THE HORSE, SKIN' DISEASES, ETC. 



26a 



It is not contagious ; but filth and want of attention will produce it in 

 nearly all horses similarly subjected to their influences. 



How to know it. — It manifests nearl}^ the very same symptoms as 

 thrush, as given in the following section; but there is one striking pecu- 

 liarity which distinguishes it from thrush, foot-evil, and other disorders 

 Df that kind — the heel cracks open. In a healthy state, the heel of the 

 horse is moistened, and so kept from becoming dry and hard, by a con- 

 stant secretion and discharge of an oily fluid from the cellular tissues 

 under the skin. When this is obstructed, the skin becomes dry and 

 feverish, and looks scurfy and hot. It soon thereafter cracks, and the 

 pent-up oily secretion, now turned to a foul, yellowish water, flows out. 

 As the flow of matter increases, it becomes more and more thick, stickey, 

 and stinking ; and if not attended to, the heel and sides of the foot 

 become a mass of ulcerated excrescenses. 



It sometimes manifests itself by the oozing 

 out of a thin matter through the pores of the 

 skin from some deep-seated disease of either the 

 coffin-bone or the navicular Joint — most fre- 

 quently the latter. The more effective treatment 

 in this case would of course be that directed to 

 the healing of the primary disorder. 



What to do. — The treatment necessary is sim- 

 ilar to that for scratches. In the first place, see 

 to it that the causes which have induced it shall 

 no longer operate. If the disease is secondary, it 

 must be somewhat difficult to manage ; and the ani- 

 mal should be allowed to rest, taking only such ex- 

 ercise as nature prompts, in an open pasture, ex- 

 cept in bad weather. When it is necessary to con- 

 fine him, give him a good stable, dry litter, and 

 pure air. Remember that rest is one of the first 

 conditions of success ; while constant driving or any 

 other labor will most probably defeat the ends of the 

 ph3'sician. 



If the disease is discovered in its early stage, and 

 the general health of the animal has not suffered, 

 cleanse the parts well with tepid water and 



castile soap, and make occasional applications of No. 2, or the camphor- 

 ated corrosive sublimate, say once a daj^ till a cure is effected. A few 

 applications will generally be found sufficient. 



If the horse is thin m flesh, and in a low state of health from the 

 effects of this disease, mix sulphur and rosin, in the proportion of two 



FiBST Stage of Confibmbb 

 Greas* Exudation. 



Second Stage of Coi»- 

 FiBMED Grease CBAeks. 



