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INJURIES.
Injuries are mechanical, chemical, and mixed. Me chanical injuries comprehend wounds, contusions, abra sions, fractures, dislocations, &c. Chemical injuries are caused by heat, the concentrated acids, caustic alkalies, lunar caustic, corrosive sublimate, arsenic, &c. Mixed injuries are caused by the bites or stings of mad dogs, insects, &c. Also from inoculation.
WOUNDS
Are incised, contused, lacerated, punctured, gun-shot, and poisoned. The first danger, especially in incised wounds, is bleeding, the remedy for which is (1) a liga ture ; (2) a tourniquet or, what is better, a rubber band; (3) trickling water; (4) pressure (a compress if practica-
Fig. 54. Rubber Bandage.
ble); (5) styptics, such as tow, lint, matico, ergot, digi talis, ice, lead acetate.
Blood from a vein is dark colored, and flows in an un interrupted and comparatively tardy stream. Ligatures should be withdrawn in 10 or 14 days, or they will fes ter. Cut the thread.
The bleeding stopped, the next thing after the removal
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THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE.
of foreign bodies and clots of blood, is washing with one of the following antiseptics : 1. Carbolic acid 1 part with 20 to 40 of water. 2. Corrosive sublimate 1 part, com mon salt 7½, water, 1,000. 3. Zinc chloride 1 part, wa ter 80 to 100. 4. Mercuric iodide and potassium iodide each 1 part, water 1,000. 5. Hydronaphtol 1 part, rec tified spirit 1 part, water 300. 6. Sodium hydrofluosili- cate 1 part, water 500. The latter is “ a recently discov ered, effectual, non-poisonous, cheap germicide.” (Dun.)
Fig. 55. Interrupted Suture.
Fig. 56. Uninterrupted Suture
Fig. 51. Twisted Suture.
Incised wounds are brought together by sutures (stitches) pins, or plasters. Bandages keep the parts in apposition
INJURIES. 179
and give support. Splints and slings are sometimes re quired.
In large contused or lacerated wounds a dependent open ing must be made by drainage tubes or otherwise. Deeply punctured and lacerated wounds are fomented for some hours in order to limit inflammation. Apply a sheet of carbolic lint, on which either place a poultice or let cold water trickle over it.
Superficial wounds heal by first intention (without pus) when the edges are held together by plaster, styptic col loid, or shellac, applied in methylated spirit (90 parts of rectified spirit (alcohol), 10 parts of wood spirit, or impure methylic alcohol.)
Poisoned wounds are treated according to their nature. Poison may be kept out of the circulation by ligature. Excision of the poisoned textures may be desirable, and also subsequent cauterization or irrigation with a suitable germicide.
Wounds properly closed and healing satisfactorily should not be disturbed except for cleansing and redressing. Do not be in a hurry about removing sutures.
If a wound becomes inflamed or painful, or the dis charges are unhealthy, remove the dressings, cut the su tures, remove blood clots or other irritants, irrigate or
syringe the surfaces with an antiseptic, and apply a poul tice over the carbolic lint if necessary. Use opium and belladonna with poultices or antiseptics when there is much pain.
Excessive granulation checked by pressure, astringents, or occasional use of caustics.
A dose of physic, cooling, digestible diet, and healthful
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THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE.
surroundings are essential to the successful treatment of wounds.
INJURED EYES.
Blows are usually received on the orbital process (bony projection), when the ball of the eye is rarely injured. In such cases the upper eyelid is usually swollen and the outer membrane of the eye itself may partake of it. Wet and apply a linen cloth, or sponge the part as often as it becomes dry. In cases of extreme swelling, local bleed ing and fomentations will be effective.
Fig. 60. The haw (the horse‘s handkerchief).
When hayseeds, insects, dirt, &c., get under the upper lids, and the haw fails to expel them, turn back the lid and remove them by hand.
