ANIMAL AILMENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1893, 2 March 1888, Page 8

ANIMAL AILMENTS.

(Abridged from Agricultural Exchangee.) CATTLE. DRENCHING CATTLE. M. M.— (l) Do you rpcoramend Read's stomach pump for drenching cattle ? (2) Ib it safer or better than the horn for that purpose? (3) If you recommend it, kindly say where it may be procured, and the price of it. Answer : (1) We do not approve of administering medicine by means of stomach pump. When drenching a cow care should be taken not to hold the animal by the nose, as by bo doing respiration is impaired and medicine is liable to be sucked into trachea, causing inflammation of bronchial tubes. HEIFER BUNSTBUCK. Meath.— A week since a yearling of mine was found lying in the sun, and wheu put up staggered, and appeared not well able to walk. She was very sore all along the spine from the horns when touched, and slightly swelled about the jaws. Tha herd drove her into a house close by, and bathed her with cold water for a few days, and gave a physic. She seems to have recovered now, but is still rather sore along the back. Please say to what cause the J illness may be attributed, and if you consider tho ] tre&tment" to be judicious, or what other should have been pursued. Answer : Your animnl has suffered from sunstroke, causing inflammation of brain and spinal cord. Administer lib Glaubers and Jib Epsom salts, with ginger and treacle. Apply blister composed of canthandes, 6dr; hog's lard, 4oz, to poll and spine. BULLOCK AILING. Egdirb. — A bullock, bought about a month ago, had been very much overdriven. His feet were very sore, and part of the hoof fell off one of them. He ' was poulticed, and got better in feet. He has since i swelled in all his legs, and when pressed with the I finger there is a crepitation, as in blacklf g. He has a running from his eyes and nose. He fed fairly, I drinking gruel and e&ting grass, until the last few days, but is now refusing food. Please advise, and say would a tonic be useful. Answer : Foment swelling on legs, and give a powder composed of pstas, cblor., 4dr ; nux vomica, ldr ; ginger, 4oz, once daily until eight have been taken. . COW AILING. S. — A young cow, three rnonthß calved, promising a good milker, cannot retain her urine, which comes from her in a continuous brickie. She seems otherwise healthy and feeds well. Last summer she had scour, and the herd says my then steward gave her nitre, which he thinks caused her present ailment. Can you suggest a remedy ? Answer : Each night give the following in a mash of boiled oats, bran, and flaxseed:— Cantharides powdered, sgr; sulphate of iron, ldr ; aniseed, §oz. We would advise you to have one dozen powders compounded by a chemist, and continus their administrabion unbil all are used. Duriug the day a run on good pasture will also be of benefit. BULL AILING. A. M.— Please advise treatment of a bull 22 months old. He passes, with some straining, bloody coloured urine, but in all other respects I can see nothing wrong with him ; he feeds as well as usual. I gave him a purgative, which operated satisfactorily, and also some nitre afterwards. The urine is not to-day so red as before, but it is still high-coloured. Answer : Allow soft, laxative food and plenty of water, with a small dose of Epsom salts, say £lb ; bicarbonate of potash, -£oz, in a pint of water. Then once daily for a week administer the following:— English oil of sandal, §oz; nitrate of potash, 2dr; bicarbonate of soda, §oz ; best gin, two wineglasafuls; cold water, half a pint. SYMPTOMS OF STOMACH STAGGERS. Rev. Canon Kearney.— Will you kindly let me know, has science discovered a remedy for a very prevalent disease in this part of the country among cattle and sheep ? I know not what name to call it. They take a kind of reeling in tneir heads, fall, and

remain lying until they die. Give an idea of th 9 cause, and of the treatment for animals so affected. Answer t Although you give a very meagre deserip. tion of the symptoms, there is little doubt but that you refer to stomach staggers. A strong purgative must be administered at the first onset— for a two-jear-old beast, say, lib of Epsom salts ; ldr calomel; |oz ginger ; treacle, 1 quart, and a little warm wat«r, Allow thick flux seed tea to drink ; nothing to eat for 12 hours, and then only a little bran. If the bowels do not act satisfactorily after the above period, give another pound of salt* with 21b 0 ( melted butter. A change of pasture is advisable, m the origin of the malady is a dietetic one.