Special report on diseases of the horse / by Drs. Pearson [and others].

Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Special report on diseases of the horse / by Drs. Pearson [and others]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    64/690 (page 58)
    mild attacks going on to speedy death, while others that appear at the onset to be very severe yielding rapidly to treatment. Do not cease your efforts until you are sure the animal is dead. In these severe cases puncturing of the bowels in the most prominent (dis- tended) part b}^ means of a small trocar and cannula or with a needle of a hypodermic syringe, thus allowing the escape of gas, has often saved life, and such punctures, if made with a clean, sharp instrument that is not allowed to remain in the horse too long, are accompanied by little danger and do more to quickly relieve the patient than any other treatment. (4) Spasmodic, or cramp, colic.—This is the name given to that form of colic produced by contraction, or spasm, of a portion of the small intestines. It is produced by indigestible food; large drinks of cold water when the animal is warm; driving a heated horse through deep streams; cold rains; drafts of cold air, etc. Unequal distribu- tion of or interference with the nervous supply here produces cramp of the bowels, the same as external cramps are produced. Spasmodic colic is much more frequently met with in high-bred, nervous horses than in coarse, lymphatic ones. Symptoms.—These should be carefully studied in order to diagnose this from other forms of colic requiring quite different treatment. Spasmodic colic alwa}rs begins suddenly. If feeding, the horse is seen to stop abruptly, stamp impatiently, and probably look back. He soon evinces more acute pain, and this is shown by pawing, suddenly lying down, rolling, and getting up. During the period of pain the intestinal sounds, as heard by applying the ear over the flank, are louder than in health. There is then an interval of ease; he will resume feeding and appear to be entirely well. In a little while, how- ever, the pains return and are increased in severity, only to again pass off for a time. As the attack progresses these intervals of ease become shorter and shorter, and pain may be continuous, though even now there are exacerbations of pain. Animals suffering from this form of colic evince the most intense pain; they throw themselves down, roll over and over, jump up, whirl about, drop down again, paw, or strike rather, with the front feet, steam and sweat, and make frequent attempts to pass their urine. Only a small amount of water is passed at a time, and this is due to the bladder being so frequently emptied. These attempts to urinate are often regarded by horsemen as symp- toms of trouble of the kidneys or bladder. In reality they are only one of the many ways in which the horse expresses the presence of pain. As a matter of fact, diseases of the bladder or kidneys of the horse are exceedingly rare. To recapitulate the symptoms of spasmodic colic: Keep in mind the history of the case, the t}rpe of horse, the suddenness of the attack, the increased intestinal sounds, the intervals of ease (which become of