Cuts and lacerations sometimes penetrate the ball. If they extend through the cornea, the watery fluid will escape and the iris protrude. Return the iris carefully. Foment with warm water in which poppy heads have been boiled. After this, apply healing washes witch a camel’s hair pencil. Shade the eye.
Laceration of the Eyelid is not an uncommon acci dent. It may be caused by a bite, a nail, hook, &c. It usually begins at the inner, superior, and most projecting part of the lid, but the reverse may be the case. The wound usually causes considerable bleeding.
Remedy.—Secure the horse, cleanse the eye, and stitch
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with strong sewing silk, using a small, sharp, crooked needle. In a week or so, or as soon as the parts cohere, or when pus oozes out, cut and withdraw the stitches. After this it is important to secure the horse with double straps, otherwise, owing to the irritation of the eye, it will rub against the stall and dissever the parts.
INJURIES TO MOUTH, TONGUE, JAWS.
The tongue may be injured in various ways. It may be bitten accidentally by the horse itself, also, when pro truded, by another horse ; by sharp projections of the teeth, rough or careless usage, &c. Stitch the parts to gether whenever necessary and practicable, cleanse the wound if necessary, and leave the healing to nature.
The branches of the lower jaw are common seats of fracture, a frequent cause of which is the use of sharp curved bits, but rough usage will sometimes cause frac tures even with a smooth bit. The horse loses its appe tite and is unfit for work. The fractured bone must be removed, but it is often better to wait a week or ten days that nature may loosen the parts. Fractures are often the result of external violence. A severe blow in the region of the roots of the teeth may cause a fracture that will necessitate the removal of both bone and teeth.
The jaw is also subject to injury from violence with the curb-rein. The outside gum is squeezed by the crub. An abscess forms within the bone, and there is usually sooner or later bone to be removed. Keep the wound open and encourage the discharge. A scruple of hydro chloric acid in an ounce of water is a good dressing. If the horse must be worked, use a snaffle.
The outside of the lips and cheeks are sometimes severely cut by sharp and twisted snaffles, the inside of the cheek by sharp projections of the molar teeth. The only rem edy for the latter is to file the projections down, but not so as to destroy the natural slant of the grinding surface,
182
THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE.
as already explained on page 142. The cheeks will heal without aid, but an ounce of alum in a quart of water is a good wash for them.
SADDLE-GALLS, SITFASTS, WARBLES, TU MOR ON THE ELBOW.
These injuries are caused by pinching of the harness- pad, girths, or collar, bad-fitting or overweighted saddles, &c. If they are neglected or exposed to further injury, they either turn to abscesses or subside into smaller tu mors and are indisposed to undergo further change, though they are sometimes carried off by suppuration. Percivall says that when a bad-fitting saddle has been kept on too long and evil results are expected, that it should be al lowed to remain on the back till the horse is perfectly cool.
Cure saddle-gall by removal of cause. Bathe and cleanse once a day ; hot water if suppurating. Antiseptic dress ings. Swollen fatty follicles reduced with soap liniment ; in chronic cases foment and lance.
Fig. 61. Sitfast.
Sitfast is “ a part of a horse’s back turned horny.” To use another simile, repeated injury by the saddle causes the formation of horny excrescences resembling corns of the human foot. The sitfast acquires a well defined bor der. In many instances the skin withdraws from around
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it, and a little matter oozes from between it and the skin. This indicates that the sitfast will be carried off by slough ing. If the process is slow, it may be hastened by blis tering ointment. Dissect out if necessary.
Warbles or grubs “ are small, hard tumors on the sad dle part of a horse’s back;" also the neck and sometimes the tail. When recent they yield to stimulating lotions, though sometimes they run on to suppuration and disperse. Frequently, however, they become callous, in which con dition they may continue for years without serious conse quences. They may be dissected out.
According to Williams warbles in the ox is caused by a bot-fly which lodges under the skin.
Tumor on the elbow (shoeboil) is caused by contusion or pressure of the heel of the fore shoe or by the horse lying on a hard pavement with insufficient bedding.
