568 DISEASES OF THE HOKSE. 



The unfavorable outlook after the appearance of the disease, to- 

 gether with the fact that the disease when present requires the atten- 

 tion of a veterinarian, demands that the breeder concern himself 

 with its prevention. 



The disease is caused by a microorganism and several bacteria have 

 been suspected of being responsible. Every one of the suspected 

 organisms is found abundantly in manure and objects contaminated 

 with manure. The infective material gains entrance into the colt 

 through the open umbilical cord as a result of its coming into contact 

 with litter, floors, or discharges from its dam contaminated by one 

 of the organisms which cause the trouble. There are cases on record 

 in which the infection has taken place before birth, and while some 

 investigators assert that this method is the principal mode of infec- 

 tion still, in a large number of cases, the prophylactic measures 

 adopted to guard against the infection through the navel cord have 

 given good results. Since infection before birth can not be controlled 

 satisfactorily, we are justified, for all practical purposes, in pre- 

 venting navel ill by guarding against the infection through the cord 

 at birth or soon afterwards. 



Cleanliness of stables where pregnant mares are kept must be in- 

 sisted upon. This is especially necessary where outbreaks of navel 

 ill have been known to exist. Mares in the last stages of gestation 

 should be placed in a box stall which has previously been cleaned 

 and disinfected. The bedding should be frequently renewed and the 

 external genitals and neighboring tissues should be kept clean and 

 disinfected with a 2 per cent solution of carbolic acid or 1 per cent 

 liquor cresolis compositus, or any other reliable disinfecting agent. 

 Operations for opening abscesses and removal of afterbirths from 

 cows should not be executed in the immediate vicinity of mares in an 

 advanced stage of pregnancy. 



The foal when dropped should be placed on clean bedding. In 

 any event the cord of the foal should be washed in a disinfect- 

 ant solution and tied at about 1^ inches from the navel with 

 a band or string which has previously been soaked in a disinfectant 

 solution. With a sharp pair of scissors the navel cord is then sev- 

 ered about one-half inch below the band and again disinfected. 

 The ligature should not be tightened, however, until pulsation of 

 the vessels in the cord has ceased. The stump of the cord is then 

 painted with strong carbolic-acid solution, tincture of iodin, or a 

 mixture of equal parts of tincture of iodin and glycerin. The 

 stump should be washed daily with a disinfectant and either painted 

 with iodin mixture or carbolic acid or dusted with some reliable 

 antiseptic healing powder. After five days the parchmentlike dried 

 stump may be cut off and the navel wound washed with a disin- 

 fectant solution and dusted with powder until healed. 



