Diseases of the Horse - With Information on Diagnosis and Treatment

By A. H. Baker

"Diseases of the Horse" contains information on the diagnosis and treatment of a vast range of equine ailments. It is intended to illustrate aspects of equine health and serves as a guide for anyone wishing to obtain a general knowledge of the subject. Profusely illustrated and clearly written, this volume is highly recommend for existing and prospective horse owners. Contents include: “Horses – Care And Maintenance”, “Symptoms And General Treatment”, “Feet Of The Horse And Their Diseases”, “Feet Of The Horse And Their Diseases (continued)”, “Quittor”, “Quarter and Sand Cracks”, “Seedy Toe”, “Acute Founder or Laminitis”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new introduction on the anatomy and breeding of horses.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Oct 26, 2011
• ISBN: 9781447491071

Book preview

SYMPTOMS AND GENERAL TREATMENT.

I. INTRODUCTION.—II. OUTWARD MANIFESTATIONS OF DISEASE.—III. SYMPTOMS OF INTERNAL DISEASES.—IV. IMPORTANCE OF PROMPT TREATMENT.—V. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TREATING.—VI. NURSING AND FEEDING SICK ANIMALS.—VII. EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED.—VIII. GRADUATION OF DOSES.—IX. HOW OFTEN TO GIVE MEDICINES.—X. FORMS OF MEDICINES AND HOW TO ADMINISTER.

I. Introduction.

The horse, especially when subject to artificial care and conditions, and more especially in cities and large stables, is liable to pretty much the same diseases, or, at least, to diseases similar in their nature to those of man. Besides various epidemics, such as lung diseases, colds and influenza,—diseases arising from injuries, and bad care, involving diseases of the skin and its integuments, and of the ligaments, muscles and bones, are quite common in horses. Such diseases are comparatively rare in the human family, for the reason that horses are often put to terrible strain in running, leaping, drawing heavy loads in the mud, and on rough pavements, etc. These, from the want of proper knowledge, or from neglect, assume the most serious forms, and often totally unfit the horse for active labor, if they do not entirely ruin him.

The importance of common-sense treatment and training has been fully elucidated in the preceding pages. The importance of proper care, sufficient clothing, grooming, good ventilation, and kindness in their general treatment has also been insisted on. If the information to be given in the succeeding pages, relating to proper care in sickness, is observed, much trouble and loss will be saved to the farmer, who is often necessarily precluded from calling in the services of a competent veterinary surgeon, because, in many country districts, there are none.

The object of this work, therefore, is to give, in plain language, the necessary treatment of such diseases as may be cared for, by other than the professional surgeon; and to give such advice as will prevent the occurrence of many disabilities, which, if taken out of the list, by their prevention, would very much lighten the task of the veterinarian. These should be well known and carefully studied by every horse owner, for thus might often be prevented spavin; curb; splint; ringbone; caries, in its various forms; swellings of the muscular integuments, causing serious trouble; injuries to the sinews, causing breaking down; poll evil and other fistulous affections; fractures; founder; grease; inflammations of the glands and veins; cracked hoofs; quittor; hernia and many other diseases, not recognized by the horse owner, as a rule, until they have become serious.

A careful attention to symptoms which will be given in plain language, and the application of appropriate remedies, will save the owner money, and at the same time will also save the most intelligent servant, and if allowed to be, the faithful friend of man, much terrible torture. The feet and limbs are most liable to disease. Those who have suffered from the torture of a tight boot, can only form a partial idea of the agony of a horse suffering from disease of the feet, and especially from navicular disease, attacking, as it does, the most delicate organs, encased in the horny covering of the foot. The causes of disease, therefore, how to know it by outward symptoms—for the horse cannot tell his distress, except by mute signs, and what to do, will be told in the following pages. In cases where danger is present from contagious and utterly incurable diseases, as glanders, or incurable infectious diseases as hydrophobia, the animal should be quickly and mercifully killed, and buried deep out of the way of danger.

II. Outward Manifestations of Disease.

To make plain what would otherwise not be readily comprehended, the diseases will be illustrated by cuts. These cuts will often present the disease in its strongest forms, whereby the same difficulties will be the more easily recognized in their lighter manifestations. Many of the diseases of the skin, and especially of the bones, may go on for a long time without the cause being surely known. Hence the illustration of some internal diseases, as shown outwardly, will be very instructive. The most of them are caused by neglect or abuse. Their treatment will be given in their proper places, as, for instance, those of the feet, in the next chapter. The