THE FOAL 289 



will lubricate the passage and stimulate the bowels to 

 action. The injection may be repeated each hour until 

 the matter is passed, which should be within five hours 

 from the time of giving the oil. 



Diarrhea. — Young foals are often troubled with 

 diarrhea or scours, which often proves fatal soon after 

 birth. There are a number of causes of this disease, per- 

 haps the chief one being changes of an unknown char- 

 acter in the composition of the mare's milk, due to poor 

 health, lack of exercise, or to the mare becoming fretful 

 when kept away from the foal for a time soon after foal- 

 ing. The foal feeding on this changed milk induces 

 indigestion and diarrhea. Some mares give a very large 

 flow of milk, particularly when fed rich and stimulating 

 food, and if the foal is permitted to take it all, digestive 

 disorders and diarrhea are likely to result. The same 

 often happens in early spring when the mare is pasturing 

 on a rank growth of succulent grass. Other causes are 

 the non-removal of the fecal matter, mare and foal con- 

 fined in unclean stables, and the like. 



The treatment is the avoidance of conditions likely to 

 cause such disorders. If the dam is properly housed, fed 

 and exercised there is very little danger. At the first 

 appearance of such trouble, we should attend the foal 

 and remove the cause, for even then it may be too late. 

 If it is due to an oversupply of milk, the dam should be 

 milked in part by hand. Never give an astringent with 

 a view of cutting off the discharge, as the trouble is prob- 

 ably caused by an irritant in the stomach or bowels which 

 must be removed before a cure can be effected. The best 

 plan in all such cases is to expel the disturber with a lax- 

 ative, such as two ounces of olive or castor oil, and later 

 when the irritant has been removed to check the dis- 

 charge. 



Navel infection. — Young foals are very commonly 

 troubled with navel infection or joint ill, which is a very 

 fatal disease, particularly after the joints become af- 



