Domestic Animals Part 5

Bifurcation at the pasterns, and the two larger pasterns to each foot.--18. Sesamoid bones.--19. Bifurcation of the pasterns.--20. Lower jaw and the grinders.--21. Vertebrae, or bones of the neck.--22.

Navicular bones.--23. Two coffin bones to each foot.--24. Two smaller pasterns to each foot.--25. Smaller or splint-bone.--26. False ribs, with their cartilages.--27. Patella, or bone of the knee.--28. Small bones of the hock.--29. Metatarsals, or larger bones of the hind leg.--30. Pasterns and feet.--31. Small bones of the hock.--32. Point of the hock.--33. Tibia, or proper leg-bone.--34. Thigh-bone.--35. Bones of the tail.--36, 37. Haunch and pelvis.--38. Sacrum.--39. Bones of the loins.--40. Bones of the back--41. Ligament of the neck and its attachments.--42. Scapula, or shoulder-blade.--43. Bones of the back.--44. Ligament of the neck.--45. Dentata.--46. Atlas.--47.

Occipital bone, deeply depressed below the crest or ridge of the head--48. Parietal bone, low in the temporal fossa.--49. Horns, being processes or continuations of the frontal bone.]

DISEASES IN CATTLE.

Hoven, or Swelling of the Paunch,

Is a temporary ailment, caused by eating too freely of fresh and generally wet clover, or other succulent food. The animal gorges the first stomach with so much food, that its contents cannot be expelled.

Inflammation of the membrane takes place, and decomposition of the food soon follows. This is known by the distension of the paunch, and difficulty of breathing, and unless speedily relieved, suffocation and death will ensue. Both sheep and cattle are subject to it.

_Remedies._[1]--In its early stages, when not too severe, it has been removed by administering some one of the following remedies.

A pint of gin poured down the throat.

From one to two pints of lamp or other oil.

Strong brine.

New milk with one-fifth its bulk of tar mixed.

An egg-sh.e.l.l full of tar forced down the throat, followed by a second, if the first fails.

A tablespoonful of volatile spirit of ammonia, diluted with water.

A wine-gla.s.s full of powder, mixed with cold lard and forced in b.a.l.l.s into the stomach.

A teaspoonful of unslaked lime dissolved in a pint of warm water, shaken and given immediately.

A pint of tolerably strong lye.

[1] Besides his own experience, the writer has drawn from the N. E.

Farmer, the Albany Cultivator, the American Agriculturist, and other reliable American and English works, some of the remedies for diseases herein mentioned.

The Proper Mode of giving the above Remedies

Is for a person to hold the horn and cartilage of the nose, while another seizes and draws out the tongue as far as possible, when the medicine is thrust below the root of the tongue. If liquid, it must be inserted by the use of a bottle.

_The probang_ is used when the former remedies are ineffectual. This consists of a tarred rope, or a flexible whip-stalk, three-fourths of an inch in diameter, with a swab or bulbous end. Two persons hold the head of the animal, so as to keep the mouth in a line with the throat, while a third forces it into the stomach, when the gas finds a pa.s.sage out. A stiff leather tube with a lead nozzle pierced with holes, is best for insertion, through which the gas will readily escape.

Some one of the above purgatives should be given after the bloat has subsided, and careful feeding for some days must be observed.

Light gruels are best for allaying inflammation, and restoring the tone of the stomach.

When no other means are available, the paunch may be tapped with a sharp penknife, plunging it 1 inches forward of the hip bone, towards the last rib in the left side. If the hole fills up, put in a large goose-quill tube, which to prevent slipping into the wound, may remain attached to the feather, and the air can escape through a large hole in the upper end.

_Prevention_ is vastly better than cure, and may be always secured, by not allowing hungry cattle to fill themselves with clover, roots, apples, &c. When first put upon such feed, it should be when the dew and rain are off, and their stomachs are already partially filled; and they should then be withdrawn before they have gorged themselves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 15.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 16.

The Stomach Pump.]

This is a convenient instrument for extracting poisonous substances from the stomach. It is also highly useful for administering medicines and injections, and if fitted with several tubes, one may suffice for animals of any size. It consists of a syringe, _a_, with a side opening at _b_, and another at the bottom _d_, as shown in Fig. 16. For injections, Fig. 15 is used, and the end of the syringe is placed in a vessel containing the fluid, when a probang or injection-tube is screwed on to the side opening at _b_, through which the fluid is forced into the stomach or r.e.c.t.u.m, as may be required. The probang should be a tube of thick but elastic leather, and it may be pa.s.sed into the mouth, through an aperture in a block, placed on edge between the teeth, which is easily done while a person holds the head of the animal firmly.

Choking

Is frequently relieved by some of the following expedients.

The use of the probang or whip-stock, mentioned under the head of _remedies for Hoven_, by which the root is forced into the stomach.

A soft root may be crushed so as to allow of swallowing, by holding a smooth block against it, and striking with a mallet on the opposite side.

If within arms-length, the root may be removed by hand.

It is said this can be done, by tying up the fore-leg with a small cord, close to the body, and giving the animal a sudden start with a whip; or by jerking the fore-leg out forward.

Or pour down the throat a pint bottle full of soft soap, mixed with sufficient hot water to make it run freely.

_Prevention_ consists in cutting the roots; not feeding them when the animals are very hungry, and not disturbing them while eating.

Inflammation of the Stomach.

This is frequently produced by a sudden change from dry to green food, and some other causes.

Epsom salts, castor oil, sulphur, and carbonate of soda, in sufficient quant.i.ty to purge freely, are good remedies.

It may be prevented by changing the food gradually.

Mange, or Scab.

This is denoted by the animal rubbing the hair off about the eyes and other parts. The skin is scaly or scabby, sometimes appearing like a large seed-wart.

_Remedies._--Rub the spots with sulphur and lard, after sc.r.a.ping and was.h.i.+ng with soap.

When the skin is cracked, take sulphur, 1 lb.; turpentine, lb.; unguentum, (or mercurial ointment,) 2 ounces; linseed oil, 1 pint. Melt the turpentine and warm the oil, and when partly cooled, stir in the sulphur; when cold, add the unguentum, mixing all well. Rub this thoroughly with the hand on the parts affected.

We have no doubt this, like scab in sheep and itch in the human species, will be found, on close investigation, to be caused by minute insects located in the skin. Salt and water ought, in that case, to be a good remedy.

Hollow Horn, or Horn Ail.