PART III 

 POISONINGS 



Accidental poisoning of horses with drugs, chemicals 

 and other substances occurs occasionally. In some rare 

 instances intentional poisoning is the result of feuds and 

 neighborhood quarrels. 



In the following pages is given a list of the most usual 

 forms of poisoning, together with their symptoms and 

 their treatment. The recognition of the effects of either 

 an accidental or an intentional poisoning quite often 

 depends upon the understanding which the veterinarian 

 has of the more remote effects of the various poisons. 



The veterinarian must rely also to a great extent upon 

 his powers of observation; some of the effects of some 

 poisonous matters simulate the manifestations of certain 

 diseases. The successful handling of these cases depends 

 upon the veterinarian's alertness in detecting the true 

 etiological factor ; a clue to the situation is at times quite 

 apparent if the veterinarian is observant. On the other 

 hand, the practitioner should never be rash in giving out 

 his opinion that the patient has been poisoned. It is 

 always best to add a proviso to such an opinion so that, 

 should the diagnosis be in error, those concerned will not 

 be unnecessarily aroused. A reckless diagnosis of inten- 

 tional poisoning has, on a number of occasions, led to 

 murder. 



The veterinarian is between two fires here. To pro- 

 tect himself and his professional reputation, he must 

 acquaint the client with the fact that his horse has been 

 poisoned, and yet he must do it in such a manner that no 



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