THE HORSE, ITS DISEASES. 379 



laxatives, and give as much rest and soft food as possible. Swine from 

 the sixth to the twelfth month usually cut thirty-six teeth, and sometimes 

 require attention. 



n. Shedding Teeth. 



In the shedding of the teeth the mouth should be examined frequently 

 for loosened teeth, to find if the new teeth are growing properly. If 

 they are likely to become crowded, causing twisting, they should be 

 straightened, and if necessary one of them extracted to allow them to 

 grow properly. Sometimes there will be disease of the membranes sur- 

 rounding the roots of the teeth, causing loosening, deviation from the 

 proper course, suppuration, and even shedding of the teeth with much 

 pain, even to inflammation and other diseases of the gum. Relief is to 

 be given by careful examination, keeping the bowels open with soft food, 

 such manipulation as may be necessary, sponging the gums with tincture 

 of myrrh, lancing the gums, and extraction of the loose teeth when 

 necessary. 



m. Blind Teeth. 



Supernumerary teeth may occur among the nippers and grinders. 

 When so they should be extracted. Blind, or wolf teeth, are not super- 

 numerary, but natural as they are insignificant, and would not be necessary 

 to notice here were it not from the fact that ignorant pretenders have 

 given the impression that they are the cause of blindness, big head, and 

 even apoplexy or staggers. These teeth are certainly useless, and occur 

 in horses (not in mares) immediately in front of the grinders and may 

 be extracted without difficulty or injury, care being taken that they be 

 not broken and thus irritate the gums. 



IV. Decay of the Teeth. 



The teeth of horses under an artificial system of management, are quite 

 subject to decay. Usually this is found in the grinders, although it 

 eometimes, but rarely, occurs in the nippers. 



Causes. — Anything that will destroy the enamel or corrode the teeth, 

 strong mineral medicines, fermentation in the stomach, breaking of the 

 teeth by biting hard substances, or natural causes from increasing age. 



How to know it. — The horse will suddenly drop the food from the 

 mouth ; slavering and exhiliition of pain. This means toothache in its 

 acute form. The general symptoms are imperfect chewing of the food. 



