2o6 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



injury the foal is soon taken ill. The pains are slight 

 but constant, and the young animal is nearly all the 

 time down. If there is no history of the hurt, a mistaken 

 diagnosis is really quite excusable, for these small 

 creatures show no symptoms definite enough to lead to 

 the truth. When present, however, one symptom is 

 almost, if not quite, diagnostic — blood-stained faeces. It 

 is not that dark, coffee-coloured stain so often found 

 coating the dung-balls of an adult animal in a case of 

 obstinate impaction, but distinct strings of coagulated 

 blood mixed with the excreta. 



When diagnosed, little can be done save warn the 

 owner of the indefinite state of our knowledge (we have 

 no means of ascertaining whether or no the intestine is 

 actually ruptured), and then to rest the animal and the 

 bowels as much as possible by the use of sedatives. As 

 it may be necessary to continue the sedatives for a day 

 or two, it will be found advisable to resort to a com- 

 bination of several, and not maintain the administration 

 of one drug. Chlorodyne will be found a very good 

 agent. Even this, however, may be objected to on the 

 ground that it contains such a stimulant as tinct. capsici. 

 Perhaps the safest way is to give alternate doses of tinct. 

 opii, chloral hydras, and ext. cannabis indicae. As far 

 as is deemed wise, the foal's diet should be restricted by 

 milking the mare. 



As the foal grows older he is not so likely to allow 

 himself to get trodden on in this manner, and yet may 

 sustain a similar injury in a different way, e.g. : 



One case has come under my notice where the animal, 

 when allowed to run out for the first time or two, has 

 slipped up violently on to his side during his first pre- 

 liminary gambol. This again has produced enteritis and 

 led to fatal results. Colic pains always accompany the 



