248 PBACTICE OF EQUINE MEDICINE. 



AZOTUKIA. 



Name the synonyms. 



Hemoglobinuria; hsemoglobinaemia ; spinal typhus; rheu- 

 matic paraplegia. 



Give the definition. 



Azoturia comes from azot, meaning nitrogen, and uria, sig- 

 nifying urine. 



It is a hypernitrogenized condition of the blood, characterized 

 by dark-colored urine and a peculiar dropping of the posterior 

 extremity, with knuckling at the fetlock. 



What is the aetiology? 



There are several theories as regards the cause of this disease; 

 some say the liver is at fault, others the skin and kidneys, others 

 the nerves; the German theory is that the increased amount of 

 nitrogen comes from the muscles, due to irritation of the nerves, 

 producing tissue changes. Too much nitrogenous food and no 

 exercise. 



It is not infrequently met with, especially in the city, among 

 the heavy draft horses. It is most frequently seen usually during 

 the cold weather immediately following holidays when the animals 

 are kept in the stable for a day or so after hard work and in 

 many cases fed the same amount and kind of food as if they were 

 working. 



It is, in my opinion, produced by some poison or toxin which 

 acts on the nerves showing the array of symptoms. I have, there- 

 fore, classified it as an intoxication. 



Give the symptoms. 



When taken out of the stable they feel good, kick up, and the 

 driver can hardly hold them. 



Usually, after driving, for say half a mile or so, the horse be- 

 comes lame behind, kunckles over, falls down, and cannot get up. 



Or, in other animals, they get lame, sweat freely, become un- 

 easy, looking around at their belly, and you think they have colic ; 

 but, if you attempt to move them, you see there is the loss of 

 power of one leg, with knuckling over at the fetlock; the driver 

 often suspects the horse has picked up a nail. This is one of the 

 principal symptoms, that of knuckling over, and also of the pecu- 

 liar falling of the hip. 



Another thing is to look at the cramped condition of the 



