STOMATITIS 89 



secondary is often not easy especially early in its develop- 

 ment. From the history, the temperature, pulse and other 

 symptoms of constitutional disturbance which occur in those 

 diseases where stomatitis is a symptom, the diagnosis 

 " secondary stomatitis" usually can be made. 



Treatment. — Once the cause is removed the symptoms 

 rapidly subside. The principal indications are to change the 

 food, look after the teeth, remove any foreign bodies from the 

 mouth and allow the patient constant access to good drinking 

 water. Various "mouth washes" are recommended. The 

 following are examples: Alum water (1 per cent.), creolin 

 (1 to 2 per cent.), boric acid (2 per cent.), permanganate of 

 potash (1 to 200). Vinegar one-half pint, common salt one 

 tablespoonful mixed together in a quart of water is useful. 

 In chronic cases nitrate of silver (1 per cent.) is employed. 



Simple Vesicular Stomatitis. — Sporadic Aphtha. — Defini- 

 tion. — A sporadic inflammation of the mouth characterized 

 by the formation of superficial vesicles in the mucosa. 



Occurrence.- — The disease is seen in horses and cattle. In 

 certain years it may appear as an enzootic, large numbers of 

 animals becoming affected. 



Etiology. — The cause is not definitely known. Animals 

 pastured on ftmgi-infested clovers are most commonly 

 attacked. It is probable that the fungi Uromyces occultus 

 and Polydesmus exitiosus are factors. In some outbreaks 

 infection seems to play a role. A simple vesicular stomatitis 

 can be due to horses licking blistering ointments or the 

 administration of irritant drenches not properly diluted. It 

 can also occm* from eating plants with sharp awns (barley), 

 spicules, or even sharp stubbles. The disorder is not trans- 

 missible by inoculation. 



Symptoms. — ^In the horse, following prodromal symptoms 

 which resemble those of the initial stage (congestion) of 

 catarrhal stomatitis, a vesicular eruption appears in the 

 mouth, particularly imder the tongue, mucous surface of the 

 lips, at the commissures of the mouth and sometimes on 

 the tongue. The blisters vary in size from a grain of wheat 

 to a small bean, are sometimes umbilicated and filled 

 with a clear, serous fluid. In three or four days they erupt 



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