INFLAMED VEIN (PHLEBITIS),
Is usually the result of bleeding, but some horses are predisposed to it. It is also the result of violence after bleeding—disturbing the pin by rubbing against this or that. Injury may also follow from using an unclean or rusty instrument in bleeding. The wound should be speedily closed. The lips, unless disturbed, will rarely fail to adhere. Tie the horse’s head up to prevent rub bing. If worked, guard against injury by either bridle rein or collar.
Remedy.—Open any abscesses. If swelling occurs while the pin is in, withdraw it carefully so as not to disturb the wound. Foment and poultice. Laxative diet. If the wound is foul and the vein corded up to the head, leave the orifice open and apply a blister, renewing it as often as needed. If necessary, the vein may be tied. In case of fresh bleeding, pin or stitch and compress the wound, keeping the head tied up. A horse with an impervious jugular should not be turned to grass. Diffuse phlebitis
184
THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE.
treated antiseptically, with salines internally. For a list of antiseptics and salines, see pages 31 and 36 respectively.
LACERATED KNEE
Is usually a much more serious injury than a contused or bruised knee, for it may penetrate to and even ex pose the knee joint. The extent or depth of the wound is a matter of great importance, for the treatment must be regulated by it. The healing of the wound requires time and patience, for the part is much used and the skin thereby stretched.
The accident is usually the result of tenderness and lameness of the fore legs, tripping, cutting, and unequal action, rough roads and pavements, rolling stones, &c.
The scar left is sometimes quite a blemish. Ordinary scars may be removed by blistering the part, first shav ing off the hair.
Remedy.—Cleanse the part thoroughly with warm wa ter and allay inflammation by fomentation. Use a cradle for a few days to prevent the part from being bitten. If the knee does not heal kindly, apply lotions or poultices. After this dress with tincture of benzoin or compound tincture of myrrh. Toward the end, a solution of blue vitriol may be needed. In place of the two last, after poulticing, sprinkle daily with a powder of flour and alum. In some cases it may be advisable to stitch the skin together. Quiet. Sling if necessary.
OPEN KNEE AND OTHER JOINTS.
A joint must be penetrated to constitute this injury, but even if it is not penetrated, it is often opened by sloughing. It is a very serious matter, for the joint oil (synovia) often escapes, causing a stiff joint (anchylosis). The discharge of oil, however, does not necessarily indi cate opened joint, for the sheaths of the tendons contain an oil precisely like joint oil. Tetanus (commonly called
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185
lock-jaw) may result from the injury. Opened joint is usually caused by a fall, but it may be caused by a thorn, a nail, or a sharp-pointed instrument.
Symptoms.—Knee clotted with dirt and blood ; foot rests on toe, not because the joint is painful, for recently injured joints have little or no sensation, but because of the painful ligaments, tendons, &c. In a day the parts are hot, full, and tender, these symptoms increasing from day to day. About this time the constitution sympathizes ; fever ; pulse rises ; appetite and spirits lost ; mouth dry ; eyes injected ; skin and limbs warm ; breathing disturbed. The animal now exchanges its dull mood for watching and irritability. If the irritation is not checked, it is likely to exhaust the vital energies before the local in flammation even turns toward restoration.
Remedy,—Cleanse and foment. Antiseptic dressing. Stitch, if the movement of the joint and tearing loose can be prevented. Styptic colloid, collodion, or plaster for support and protection. Splints and bandages. Sling or tie up to prevent lying down. Half closes of physic ; cooling diet. Let a weak antiseptic solution trickle over a calico bandage lightly laid over the joint. Blister if necessary.
WOUNDED TENDONS
Are usually caused by thorns, stubs, flints, kicks, treads, &c. If properly treated, they usually end well. A ten don may be even severed, and yet be restored by approx imation. Thorns have been known to work themselves out between skin and hoof. Some fester and discharge themselves. Some are sloughed out with medicines, In some cases the parts around the foreign substance be come hardened and continue so without lameness. It is possible for tetanus to follow wounded tendons.
