GIVING MEDICINES TO ANIMALS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6870, 7 March 1883, Page 3

GIVING MEDICINES TO ANIMALS.

By Pbof, D. D. Bladb, Habtabb UjtiTBB3XXY. (American Agriculturist.) In administering medicines to his animals, the knowledge of how to do It is most essential to every farmer, and he may not be able to always acquire it from his books at hand. The most ready manner of giving medicinal substances is by mixing them with the food or drink. This, however, is not always practicable, as the animal may refuse the mixture, or may be too weak to make the effort to take it. It must then be given by bill, or by drench from a horn or bottle. One most essential anatomical point to be remembered by every one in the giving of medicine, especially in the liquid form, is, that the tongue should be free. It is mainly by the muscular movements of this organ that the entrance to the windpipe is closed during the passage of food or liquid into the gullet. The introduction of the smallest quantity into the air passages at ones causes intense irritation, made evident by coughing. By preventing natural movements of the tongue, we run much risk of producing suffocation. To illustrate: An ox, after eating heartily, and drinking late in the morning, was puffed up, the swelling disappearing after work. On again drinking at night, the swelling returned. Some medicine was prepared, but the swelling bad abated, and the animal was eating hay. But to prevent a recurrence of the disorder, the medicine was given by holding his tongue out of his mouth while pouring it down his throat. He fell down and died immediately. On examination, eight inches of the windpipe was completely filled with chewed hay, conveyed there by the liquid, and strangulation was produced. When practicable, the ball is the most convenient form of administering medicine to a horse when he will not take it in food. The ball should be prepared with oil, rather than with syrup, and both in size and shape should resemble a small hen’s egg. One person can give it by standing at the right shoulder of the animal when backed into a stall. With the left hand draw the tongue out gently upon the right side, not palling it, but simply pressing it upon the lower jaw. The ball, heM between tho tips of the fingers of the right hand, is conveyed into the posterior portion of the mouth, and the hand quickly withdrawn, and tho tongue liberated. If the ball is not seen to pats down the gullet on the left side of the throat, a gentle blow on the chin will cause the animal to swallow, or water may be offered. Where the animal is at all refractory or vicious, it mftybe necessary to hold the jaws open by the halter-rope, or in some cases by the ballingiron, an instrument made for this use. In giving a drench to a horse, a horn should be used in preference to the bottle, for fear of breakage. Standing at the right shoulder, raise the head with the loft hand under the jaw, and with the right hand pass the lip of the horn into the tide of the mouth, and empty its contents, tho head being kept up until they are swallowed. If the animal is violent, plaee a twitch upon the nose, to be held by an assistant; or if he refuses to open the mouth, the tongue may bo gently held to one side, tho horn introduced, quickly emptied, and tho tongue liberated at once. Under all circumstances, the greatest gentleness must bo exercised. Nothing can be gained by impatience or by harsh treatment.

For the ox or cow, liquid medicine is preferable, given from the bottle rather than the horn. The bottle it more manageable, and one it less tempted to me it to pry open the jaws, and perhaps that lacerate the tongi.e alec. Elevate the head only enough to prevent the liquid running from the mouth. The bottle should not be pushed back far into the throat. The tongue should bo left free. The following is a very neat and efficacious method : If standing, plaoe the left side of the animal against a wall, and standing on the right side seise hold of the upper jaw by passing the left arm over the head, and bending the utter far round to the right, slightly elevating it. With the right hano, pour the contents of the bottle into the mouth at its angle, using the least possible force. Medicinal substances can readily be gjwn to the oat, after properly securing the animal. An efficient method is at follows s Grasp the hind legs above the hooks, between the little and ring fingers of each hand, the fore extremities above the « lbow » between tbe other two fingers, and claoo the thmntw against the jKwtwiorUterrf porto of U» head at the base of the ears. Being thus firmly hold, the medicine, either solid or liquid, may bo given from a common spoon.