THE HORSE—-THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 81 
try to kill the matured bots in the stomach, as they wili resist the most 
“heroic”? remedies. Means of prevention are the shaving off of the long 
hairs on the fore legs, throat, breast, or other parts where the eggs are de- 
posited so as to find their way to the mouth. Such parts may also be oiled. 
The proper use of cloths and branches fastened on these parts will prevent 
the depositing of the eggs. If any eggs are seen on the anirnal, they can be 
wasned or rubbed otf, thus keeping them out of the mouth. 
LOSS OF APPETITE. 
Loss of appetite often results from long-continued feeding on h. y and 
oats, without change; from too much feeding; from insufficient or irregular 
work; from bad food and bad water; from a dirty stall: or it may be a 
symptom of some disease whose cure is the remedy for the lost appetite. 
Symptoms.—Nothing may be observable but an indispesition to eat for 
along time, the horse tossing his food around; the mouth may be hot, tongue 
red, breath dry and offensive; sticky mucus in the mouth. 
TREATMENT.—Nux vomica four times daily is usually sufficient. If 
the mouth, tongue and breath be affected, use mercurius. For disordered 
stomach, marked by hot mouth, red tongue ard offensive breath, together 
with lost appetite and diarrhcea, give arsenicum. A simple change of the 
food to mashes and roots will often restore the tone of the stomach and im- 
prove the appetite. When this fails and there is no such impediment to eat- 
ing as too long teeth or sore tongue, particularly if the horse is listless and 
the coat staring, one of the condition powders mentioned in the Materia 
Medica may be used. Give moderate exercise in the open air. 
INDIGESTION.—DYSPEPSIA. 
Acute dyspepsia or indigestion is caused by excessive feeding; rich 
food; hasty eating; copious drinks after meals; hot food; irritating plants. 
The chronic form results from insufficient or irregular work; badly-cured 
forage; a long continuance of the same kind of food without change; irregu- 
larity in times and quantity of feeding; rapid eating just before work; im- 
pertect mastication; badly-ventilated stables; improper treatment of some 
disease, as by too large doses of calomel or tartar emetic. 
Symptoms.— Tongue foul and coated; mouth slimy; changeable or 
corrupted appetite; unhealthy coat; sometimes ravenous eating, dirty litter 
and even dung being consumed; perhaps licking the whitewash on walls 
and manger, ending often in wind-sucking or crib-biting; or the appetite 
may be wholly Jost; rapid Jess of flesh; abdomen full or tucked up; wesk- 
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