238 THE HOBSE IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 



Treatment consists in administering a purgative. Bathe the 

 leg for half-hour periods three times each twenty-four hours with 

 warm water, rub dry, and apply soap liniment with friction to 

 stimulate circulation. Internally, give ounce doses of saltpeter 

 three times a day. Regulate the diet by providing laxative feeds. 

 When these directions are closely followed recovery is rapid, but 

 recurrent attacks are apt to occur and lead to a permanent enlarge- 

 ment — "elephant leg." 



AZOTDMA 



Azoturia occurs when a horse accustomed to daily work is 

 exercised after one or two idle days on full feed. It is charac- 

 terized by a coffee-colored urine and a partial or complete paralysis 

 of the hind legs. It may occur at any time of year, but it is more 

 commonly seen in cold weather. 



Azoturia is an auto-intoxication resulting from improper feed- 

 ing and lack of exercise. Horses in good condition are most sus- 

 ceptible to it. It may be prevented with the greatest certainty by 

 reducing the grain ration about one-third when the animal is idle. 



Symptoms. — The horse starts away from the stable in particu- 

 larly good spirits. Suddenly he lags, sweats profusely, and gets 

 lame in one or both hind legs, which knuckle over at the ankles. 

 Soon he is unable to stand and may fall, in which event he attempts 

 to rise, but is only partially successful. Once down he rapidly 

 becomes worse, and the symptoms are aggravated. The urine is 

 retained and of a thick, dark, red-brown, or coffee color, and full of 

 suspended matter. This color is due to hemoglobin from the dis- 

 integrated red blood-corpuscles. Its presence in the urine has 

 given the disease the name hemoglobinuria. The muscles of the 

 loins and thighs are swollen and very hard. The lining membrane 

 of the eyelids is congested; the nostrils are dilated; the pulse at 

 first full and bounding later becomes weak and fast. The appe- 

 tite often remains good and the horse eats hay at every opportunity, 

 while thirst may be extreme. 



From 20 to 40 per cent, of the cases die, or their usefulness is 

 more or less permanently impaired from atrophy of the affected 

 muscles. Chances of recovery are poor if the patient is unable to 

 move the limbs after a few days. ' 



Treatment. — Just as soon as any of the above-mentioned symp- 

 toms are noticed the horse should be stopped. Driving even a 

 short distance further is likely to result in more serious trouble and 



