618 DISEASES OP THE HOESE. 



heels; and if the hind feet are affected, all the feet are carried for- 

 ward, resting on their heels, the hind ones as near the center of 

 gravity as possible. In some cases the stupor of the animal is so 

 great that the pain is not felt, and little or no change of the position 

 of the animal is noticeable. The foot is found hot to the touch, and 

 after a given time the depressed convex sole of typical founder is 

 recognized. 



Pleurisy. — This is a rare complication, but when it does occur it is 

 ushered in by the usual symptoms of depression, rapid pulse, small 

 respiration, elevation of the temperature, subcutaneous edema of the 

 legs and under surface of the belly, and we find a line of dullness on 

 either side of the chest and an abscess of respiratory murmur at the 

 lower part. If it is severe, there may be an effusion filling one- 

 fourth to one-third of the thoracic cavity in from 36 to 48 hours. 



Pericarditis is an occasional complication of influenza. It is ush- 

 ered in by chills, elevation of the temperature; the pulse becomes 

 rapid, thready, and imperceptible. The heart murmurs become in- 

 distinct or can not be heard. A venous pulse is seen on the line of 

 the jugular veins along the neck. Respiration becomes more difficult 

 and rapid. If the animal is moved the symptoms become more 

 marked or it may drop suddenly dead from heart failure. 



Peritonitis, or inflammation of the membranes lining the belly 

 and covering the organs contained in it, sometimes takes place. The 

 general symptoms are similar to those of a commencing pericarditis. 

 The local symptoms are those of pain, especially to pressure on side 

 of the flanks and belly, distention of the latter, and sometimes the 

 formation of flatus, or gas, and constipation. 



Other occasional complications are nephritis, hepatitis, inflamma- 

 tion of the flexor tendons and rupture of them, and abscesses. 



Diagnosis.— The diagnosis of influenza is based upon continued 

 fever, with great depression and symptoms of stupor and coma; the 

 rapidly developing, dark-saffron, ocher, yellowish discoloration of 

 the mucous membranes, swelling of the legs and soft tissues of the 

 genitals. When these symptoms have become manifested the diag- 

 nosis of a local complication is based upon the same symptoms that 

 are produced in the local diseases from other causes, but in influenza 

 the local symptoms are frequently masked or even entirely hidden 

 by the intense stupor of the animal, which renders it insensible to 

 pain. The evidence of colic and congestion, which is followed by 

 diarrhea, indicates enteritis. The rapid breathing or difficulty of 

 respiration points to a complication of the lungs, but, as we have 

 seen in the study of the symptom^s, the local evidences of lung lesions 

 are frequently hidden. Again, we have seen that inflammation of 

 the feet, or founder, complicating influenza is frequently not shown 

 on account of the insensibility to pain on the part of the animal, 