Remedy.—Fomentations, poultices, cooling lotions. Loosen as well as cool part. Sling. Splints, starch ban-
186 THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE.
dages. When inflammation has moderated, stimulate ex ternally.
INFLAMED LYMPHATICS
The office of the lymphatic system is to form and cir culate lymph. When disturbed, it is usually the result of wounds or pricks.
Remedy.—Remove cause. Cooling diet. Salines ; pot assium iodide. Foment while heat and tenderness con tinue ; after which apply friction, bandages, iodine oint ment. Continue salines in drinking water.
For doses, see pages 13 to 29.
STRAIN OF LOINS (PSOÆ) MUSCLES
Is caused by any injury that violently extends them. It is liable to be confounded with ' broken back,’ from which it is distinguished by the animal being able to bend and extend the limbs. In some cases the animal almost drags its limbs.
Remedy.—Rugs wrung out of hot water applied over loins and abdomen. Anodyne injections (opium, mor phine, &c.) Slings if both sides are affected.
BRUSHING OR INTERFERING
Occurs in horses with faulty action, especially when tired or out of condition. The part struck is the fetlock.
Remedy.—A ¾ shoe, or a shoe thin on inside web, without heel on outside. Boot on injured fetlock. Care ful shoeing. Improve general condition.
SPEEDY-CUT
Is a bruise in the inner part of the limb, near the knee, caused by the opposite foot. Cause—round, high action (stepping). The horse is liable to fall from the violence of the blow.
Remedy.—Fomentations; open any abscess; antiseptic dressing. Prevent by reducing inner crust of offending
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foot, using nicely fitting f shoes, removing shoes every 3 weeks. Protect leg with boot. Travel slowly.
SPRAIN OF MUSCLES, TENDONS, AND LIGA MENTS.
The fibers are severely stretched and in serious cases some of them are torn.
Remedy.—Rest; foment; purge. Slings in bad cases. When the tenderness and pain are abated, apply counter-
Fig. 62. Firing-Irons.
Fig. 63. Three-jointed, sharp Seton Needle.
irritants. Cantharides or mercuric iodide ointments. Firing-iron. Seton.
RUPTURED TENDONS OR LIGAMENTS.
Remedy.—Fomentations allay inflammation. Treat as for fractured bones. Quiet. Splints. Starch bandages. Slings. When inflammation moderates, stimulate exter nally.
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THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE.
PRICKED FOOT
Is caused by misdirected or defective nails in shoeing, nails picked up in walking, sharp instruments, flints. glass, &c. The injury will vary with the cause, the part injured, and the depth and direction of the wound. In shoeing if a nail causes blood to flow, lameness will soon follow; but if it only goes close to the quick, it may be one or even two weeks before lameness results.
Remedy.—Remove shoe and diseased tissue. Give pus vent by dependent opening. Inject with spirit turpen tine. Keep hole free of dirt. Poultice.
Fig. 64. Side puncture represents Pricked Foot, the front Bruised Sole.
BRUISE OF THE SOLE
Leads to the effusion of blood, but seldom causes seri ous lameness. Pare off the discolored horn and shoe at least once with leather. Treat as for ‘ Corns,’ which see.
BRUISES (General).
Treat general bruises as follows : Foment, poultice, water dressing, refrigerants; carbolic acid and other an tiseptics. Hand rubbing and subsequent rubbing with oil promote absorption. Lead, zinc and other astringent so lutions probably prevent leucocytes (white cells) exuding. Belladonna, opium, aconite paralyze sensory nerves and relieve pain.
INJURIES.
189
TREAD AND OVERREACH
Are identical in nature. A tread is a contused wound of the coronet of either the hind or fore foot, caused by the opposite foot. An overreach is a tread on the coro net of the fore foot by the hind foot. The parts injured consist of skin, cartilage, and horn. The injury is there fore complex and requires careful treatment.
