APHTHOUS STOMATITIS. FOLLICULAR STOMATITIS.
Causes: in horse, ox, dog; rough, fibrous food, blistering ointments, bacteria. Symptoms: general stomatitis, and special; papules with grayish centres and red areolæ, vesiculation, ulceration. Treatment: Astringent, antiseptic, derivative, tonic, stimulant.
This is a rare affection in ruminants where the thickness of the epithelial covering appears to be a barrier to infection or injury, while it is common in the more delicate and sensitive buccal mucosa of the horse and dog. In the horse the ingestion of irritant plants with the food and the penetration of vegetable barbs into the mucous follicles may be charged with causing the disease, while in both horse and dog the licking of blistering ointments and the local action of fungi and bacteria are factors in different cases.
Symptoms. With the ordinary symptoms of stomatitis, there appear minute firm, whitish, circular elevations representing the openings of the inflamed mucous or salivary follicles, having a reddish areola, and grayish white vesicular centre. They may amount to a line or more in diameter, and on bursting leave red cores or ulcers. The whole mouth may be affected or the disease may be confined to the lips, gums or tongue.
Treatment. Beside the general astringent washes, this affection is greatly benefited by the local use of antiseptics, as sulphite or hyposulphite of soda, 2 drachms in a quart of water. Borax, permanganate of potash, carbolic acid or other antiseptic in suitable solution may be substituted. Saline laxatives are often useful to remove sources of irritation in stomach and intestines, and iron salts (chloride or nitrate) in full and frequently repeated doses may be given internally. Ulcers may be cauterized and soft food and pure water given from an elevated manger.