COUGH. 369 



hearsay. This cbugh is said to be due to irritation caused by 

 teething, independently of chill, and that it can be distinguished 

 by the fact that it is more violent in the morning"than during other 

 portions of the day, and by its being continuous. It is described 

 as being of a " dry " character. Knowledge of the animal's age, 

 and examination of his mouth, to see if his gums are in an inflamed 

 condition, may aid in determining its nature. Four-year olds are 

 said to be often affected in this manner. The treatment should 

 consist in giving the horse soft food for a few days with half a 

 pint of linseed oil mixed in it every day. Half an ounce of nitre 

 may be dissolved in the drinking water daily. 



2. COUGH DUE TO CHILL.— I am inclined to regard the con- 

 dition shown by this cough as a mild form of laryngitis. Some 

 horses, from a naturally irritable state of their air-passages, are 

 very apt to develop a cough on trifling provocation. Although 

 serious chest affections are often passed over as " merely ' eough," 

 remember that cough can be caused by an irritable condition of 

 the air-passages, without the occurrence of actual, or, at least, 

 marked inflammation. The treatment, in such cases, should con- 

 sist in warm clothing, avoidance of cold and wet, and feeding on 

 gre^ meat, and on bran and linseed mashes, with half an ounce 

 of nitre daily in the water for a few days. No corn should be 

 given. In India, four or five pounds of young bamboo leaves may 

 be supplied daily with advantage. If these simple remedies be not 

 effectual, give, morning and evening, the camphor and belladonna 

 electuary (p. 368) ; and stimulate the throat with equal parts of 

 ammonia, turpentine, and oil. As cough often appears to be in- 

 fectious, the animal should be removed away from his fellows, 

 especially if they are valuable. 



Racehorses are sometimes liable to get coughs, if after exercise, 

 the hollow space between the branches ■ of the lower jaw be not 

 promptly and carefully dried. The practice of making horses 

 wear " night caps " (short hpods) tends to render them liable to 

 coughs. 



3. SYMPATHETIC COUGHS are generally caused by indiges- 

 tion or worms, for which the animal should be specially treated. 



4. CHRONIC COUGH often appears as a result of sore throat, 

 influenza, or acute bronchitis, or as an accompaniment of chronic 

 bronchitis, which, excepting the cough, and perhaps a slight run- 

 ning from the nose, may present no other symptoms of ill-health 

 to the casual observer. This cough is hard, dry, ringing, and 

 somewhat distressing. It is easily excited by exercise. A horse 



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