66 
PURE BRED DRAFT HORSES 
wounding the organ more or less seriously and depositing in the lacera¬ 
tions or abrasions, abundant infection from his dirty hand. 
“The mare should be kept directly under the supervision of the veter¬ 
inarian from the beginning of the treatment to its successful termina¬ 
tion, and the handling on no account be entrusted to an ordinary lay¬ 
man. The treatment should not be stopped or relaxed until the recovery is 
complete. By following these lines of handling we have not met with 
an unsuccessful case, while we do not recall an instance where the treat¬ 
ment has proven successful when the application of the remedies has 
been entrusted to a layman. 
“Upon the question of breeding after recovery we have no definite 
data, but there is the danger that the oviducts may occasionally be¬ 
come occluded during the course of the disease and cause sterility.” 
Williams. 48 
Constipation 
“This is a symptom present in a variety of abdominal affections, and 
varies in degree. The term is applied in a general sense to a condition 
in which the faeces are abnormally retained in the intestines, or when 
passed are less in amount and harder in consistence than normal. 
“. . . It is well known that some horses have a tendency to this 
variety of constipation. The faeces are dry and hard in consistency, and 
passed in the form of small-sized balls as compared with normal ap¬ 
pearance. Atony of the muscular walls of the intestine is responsible 
in some cases; in others, liver derangement is the cause, or the diet may 
be too dry, and sufficient water is not allowed. Want of sufficient ex¬ 
ercise is another cause, also the condition is observed during the course 
of febrile diseases. In some cases loss of condition is present, and the 
horse has a capricious appetite. There seems little doubt but that this 
topid condition of the bowels predisposes to intestinal disorders. 
“The treatment indicated is to pay attention to the food, and allow 
diet of a laxative character. Small doses of sulphate of magnesia or sul¬ 
phate of soda should be given in the food or drinking water, and if the 
animal will take it, small amounts of raw linseed oil may be administered 
in the food. Toni-cs, such as nux vomica, are required in some cases. 
Repeated doses of purgatives are of no service, as when their action 
ceases constipation again occurs. A combination of bicarbonate of soda, 
common salt, and sulphate of soda, often proves useful. In such cases 
the faeces are exceedingly foetid, and hyposulphite of soda, given at in¬ 
tervals will overcome this condition. Attention should be directed to 
the teeth, as dental irregularities interfere with proper mastication, and 
indigestion results, which tends to bring about constipation. A proper 
supply of drinking water should be allowed.” Hoare. 97 
Lacerations of Vulva and Vagina 
“The vagina, especially of the mare, is not infrequently locerated or 
ruptured by the penis of the male. The size of the penis of the stallion 
does not bear a constant ratio to the size of the body, but is comparative¬ 
ly excessive in coarsely bred animals with long legs and large heads. 
Such stallions, copulating with small mares, constantly tend to produce 
vaginal injuries. Sometimes it is merely a slight laceration in the mu¬ 
cous membrane, which may cause limited hemorrhage and some strain¬ 
ing; sometimes the lacerations in the mucosa and muscular walls are ex¬ 
tensive and induce marked symptoms of wound infection in the vagina 
with tumefaction, discharge and straining; while, in other cases, the 
vaginal walls are completely ruptured, with great danger of fatal peri¬ 
tonitis. 
