented by vaccination. Just as soon as 

 one of your horses show signs of distemper, all the rest should be 

 immediately vaccinated and all the animals given a teaspoonful of 

 Sanguitone twice or three times daily. This gives the well animals 

 resisting power and hasten the recovery of the sick. When a swell- 

 ing appears in the throat a liberal application of Elk's Dessicant 

 should be well rubbed into the skin of the affected parts once daily 

 until the swelling breaks open and discharges. Then the wound 

 should be kept clean with soap and warm water. A warm linseed 

 poultice may then be applied twice daily to hasten suppuration and 

 terminate the disease. To apply poultice, a bandage as shown be- 

 low will greatly aid in keei)ing the poultice in place. 



INFLUENZA 



Influenza is a very wide term applied to epizootics of the horse. 

 Pink Eye is one form of the disease. Stockyard Fever, so-called 

 ■ is another form. This disease is more or less serious, depending to 

 a great extent on the health of the animal and the healthiness of 

 its surroundings. It may be set down as a general rule that a horse 

 off feed should not be worked, and if the clinical thermometer 

 shows a fevered condition in the animal the veterinarian should be 

 consulted. Partial or complete loss of appetite, fever, great nervous 

 depression, partial loss of control of the limbs, constipation, slimy 

 feces, discharges from the eyes, cough, sore throat, swelling of the 

 limbs, sheath and along the belly, and occasionally a nasal discharge 

 are all common symptoms of influenza ; a serious result in pregnant 

 mares is abortion, few carry their foals the full time. The duration 



