23 COLICS AND THEIR TREATMENT 



his lot where the business of importing and selling "green 

 horses'' assumes any magnitude, soon has occasion to 

 realize the great superficial similarity between equine 

 restlessness caused by actual colic and that consequent 

 upon the early beginnings of pleurisy or pectoral influ- 

 enza ; indeed, one observes as allied symptoms ; the rest- 

 lessness, tucked up abdomen, pawing, looking at flank, 

 and anxiety and a mistaken diagnosis is frequently made. 



Many times in my career as a practitioner have 

 horses been sent to my hospital preceded by the tele- 

 phone message or relinquished to my care by the state- 

 ment, "The animal has a slight colic ; as soon as it is over 

 let us know and we will send for him." A look at the ani- 

 mal and compilation of the history obtainable prompts a 

 general examination rather than one confined solely to the 

 abdomen, and as a result certain symptoms are discov- 

 ered that when considered in conjunction with the anam- 

 nesis furnish a diagnosis of this type of false colic. 



The dififerentiating symptoms of pleurisy are : a 

 characteristic wiry pulse; possibly a precursory chill; 

 elevated temperature, in these early stages usually con- 

 siderably above normal ; a tucked-up abdomen with the 

 characteristic pleuritic ridge extending from the ends of 

 the false ribs to the flank ; abnormal thoracic auscultation 

 sounds and painful expressions upon forced movement, 

 or upon costal percussion, all clearly demonstrating, after 

 systematic study of the case, that there is actually no 

 intimate similarity to enteralgia but emphasizing the value 

 of never allowing an opinion to become fixed until a 

 thorough investigation of all details has been completed ; 

 a positive diagnosis earlier will many times lead to em- 

 barrassment. 



