AGALACTIA 135 



gestation period, and should be brought to a climax on 

 the date of parturition. In most cases the owner consults 

 the veterinarian sufficiently early to make this possible. 

 Treatment should be commenced a week or, better still, 

 two weeks before parturition and should consist of : 



1. Dietary regulation and exercise. 



2. Local massage. 



3. Appropriate internal medication. 



1. The mare should be fed concentrated, nutritious 

 feed. If good oats are not to be obtained, oatmeal must 

 be fed. The amount of grain should be such as would 

 be necessary were the mare performing hard work. Light 

 exercise must be given vsdth regularity. The best is driv- 

 ing, going at a jog trot for periods not to exceed half an 

 hour twice daily. 



2. Massage of the udder must be practiced. This, to 

 have effect, must also be done regularly. The act should 

 consist in quite vigorous manipulation of the glandular 

 portion or body of the udder. Do not strip the teats. 

 This udder massage should be given morning, noon and 

 night. 



3. Internal treatment up to the day of parturition 

 should consist of tonics and mild laxatives. A good com- 

 bination is nux vomica, gentian, eascara sagrada, and 

 licorice, in doses suitable to the weight and age of the 

 mare. The amount of caseara sagrada should never ex- 

 ceed one dram daily; in small doses this drug seems to 

 have the action of a galactagogue. 



On the day of parturition the treatment is brought to 

 a climax by the hypodermatic administration of pilocar- 

 pin hydroehlorid, one grain, and strychnin, a half grain. 



Most mares that are affected in this manner will secrete 

 enough milk to amply nourish their colts. "Without 

 treatment the lacteal fluid is entirely absent in every 

 instance. In a few cases in which it was not possible to 



