The Veterinarian Part 10

The following remedy should be administered to all cases of Colic, including mares heavy with foal: Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia, six ounces; Turpentine, six ounces. Mix well together and place one ounce in gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun every hour. Puncturing the intestines is advisable in some cases to relieve them of gas. This requires a special instrument for the purpose and no one should attempt to perform the operation unless they know the anatomy of the part, as the arteries of the intestines may be penetrated and produce internal hemorrhage or infection of the intestines, or abscesses may follow.

WIND GALLS

CAUSE: By concussions from fast work on hard roads and from sprains from slipping.

SYMPTOMS: When concussions alone are responsible, the suspensory ligament and the back tendons will at first be in a normal condition, and the swelling will probably be confined to both the inside and outside of the leg, and may be felt in the form of a puffy swelling on each side of the fetlock by placing the fore finger and the thumb on the joint. In more serious cases resulting from sprains, the vacant s.p.a.ce between the back tendons and the suspensory ligament may also become filled with fluids. In other words, a Wind Gall has formed. In some cases the animal may be lame.

TREATMENT: When there is heat present apply cold, wet packs until the heat disappears. Then apply Tincture of Iodine, one ounce; Gum Camphor, two ounces; to one pint of Gasolene. Apply every three days with nail or tooth brush. Shake contents of the bottle well each time before applying.

I may add that this is a very difficult blemish to treat and is not always successful, so do not be discouraged if the enlargements do not disappear, but the above prescription has proven the most successful of any treatment I have personally used in my private practice.

WOLF OR SUPERNUMERARY TEETH

Wolf Teeth are comparatively small in size and have only one root and are found just in front of the upper molar teeth. Sometimes they do harm, but that is an exception and not the rule. They can be easily removed with a pair of small forceps or they may be punched out in some instances.

I think they interfere with the eyes, causing them to become watery and inflamed due to the tooth exerting some influence upon the ophthalmic division of the fifth nerve.

Supernumerary Teeth: Tooth substance may develop in almost any part of the body. These are called Supernumerary Teeth and are most commonly found in the t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es, ovaries and sinuses of the head, etc.

WOUNDS

Wounds caused by external injuries have a general resemblance, and whether clean-cut, punctured, lacerated, poisonous, gunshot, etc., require practically the same treatment.

TREATMENT: Wash with a Carbolic solution, one tablespoonful to one pint of distilled water.

SEWING OF WOUNDS: I cannot say that I am in favor of sewing wounds unless they are gaping or wide open.

After the wound is washed, dust with Iodoform, Boracic Acid and Tannic Acid, each one ounce. Powder finely and place in a sifter top can and apply twice daily. Cord or heavy thread may be used for sewing the wound after being saturated in a Carbolic Acid solution, using a large darning needle. If the animal is vicious, place a twitch on his nose or it may be necessary to throw him.

DISEASES OF CATTLE

Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

[Ill.u.s.tration: Photograph of cow with numbers referring to the parts named below.]

1. Mouth 2. Nostrils 3. Muzzle 4. Face 5. Eyes 6. Forehead 7. Ears 6. Poll 9. Horns 10. Jaws 11. Dewlap 12. Brisket 13. Neck 14. Withers 15. Crops 16. Shoulders 17. Heart Girth 18. Fore flank 19. Legs 20. Feet 21. Dew claws 22. Belly 23. Milk wells 24. Milk veins 25. Fore udder 26. Teats 27. Barrel or ribs 28. Back 29. Coupling 30. Rear Flanks 31. Hook points 32. Tail-head 33. Pin bones or thurls 34. Rump 35. Esoutcheon 36. Tail 37. Thighs 38. Rear Udder 39. Switch

CHAPTER II

ABSCESSES

CAUSE: Bruises and injuries. They are also seen in complication with various other diseases, as Laryngitis, Pharyngitis, Tuberculosis, Lump Jaw, Blood Poison or Pyemia and Septicemia.

SYMPTOMS: Symptoms will vary according to the nature of the disease or injury. It may not be noticed at first, but upon careful examination swollen lines will be observed running from the point of swelling. In many cases a swelling is noticed which is hot, painful and throbbing, which enlarges rapidly in two or three days. The swelling and heat gradually disappear but the Abscess continues to grow. The hair falls from the point of swelling and in a short time breaks and discharges pus. The cavity gradually fills up and heals by granulation.

