VETERINARY TREATMENT.
This treatment is about the same as for horses; common ailments are strangles, cold, sore mouth, poll-evil, fistulous withers, galls and sitfasts, thrush, colic, cramp, mange, grease. Where backs show the least sign of softness it is well to rub in salt and water. The same precaution should be taken with young mules about the part where the crupper is liable to chafe the dock, daily for a week before working.
Strangles.—This is a specific fever of young animals, usually attended with swellings and inflammations; an abscess generally forms between the bones of the lower jaw or elsewhere in groups of lymphatic glands; there are cough, difficulty of swallowing, discharge at the nostrils, and general prostration.
Treatment.—Give light bran-mashes, plenty of common salt, and keep the animal in a warm dry stable, with plenty of pure air. Encourage the ulcer; apply Gombault's balsam, if at hand, three times a day to induce suppuration, or, when it has come sufficiently to a head and appears soft enough to lance, do so, being careful to avoid the glands and veins. Tonics, three times a day, such as 20 grains of quinine, or 1 ounce ground gentian, or a teaspoonful powdered sulphate of iron.
Cold.—This disease seldom attacks mature mules in camp. Young stock on first being stabled, or stock out of hot, badly ventilated stables, on exposure may contract colds. The animal appears out of condition, with slight fever, eyes dull, cough and nasal discharge.
Treatment.—Remove to airy box-stall; clothe and bandage; apply ammonia liniment to the throat if there be a cough; steam the nostrils. Open the bowels by injection of tepid soap-suds, or give one third of a dose of oil; feed soft food; give quinine 10-grain doses.
Sore Mouth.—There are few diseases to which the mule's teeth are subject after the permanent teeth are developed. If the gums are swollen from the cutting of teeth, a light stroke of the lancet over the gums at a point where the teeth are forcing their way through, and a little regard to the animal's diet, will be all that is necessary. Mules suffer from injury to the tongue and sore mouth, caused by bad treatment. With a sponge apply to the sore parts a light decoction of white-oak bark; give nourishing gruels or bran-mashes; keep the bit out of the mouth until healed.
The Eye.—Occasionally mules' eyes become inflamed and sore. Apply warm or, if not obtainable, cold water and remove the cause. (See Ophthalmia, Vet. Notes.)
Poll-evil.—Mules are quite subject to this disease. It begins with an ulcer or sore at the junction of the head and neck, and from its position, more than from any other cause, it is difficult to heal.
Treatment.—When the swelling first appears, use hot fomentations. If these are not at hand, use cold water frequently, and keep the bridle and halter from the parts. If ulceration nevertheless takes place, the seton must be skilfully applied.
Fistula.—Fistula of withers is due to bruises, bad-fitting saddle or harness, or rolling on hard substances. It generally first appears as a swelling, then inflammation sets in and a tumor begins to form.
Treatment.—The fistula in its first stages may be driven away by frequent applications of cold water. Should the swelling continue, use warm fomentations, poultices, and stimulating embrocations. When in proper condition it should be opened, and kept so until all of the matter has escaped and the wound shows signs of healing.
The bowels should be opened by means of a cathartic of aloes.
Galls and Sitfasts.—One of the best remedies for saddle-gall is to remove the saddle pressure as much as possible, and bathe the back frequently with salt and cold water.
If this does not succeed the trouble will continue, and a root will form at the centre of the gall, the edges of which will be clear, the sitfast holding only by the root. In this case take a pair of pincers and pull it out. This done, bathe frequently with cold water. A little soothing oil, or grease free from salt, may be rubbed lightly on the parts as they begin to heal. One of the best remedies for galls is to cleanse the wound and blow into it a mixture of one part of iodoform to three parts of sulphur: if it be necessary to use the animal, cover the part with old-fashioned sticking-plaster.
Thrush.—Treatment.—Cut away the parts of the frog that seem to be destroyed; cleanse daily with castile soap, and apply muriatic acid, or a little tar mixed with salt on oakum or tow.
Colic.—The mule is quite subject to this complaint. Too much cold water or changes of grain will produce it.
The animal swells up, pants, looks around at his sides, paws, sweats above the eyes and on the flanks, becomes very restless, lying down and suddenly springing to his feet, lies down again, etc.
Treatment.—Drench with one ounce of chloral-hydrate in a half pint of water or two ounces of sulphuric ether and two ounces of tincture of opium in half pint of linseed oil, repeating the dose an hour afterwards if not relieved; or 2 oz. oil of turpentine, 1 oz. tinct. opium given in 12 oz. linseed oil or a pint of thick gruel. The belly should be well hand-rubbed and the animal walked about. Inject warm soap-suds.
Cramp.—Treatment.—A good hand-rubbing.
Mange.—Treatment.—Rub the animal with a mixture of hog's lard and sulphur, two pints of the latter to one pint of the former; cover with blanket; two days later wash clean with soft soap and water; blanket for a few days to avoid cold. Feed bran-mashes, plenty of salt and water.
Grease.—This is a diseased state of the skin of the legs, and more especially the hind ones. In the early stages it consists of an inflammation of the sweat-glands, followed by an offensive oily discharge. The principal cause is uncleanliness, or by washing the legs with cold water and not properly drying them afterwards.
Treatment.—Without cleanliness medical remedies are worthless. Apply poultices; leave them on half a day. Boiled turnips, carrots, bread and milk, or bran and hot water are all good. Apply Gombault's balsam, one part to four parts of glycerine, once every two days in chronic cases. Or clean the parts well with castile soap and warm water, and use an ointment made of powdered charcoal two ounces, lard or tallow four ounces, sulphur two ounces, mix thoroughly and rub in well by hand. Or gunpowder and lard or tallow, equal parts, is good; or dress with carbolized oil or oxide of zinc ointment.
Glanders.—A highly infectious and contagious disease of the lungs; incurable, and communicable to man.
The three characteristic signs are: 1. A peculiar transparent, glutinous, and continuous discharge, usually from one nostril, which discharge, moreover, accumulates and entangles all kinds of filth, so that it is unlikely to escape observation. 2. Ulceration of the mucous membranes of the nostril: the process of ulceration much resembles the erosion of metals, there being first an oxidation and afterwards a breach of the surface, the patch having irregular margins and showing no disposition to heal, but, on the contrary, to spread. 3. An enlargement of the submaxillary gland in the channel formed between the lower jaw-bones, such enlargement being firmly attached to the bone and immovable. It further manifests no disposition to suppurate and form an abscess, but, on the contrary, remains unaltered so long as the animal is allowed to live.
Treatment.—On any one of the above-enumerated symptoms being reported, at once isolate the animal; have bedding destroyed, and carefully remove all clothing, stable utensils, etc., from the vicinity of other animals pending decision of a veterinary surgeon. Place a steady man in charge, and warn him of personal risk.
When assured an animal has glanders, have it shot at once, and burn all bedding, clothing, etc.
CHAPTER IV.
Mountain-artillery. General Instructions. Supply of Ammunition. Care and Preservation of Harness. Instructions for Drivers, etc. Marches. Camps. Weights and Dimensions of Foreign Mountain-artillery.