INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS.
This disease arises from various causes, and is frequently brought on by long standing costiveness, neglected gripes, or hard riding, over heating and immediately drinking of cold water.
Symptoms.
In many cases of this disease fits of shivering or restlessness are the first indications of its approach; the mouth becomes hot, the nose red, the horse begins to evince the most intense pain by pawing, striking at his belly with his feet, looking wildly at his flanks, groaning and rolling. The pulse is quick but small, the ears and feet cold, the belly tender to the touch and sometimes hot, the breathing is quickened, the bowels costive, and the horse rapidly becoming fearfully weak. He paws and stamps as in the colic, but the pulse is much quicker than in that disease, and the pain becomes constant without any intermissions, as occur in colic.
Treatment—Remedy.
Commence by bleeding profusely, taking at least 7 or 8 quarts of blood, or as much as the horse can bear, which must be done immediately, or a fatal termination may be looked for. If the horse does not seem to have been relieved or the pulse become round and full, the bleeding must be repeated as the only means of subduing the inflammation, which is the immediate cause of the weakness. If the inflammation is subdued by the extraction of the blood the weakness will soon disappear. After the bleeding, make a strong decoction of aloes and opium or laudanum, say 1 ounce of laudanum with the same quantity of the tincture of aloes, and give it to the horse; this must be quickly followed by back-raking and an injection of soap and warm water or thin gruel, in which epsom salts or aloes may be dissolved in moderate quantities; repeat this until the bowels are completely cleaned out. He should be given as much warm water or thin gruel as he will drink, and half the quantity of tincture of aloes and laudanum should be administered every two or three hours until the bowels are freely opened. Blister the sides and belly with common blistering ointment and bandage the legs up to the knees with flannel, cover him with blankets as directed in inflammation of the lungs, and give him a comfortable stable, but not too hot, with plenty of fresh air. No corn or hay should be allowed in this disease—bran mash will answer very well for feed, but green meat is preferable if it can be had. Turn him out for two or three hours in the middle of the day if not too cold; give the legs good hand-rubbing every day; continue to clyster with thin gruel for two or three days.