220 VETERINARY STUDIES 



A fat horse needs but little grain when standing idle. If he has 

 worked recently, allow him plenty of water and turn him loose 

 in the yard or exercise him every day if possible. If the grain 

 has not been reduced as it should have been while the horse was 

 idle, the next best course is to give him a decided cathartic, a 

 quart of raw linseed oil for example, thirty-six hours before 

 hitching, and then at first, work him very moderately for several 

 hours as quick or violent exercise seems more likely to bring on 

 an attack. 



Treatment. — At the first warning of azoturia stop working 

 the horse immediately. Treatment should be done by competent 

 veterinarians whenever such are accessible, for treatment is 

 difficult. 



The principal purpose of this lesson is to direct attention to 

 prevention and not toward treatment ; but cases will arise, and 

 these cases will occur in sections where competent veterinarians 

 are not located. 



If not voided naturally, means should be taken to draw the 

 urine as soon as possible after the disease appears, and three 

 times daily thereafter. This may frequently be accomplished by 

 inserting a hand in the rectum and pressing down moderately 

 on the bladder. The azoturia patient has a much better chance 

 for recovery if he can be kept upon his feet a portion of the 

 time at least, and it is very desirable that this be done for 

 several reasons ; but slings should not be used unless the patient 

 can support a portion of his weight upon the limbs. "When 

 the patient is unable to do this, put him in a clean, dry stall 

 with plenty of bedding and turn him every four hours, until he 

 can stand with the aid of a sling. Quiet and rest are very 

 important. 



Many different lines of treatment have been used by veteri- 

 narians during recent years, with differing and even conflicting 

 opinions as to results. Common baking soda has been used in 

 large, half pound, doses. Some veterinarians with wide experi- 

 ence believe they get best results with good nursing and very 

 little medical treatment. 



For a cathartic, give one quart of raw linseed oil, or, better, 

 one ounce of aloes with two drams ginger, made into a pill by 

 mixing these with a little molasses. Encourage the horse to 

 drink as much as possible. If he will not drink freely, he may 

 be drenched with weak salt brine to make him thirsty. The 