Fig. 65. Tread. Fig. 66. Tread. Fig. 67. Overreach.
Remedy.—Remove hair and such lacerated parts of horn as may harbor dirt. Immerse in warm water. Hot poultice, but discontinue when healing begins. Turpen tine or nitric acid lotion dressing. Physic. Heels of shoes well rounded off. Light shoes. Protect coronet with pad.
FROST BITE (GELATIO),
If often repeated, causes the part to become perma nently weakened, slightly swelled, of a purple color, with less heat, and afterward inflamed. The skin cracks, and a discharge of sanguineous matter takes place. More intense cold entirely suspends vital action, the part becoming pale, insensible, and shriveled. The skin, especially the heel, will often slough across from side to side, forming a strip of dead skin, under which is a deep chasm, called a cracked heel.
Remedy.—Raise temperature of frozen parts gradually.
190 THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE.
Stimulants to affected parts; turpentine and oil; soap liniment. Treat sloughs antiseptically.
QUITTOR
Is a sore or wound on the coronet connected with a sinus (cavity) in the foot, the sinus running between the sensitive parts and the horn. It is usually caused by the large, awkward calkins of the hind shoe, but any neg lected wound of the coronet may cause it. It may also be caused by an abscess within the foot; also by a fes tered corn.
The disease at first is insidious, being covered by the hair. When the tumor points, the hair falls off and re veals the cause of the lameness.
Fig. 68. Quittor before pus exudes Fig. 69. Quittor after exudation
through coronet. through coronet.
In severe cases of quittor the skin, tendons, cartilages, and bones are more or less affected. When the bone be comes carious there is little hope of cure. A cure, even in ordinary cases, requires two or three months. The horse is usually lame even after the healing. This is owing to change of structure. The cartilage becoming bony and the coronet destroyed, often causes the disor der known as ‘ False Quarter.’ Caries of either the car tilage or bone is preceded by ulcers having a greenish discharge mixed with synovia (joint oil).
Remedy.—Secure a free dependent opening. Remove dead tissues or other irritants. Poultice. Inject corrosive sublimate solution. Where cavities are numerous and dif-
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191
ficult of access, core them out with corrosive sublimate or arsenic plug. Where foot is strong, no shoe is needed ; if weak or broken, bar shoe relieves pressure. In very bad cases diseased textures must be excised. Blister cor onet to promote reparative action.
FALSE QUARTER
Results from quittor more than from any other cause. It may, however, be caused by injury or disease of any kind destroying the coronary substance, on the integrity of which the integrity of the wall depends. In the same way that injury at the root of man’s nails causes divis ion, will injury of the coronary substance cause a groove in the hoof. Hence the name. Its appearance is that of a gap. The gap is covered with a thin layer of soft horn,
‘ Fig. 70. False Quarter. Pig. 71. Remedy for False
Quarter.
which sometimes splits and bleeds. Dirt or squeezing of the internal parts sometimes causes inflammation, pus, and lameness. If the fissure remains sound, however, no inconvenience follows. False quarter may be palliated, but not cured.
Remedy.—Restore secretory function of coronary band. Dress and promote healing of any wounds in band. Press ure should generally be applied and dead horn trimmed away. Bar shoe to relieve concussion. Fill cracks with gutta-percha to keep out dirt. Blisters to coronet some times useful.
192 THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE.
VENOMOUS BITES AND STINGS
Are caused by bees, hornets, vipers. &c. The adder’s bite is sometimes fatal, and swarming bees have been known to sting a horse or ox to death.
Remedy.—Ammonia and oil; or an ounce of spirit of hartshorn or turpentine in olive oil. Rub some on bite also. Potassium hydrate or bicarbonate solutions. Bathe the eyes with laurel water twice a week. Carbolic acid; prussic acid; chloroform; cold water dressings. For snake bite ligature limb; excise wound, and sear with hot iron. Alcoholic stimulants; ammonia. Artificial respiration.
For doses, see pages 13 to 29.
