PREVENTION, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT I45 



Influenza — Pink Eye (Epizootic in Horses, Mules and Asses). 



This disease is characterized by the animal being " off his 

 feed," by fever, rapid pulse, congested mucous membranes of eyes 

 and nose. The conjunctiva and schneiderian membrane are often 

 of an orange tinge and muco-purulent discharge occurs from both. 

 There is a short cough, weakness, depression; the patient stands 

 with head down and often swelling of the legs and emaciation are 

 seen. The mortality is slight. The complications are many, as 

 bronchitis, pneumonia, cardiac weakness, head symptoms, gastro- 

 intestinal inflammation, laminitis, etc., and may be treated accord- 

 ing to the method described under the name of the complication 

 in separate sections in this book. 



Treatment. — The disease being self-limited, and no specific 

 being known for combating its special microorganism, treatment 

 must necessarily be symptomatic. Treatment of the general con- 

 dition consists in affording good air and nourishing, laxative diet, 

 as bran mashes with plenty of salt, boiled oats, and — if the patient 

 will take it — skimmed milk to the amount of several gallons daily. 

 Antipyretics are inadvisable, unless there is hyperpyrexia, but a 

 cool atmosphere (30 to 40 F.) is desirable in both lowering tem- 

 perature and serving as a nervous stimulant. Blanketing should not 

 be too heavy, but the limbs should be snugly bandaged to prevent 

 the edema commonly arising from heart and vasomotor weakness. 

 Strychnine (gr. i in solution), dropped on the tongue from a two 

 dram vial, and rubbing with camphor or turpentine and oil, also 

 assist in preventing edema. 



Steaming with compound tine, of benzoin, or other antiseptic, 

 and the application of a stimulating liniment and bandage of the 

 throat will prove of service with catarrh of the upper air passages. 

 When laryngitis is evidenced by noisy and difficult breathing, a 

 smart cantharidal blister should be applied over the larynx. 



A weak heart, as shown by feeble and rapid pulse, should be 

 stimulated by strychnine every three hours, as above, or by digitalis, 



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