INFLUENZA OF THE HORSE 347 



petechife, the blood serum is opalescent and plainly tinged 

 with red. Infectious anemia is not highly infectious. From 

 strangles influenza is distinguished by the tendency for lymph 

 glands to suppurate, which characterizes the former disease. 



Course.— The course is usually about one week or the disease 

 may terminate favorably in less time provided no complica- 

 tions arise. When the disease progress is interrupted by 

 pneumonia, encephalitis, enteritis, or degeneration of the 

 heart muscle the course is protracted and the termination 

 fatal. As a rule; however, influenza is a mild disease, and 

 unless the patient is worked, kept in unsanitary surroundings, 

 or given too much medicinal treatment, recovery in a few 

 days is the rule. 



Prognosis. — ^The mortality is 1 to 4 per cent. During some 

 outbreaks the disease appears more malignant than in others, 

 and complications are commoner. The continuation of a 

 rather high iev,eT for not longer than five to six days is, per se, 

 of no significance provided the pulse remains good, the patient 

 does not become dyspneic, and no diarrhea attend. 



Treatment. — ^Most important in the treatment of a self- 

 limiting disease like influenza is to provide the patient with 

 light, ventilation, and cleanliness. In mild sunny weather, if 

 at all feasible, place the patient out of doors during the day. 

 The food should be nourishing and easily digested, and given 

 in small rations (grass, alfalfa, a bran mash with plenty of 

 salt, scalded oats, etc.). To induce the patient to eat, some 

 brown sugar may be strewn over the feed. In case a meal is 

 refused or not entirely eaten it should not remain indefinitely 

 in the feed box, but be removed and the box cleaned. Skimmed 

 milk may be given (three to four gallons daily) if the patient 

 will drink it. Hanging blankets wet with dold formalin solu- 

 tion in the stable helps lower the temperature in hot weather 

 and assists disinfection. A thorough cleaning up and dis- 

 infection of the infected quarters will do more to reduce the 

 mortality than drugs. The unequal distribution of the sur- 

 face temperature should be regulated by proper grooming. 

 The legs should be covered with Derby or flannel bandages, 

 which tend to prevent edema. Medicinal treatment should 

 be employed only when absolutely necessary. Over-drugging 



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