BURNS AND SCALDS.
Remedy.—Protect immediately from air and irritants by layers of cotton wool, or apply carron oil. Liniment of oil and litharge, with 5 per cent, boric, salicylic, or carbolic acid, or peppermint oil. Whiting and water, or Fuller’s earth, about the consistence of cream, applied till well coated. Zinc oxide, with about 10 parts vaselin, or of glycerine and water. Alkaline solutions, soap lather, saturated solution sodium bicarbonate for slighter cases. Where discharges are foul, add antiseptics to above dress ings. Where there is irritation and pain, add chloroform or laudanum, or both. Combat constitutional suffering with antiseptics and anodynes internally. For doses, see pages 13 to 29. For lists of antiseptics, anodynes, &c, see pages 30 to 37.
FRACTURES
Are usually caused by blows, falls, slips, &c, but a horse, by struggling when cast, may not only fracture its spine but perhaps some other bone.
Fractures are simple, compound, or comminuted ; they are also either transverse or oblique. They are indicated
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by a grating noise ; separation or displacement of the parts; deformity, shortening, lameness; pain on pressure ; heat, swelling, tension, or the approach of inflammation. The three chief principles of treatment are replacement, main tainment, and care.
Compound and comminuted fractures are hopeless. Re ducible simple fractures are sometimes curable, such as fracture of the ribs, cannon bones, arch of orbit, nasal bones, upper and lower jaw bones, tail bones, arm, hock, leg, pastern, and coffin (foot) bones.
The following fractures are usually fatal: Skull, pelvis, spine, scapula, humerus, femur, tibia, elbow, patella (stifle bone), and the sesamoid (foot), coronary, and navicular bones.
Repeated displacements and indisposition to form callus (bony substance between fractured parts) are also incurable.
Remedy.—Put bones in apposition. Splints of leather, lath, block-tin, paroplastic, or gutta-percha. Incase in plaster of Paris ; starch bandages. Ends of bones may be kept together by metallic sutures. Smart blister causes outpouring of fibrinous, plastic, reparative material; also favors parts being kept at rest. Large animals may re quire slinging. Wounds in compound fractures treated antiseptically. Calcium phosphate internally in weakly subjects hastens union. For doses, see pages 13 to 29.
DISLOCATIONS
Occur less frequently than fractures and are usually less remediable. They are either complete or partial. They are caused by blows, falls, wrenches, &c., or by violent action of muscles. In some cases these causes seem to co- operate. Replacement, retention, and care are necessary to recovery.
The spine, especially at the neck, and the scapula and hip are sometimes successfully replaced.
Stifle dislocation is common and is easily remedied. 1.
194 THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE.
Back the horse forcibly and suddenly and somewhat diag onally a few paces. 2. If the first remedy does not suc ceed, fix a line around the pastern, the other end passed over the neck. Pull the limb forward till the fetlock is nearly as high as the elbow on the same side. Press the bone forward and inward with a jerk. If the displace ment is inward, which is rare and cannot occur without great violence, if the hand is not strong enough, press the bone upward and outward with a piece of wood.
To prevent a recurrence of the dislocation, keep the horse quiet—in a sling if necessary—applying stimulants, blisters, or plasters. A wide bandage, with a hole in the middle for the patella (stifle), and laced behind the limb, may be successfully applied, especially if the skin is made adhesive with Canada balsam. Keep the limb extended with a line around the pastern and neck.
Abate inflammation in all dislocations by hot fomenta tions or cold water.
The symptoms of dislocation are : Change in the ap pearance of the dislocated part—depression at joint, prom inence and tenderness at the then place of lodgment; peculiar noise and acute pain in moving the part; con siderable swelling. Compare the dislocated part with the opposite side. ‘
When the stifle is dislocated, the symptoms, in addition to the above, are : Backward protrusion of limb ; pastern and foot bent to utmost; cannot be straightened ; limb trailed, describing the segment of a circle when the ani mal moves.
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