TREATMENT: In all cases, hasten the ripening process as much as possible by applying hot water packs or hot bran, flaxseed or vegetable poultices. It is common with Veterinarians to lance an Abscess as soon as possible, but this requires considerable skill and practice and I would advise stock owners to be very cautious when performing this operation, as there is great danger of cutting arteries which would cause excessive bleeding. A very good plan is to encourage the full ripening of an Abscess, as above stated. When opened, do not squeeze the Abscess to any extent, but press gently with clean hands or cloth to remove the core or clot. After this, just simply keep the Abscess open by was.h.i.+ng with a three per cent Carbolic Acid solution, or b.i.+.c.hloride of Mercury, one in one thousand solution. Hyposulphite of Soda in ounce doses should be given two or three times a day in their drinking water.

This will prevent the absorption of impurities from the abscess into the blood circulation.

ABORTION

(Non-Contagious)

CAUSE: Injuries from slipping or falling on icy roads, in box cars, and deep gutters; receiving blows on the body, keeping the animal in insanitary stables, eating poor food that may be irritating or poisonous, etc. In such cases, the cow's vitality is low so that the foetus dies and is expelled as a result. Losing large quant.i.ties of blood also produces Abortion, or a cow heavy with calf, on being placed in the same quarters with the cows that retain their afterbirth, is liable to abort. Intestinal worms, lung worms, liver flukes, causing an excessive drain upon the system or producing irritation of the digestive organs, in consequence of which cow gets very poor and emaciated. The above mentioned are perhaps the most common causes of "Non-Contagious Abortion."

SYMPTOMS: The cow is uneasy, becomes separated from the herd, the bag and v.a.g.i.n.a may be slightly inflamed and perhaps the latter discharging.

If a cow heavy with calf craves the chewing and eating of dirt, rags, nails, etc., this is a sign of a lack of iron or phosphorus in her system and food containing these elements should be provided.

PREVENTIVE TREATMENT: Provide clean, warm, comfortable quarters, good food, pure water to drink, do not subject her to any injuries, do not permit her coming in contact with cows retaining their afterbirth.

The above mentioned is very important, especially if the cows are valuable and a large yield of milk is expected. If they have worms, treat the same as under their special heading. If they have a loss of blood or a lack of mineral matter in their system, the following is very efficient: Pulv. Ferri Sulphate, four ounces; Pulv. Nux Vomica, two ounces; Pulv. Fenugreek Seed, four ounces. Mix and make into sixteen powders. Give one powder two or three times a day in feed or place in a gelatin capsule and give with capsule gun.

AMAUROSIS OF THE EYE

CAUSE: Paralysis of the optic nerve.

SYMPTOMS: Pupil fully dilated and of a gla.s.sy appearance. This condition is sometimes called "Gla.s.s Eye." The cow carries the head high and steps high. This condition is very uncommon in cattle.

TREATMENT: Nothing can be done for a cow if she is blind, but this condition may be prevented if detected in its early stages of development by the proper feeding of nouris.h.i.+ng food, good clean surroundings and the administration of nerve tonics, as Pulv. Nux Vomica, four ounces; Pulv. Gentian Root, four ounces; Pota.s.sium Iodide, three ounces. Make into twenty-four powders and place one powder in feed two or three times daily; or make into twenty-four capsules and give one capsule two or three times a day with capsule gun.

ANTHRAX

Anthrax is a very contagious disease and is communicable to all warm blooded animals and man.

CAUSE: Due to the presence of a germ called the Bacillus of Anthrax and is one of the oldest diseases attributed to germs. These Bacilli thrive in warm climates, although found in cold countries. The infection is carried to various parts of the world by box-cars, s.h.i.+ps, hides, hoofs, horns, wool and hair taken from sick or dead animals affected with Anthrax. This, perhaps, is the most common method of spreading the disease.

SYMPTOMS: Loss of appet.i.te, grinding of the teeth indicating great pain, trembling of the muscles, temperature elevated to 104 or 106 degrees F., breathing very rapid, pulse fast and weak, hair rough. There are some cases where the animals are seized quickly with the disease and die very suddenly. This form resembles apoplexy. Carbuncles or Abscesses are seen on the surface of the body in nearly all cases, also a b.l.o.o.d.y discharge from the mouth and nose. The animal may stamp the ground, rear in the air, run and finally go into convulsions and die. This is termed "the furious form of Anthrax."

TREATMENT: Prevention is the most important. Fields or pastures that are infected with this disease should be burned every summer if possible, to destroy the germs. The animals that succ.u.mb to the disease should be buried deeply and quicklime thrown upon them, also any blood stains upon the ground should have a strong disinfectant thrown upon them. The hide of such an animal should not be used as the person removing it is likely to contract the same disease, especially if an abrasion is present on the hand, or such a hide or any portion thereof is likely to spread the infection after reaching the tannery, etc.

MEDICAL TREATMENT OR SERUM TREATMENT: This is the only thorough method of eradicating the disease, and when this disease once becomes prevalent in a locality the services of a competent Veterinarian should be secured and all the animals inoculated.