FOREIGN BODIES IN THE MOUTH. 
11 
become fixed between the upper and lower teeth, the mouth can some¬ 
times neither be closed by the animal itself nor by external force. In 
dogs and cats, sewing needles are often fixed in the base of the tongue. 
Apart from difficulty in feeding and loss of condition, other symptoms 
may supervene. A horse has been seen to die of bleeding from the 
palatine artery, primarily brought about by a needle penetrating the 
tongue. Most veterinary surgeons have removed pieces of bone from 
between the molars in dogs, which were unable to close their mouths, 
and in consequence had been suspected of rabies. Lindenberg saw epilep¬ 
tiform attacks in a cow result from a sharp molar injuring the tongue ; 
attempts to eat immediately produced an attack. To remove a foreign 
body the mouth should be forced wide open, and the object seized either 
with the hand or with forceps. Needles are always found penetrating 
the tongue from behind forwards, assuming this position in consequence 
of the struggles of the animal when choking, or the attempts it makes to 
displace the needle with the tongue. For this reason, when extracting a 
foreign body, the tongue should be powerfully drawn forward, and the 
object thrust upwards and backwards. From neglect of this principle, 
attempts to pull out the needle by means of the thread which it often 
carries are always unsuccessful. 
Injuries to the hard palate are sometimes complicated with severe 
bleeding, and require most careful attention. When the palatine artery 
is wounded, animals may bleed to death, as the movements of the 
tongue interfere with the formation of thrombi. In venous bleeding the 
following treatment is generally sufficient: after covering the tongue with 
flour to the thickness of an inch, the mouth is firmly bound and the 
horse left at rest for 6—8 hours. In severe arterial bleeding, which 
often follows penetration of the vessel, the horse should be cast, the 
mouth kept open with a gag, and the artery ligatured. Under some 
circumstances pressure may be employed, as, for instance, in injuries of 
the anterior parts of the palate. After placing on the bleeding spot a 
hard pad of tow or jute, preferably soaked with perchloride of iron solu¬ 
tion, a bandage or handkerchief is passed round it, and firmly tied around 
the jaw, beneath the upper lip. This should remain in place for 12 
hours. A piece of thick leather or board will further ensure its not 
shifting. Stoppage of the bleeding may at times be effected by burning 
the part with a round-headed iron, but this treatment is not reliable ; 
the bleeding usually stops for a few seconds and then recommences, 
and it is better to occupy this interval in applying a dressing. Under 
any circumstances, hard food must not be given during the ensuing 
24 hours. In spite of the unpleasant smell, the above described 
wounds usually heal rapidly after removal of the foreign body. Where 
deep cuts exist, the mouth should be cleansed after each meal and the 
