68 THE COW IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 



if necessary. It is not irritating to the raucous 

 membranes while formaldehyde is, unless it is 

 well diluted. 



Impaction of the Rumen. 



This condition is one of the most difficult to 

 handle due to the fact that it is quite hard to 

 diagnose the condition and many times the ani- 

 mal is overtreated. The symptoms of this con- 

 dition are very irregular. It is the result of 

 an animal eating too much food or eating feeds 

 that were not fit for feeding. 



A cow with an impaction may eat until the 

 condition becomes very grave or she may re- 

 fuse feed altogether. In all cases one can 'hear 

 a grunt when the animal breathes. In some 

 cases it can be heard all the time and at other 

 times it may be heard only occasionally. In 

 standing behind the cow the backbone appears 

 to curve upward and to the left. By pressing 

 in the region of the rumen its contents feel soft 

 and doughy or rather firm, and the indentation 

 made by the fist will remain for some little 

 time after the fist is removed. 



In the treatment the first and most impor- 

 tant thing to do is to remove all feed. Water 

 should be allowed freely. Stimulants and anti- 

 ferments constitute the balance of the treat- 

 ment. One-half teaspoonful of fluid extract of 

 nux vomica should be given every three or four 

 hours and one teaspoonful of salol should be 

 given with it to prevent fermentation. As soon 



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