THE VETERINARIAN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 772, 17 December 1886, Page 15

THE VETERINARIAN.

DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES. • The disease to which we referred in the lost .article under the name of ‘acute diarrl affecting the horse, does not, in the same form at least, attack other animals. Cattle and sheep suffer from diarrhoea in consequence of change of food and exposure; but the disease is'seldom associated with acute inflammation of the mucous membrane of the intestines and severe abdominal pain, as in the horse. The appetite is rarely lost, or even much impaired, and the affection tends to assume the subacute or chronic form. Diarrhoea often occurs, among sheep when they are put upon luxuriant pasture after being f.o?jsome.time before on high and dry land, and the disorder may continue for some days without doing any harm until the animals become accustomed to the change of food, when it gradually subsides. It is necessary in these cases to watch the flock carefully, in order to note any signs of illness—such as dulness of aspect, loss of appetite, and especially a desire on the part of any of the sheep to separate themselves from their companions, and get into out-of-the-way corners, into ditches, or under hedges. These signs of illhealth must not be neglected, as they indicate that the food is not of a kind to be continued with impnnity, and a change of pasture becomesan absolute necessity. If there should happen to be a piece of old sainfoin on the farm, the remedy for tbe disease is found. It is only necessary to put the sheep on it for a few days, and no father treatment will be required. Failing this, the animals should be shifted to a bare pasture, and have some trough food, chaff with meal and a little oilcake, and by way of change some good hay. Either form of food may bo rendered medicinal by being sprinkled with a little very dilute eulpburic acid’. The ordinary acid will do for this purpose, diluted with water to a sufficient extent to make it strongly, but not unpleasantly, acid to the taste.

Diarrhoea in the chronio form occurs in cattle in association with derangement of the liver, and in many cases the disease assumes a dysentrio character. The evacuations are streaked with blood, and contain a large quantity of mucous. Cattle affected with chronic diarrhoea soon become emaciated ; the appetite varies, but whatever food is taken remains undigested, or at least unassimilated ; and the falling off in condition is equally marked, whether the animal eats well or not. When the disease attacks milch cows, the milk becomes poor in quality, and the quantity gradually diminishes, until at length the secretion ceases altogether, and the mammary gland is partially absorbed.

In dealing with cases of the kind above described, the practical man will proceed according to the special circumstances in each case. If the patient is an old cow which has been suffering for some time, has become emaciated, hide-bonnd, and has lost her milk entirely, the chances of recovery are very remote. and it can hardly be expected that the result of treatment will be remunerative, even if the animal is materially benefited by the remedies used. No one would think of breeding.from a cow after partial reoovery, and the only question to be determined is, oan the animal he got into moderate condition for the butcher ? The answer which experience has given is in the negative. It is pretty well known that these ‘ rotten ’ cattle are in a hopeless state, and they are generally consigned to some one who deals in ‘ middling ’ things, as the term is, and the carcase of the beast, if too poor to take its place in the meat market, undergoes some sort of ‘ conversion, 1 and probnbly makes palatable, if not particularly wholesome, food. When the subject of chronic diarrhoea is young and in fait condition, and particularly if tbe appetite is pretty good and there is no blood discharged from the intestines, recovery under proper treatment may be expected. Remedies for chronio diarrhoea should be given with the view of restoring the lost tone of the digestive organs, and improving the gocretory function, rather than with the obiect of at once stopping the excessive discharge of feculent matter.' Mild laxatives aie always useful in chronic diarrhoea, and salines are best for the purpose,' because they act on the kidneys also. Tonics are certainly beneficial in these cases, and, as the liver is always at fault, some agent which has an influence on that organ may be advantageously added. A mixture which combines all the requisites in a simple form is made by dissolving four ounces of Epsom salts in a pint of hot water, and adding to this, when cold, two drachms of carbonate of iron, and an ounce of the fluid extract of taraxacum. The dose may be given at first twice in the day, and if the action is too purgative—as it may be, in the irritable state of the intestinal membrane—the salts may be altogether omitted, or the quantity may be reduced to two ounces. The food should be of a kind which is easily digested ; and, with this proviso, the allowance may be liberal as to quantity. Crushed and steeped oilcake, crushed linseed with good bay chaff, malt, and a few roots pulped and mixed with chaff, will form a very good dietary. If the diarrhcea continues after a week of the above treatment, a little astringent medicine may be given for the purpose of checking it; but care must be taken in administering these; agents, or'the, effect may be injurious rather than beneficial. A little tinc ! ure of catechu is the most satisfactory; medicine, and it is best given in a little water, without the addition of any other agent. Half an ounce of the tincture may be given with half a pint of water, and the dose may be repeated in a few hours if necessary, and continued until some effect is produced. While the astringent is being exhibited it will be necessary to discontinue tbe laxative and tonic .mixture.. A form of diarrhoea is met with from time to time which can hardly be included in the list of diseases of the digestive system, because it is the result of medicinal action. The affection is described as superpurgation ; and in the horse, the animal which most frequently suffers from it, the disorder is often fatal. Symptoms which indicate superpurgation are, in all essential characters, like those of acute diarrhcea. Pain and fever are present, and sometimes the whole of the mucous membrane of tho stomach and - intestines is affected with intense inflammation.

Superpurgation is often the remit of an overdose' of, _ purgative medicine, but it does hot in all eases need an excessive quantity of the purgative agent to produce the effect. Four drachms of aloe 3 would be a very mild dose of physio for a horse but the same quantity given when the animal was suffering from ordinary catarrh, with a febrile state of the system, might produce a fatal result. There is nothing, it may be remarked, in the appearance of the animal to indicate that the diarrhoea is due to the action of a drug, and unless the attendant is aware of the fact, he will look upon the case as one of acute diarrhoea, and proceed to treat it accordingly. Practically, the mistake is of no consequence, as the treatment of superpurgation would be identical with that which would be adopted in acute diarrhcea from any cause. DISHORNING. Discussing the several methods proposed by different writers of dishorning cattle, one writer Eays that to all those desirous of getting immediate relief from dangerous and useless horns, the plan of sawing off tho horns close to the skull suggests itself as a speedy, though somewhat heroic method of dishorning" the cattle now on hand, while the method of preparing to escape all snoh evils in future, by crossing with polled breeds is undoubtedly a wise and good one. Breeding the horns off by using polled bulls, is both safe and sure. It is also the most effective, as well as painless, for when, got off that- way they will stay off. Some will object to getting them off that way, fearing they would reduce the quality of their cattle, but they need be under no apprehension on that score. If they are breeding for beef, they can certainly improve the beef making qualities of any class of cattle by using the polled or ‘ Aberdeen-Angus,’ as they will produce more beef —and better beef —at proportionate cost per pound, than any cattle that wear horns, while if they go in for milkers, they can certainly get fixed by using ths Red Polls.