OF VETERINARY MPZDICINE. 131 



able to void his urine. Overdistension of the bladder also causes 

 pain. Some horses refuse to urinate while in harness; others 

 will not urinate on the bare floor. 



Most all cases of colic are due to the first cause — errors in 

 diet. The effect of this is indigestion, and we can say that sev- 

 enty-five per cent of the colic cases are due to indigestion. 



The feces in most cases are hard and dry. If the trouble 

 is in the large bowel, the horse will stand stretched out as though 

 he wanted to micturate. This action on his part is usually looked 

 upon as a symptom of the disturbance being in the large bowel, 

 but the owner gets the idea that the irritation is in the bladder. 

 Again, when the large bowel is involved in colic, the horse will 

 usually resist the entrance of the hand into the rectum, but will 

 not if the trouble is in the small bowel. 



Occasionally we find that indigestion produces diarrhoea, — 

 quite an extensive loosening of the bowels with severe cramps in 

 connection with it. 



Treatment. — Bear in mind that the trouble is always urgent, 

 therefore be quick. If you delay, he will get well without your 

 help ! On the other hand he may develop enteritis. Stimula- 

 tion is the main point as regards curing the horse. The object 

 of this is to assist nature in forcing the irritant, whatever it is, 

 along through the bowels. Of course these stimulants naturally 

 increase the pain, but by so doing you are assisting nature to 

 overcome the trouble. If the contents of the bowels lie along in 

 one place, this will produce inflammation and death. The stimu- 

 lants usually given are the more active ones such as sulphuric 

 ether, liberal doses of nux vomica, strychnine, ginger, small 

 doses of eserin or arecolin, barium chloride, aromatic spirits of 

 ammonia. 



Give anodynes freely, such as chloral hydrate, tincture of 

 aconite (freely dilute it in small doses and repeat often), can- 

 nabis and in exceedingly violent cases hypodermic injections of 

 morphine, not desirable but allowable. Friction on the belly 

 gives relief. To overcome the indigestion use some neutral salt 

 to act as an antiseptic. Give sodium theosulphate in 2-ounce 

 doses. Turpentine is an excellent remedy, being an antiseptic 

 and a stimulant. Ginger and capsicum are also good remedies. 



