CHAPTER VII 
TREATING SICK ANIMALS 
THE sick animal should have the benetits of good 
nursing. By good nursing is meant the proper care of 
an ailing animal. Its aim is to hasten recovery from 
the ill effects of the disease. Most veterinarians of large 
experience, if required to choose between medicine and 
good nursing, would in a great majority of cases prefer 
to do without medicine, counting the nursing more 
important. A good nurse for ailing animals is one who 
understands them thoroughly, who can supply their 
needs, who is careful and attentive, studying always 
the well-being and comfort of his charges. 
In all cases of disease in animals, one of the first 
things to be done is to look for the cause of the trouble, 
and if possible to remove it. This is not only for the 
benefit of the ailing animal, but for others which may 
be equally susceptible to the disease but have not as yet 
come in contact with it. There should be a careful ex- 
amination of the surroundings of the animal, the work 
it has been doing, the food, water, general care, exer- 
cise, exposure, possibilities and sources of infection with 
contagious diseases, and other circumstances. It is true 
that in many eases there are severe and acute symptoms 
that require immediate and vigorous attention, such as 
eolic in horses or bloating in cattle; but even in these 
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