The Farmer's Veterinarian: A Practical Treatise on the Diseases of Farm Stock

by Charles William Burkett

SLOBBERING.

—Some kinds of food cause an unnatural flow of saliva. Fresh crimson clover hay is one of these. Of course the continual flow of saliva is undesirable and unpleasant. It is unnatural and should be checked as soon as possible. This can be accomplished by changing the feed and then washing the mouth out with alum water. If a change is not observed soon, give a good physic. For horses use 8 teaspoonfuls of bitter aloes, a teaspoonful of common soda and a teaspoonful of ginger. Mix these in a pint of water and give as a drench. For cattle, dissolve a pound of Epsom salts, a tablespoonful of common soda and a tablespoonful of ginger in a quart of lukewarm water and give as a drench.

SPASMODIC COLIC.

—See [Colic].

SPAVIN.

—This disease, known in common language as bone spavin, is an enlargement of the hock joint similar to a ringbone about the coronary joint. It may affect the hock joint in such a way as to cement the small joints together, not causing lameness, and apparently no blemish, but the free movement of the limb is impaired. Any condition which favors sprains, such as fast driving over hard or uneven roads, unequal paring of the hoof, thus causing the weight to be unequally distributed in the joints, and severe labor in early life, or blows, bruises, or any injuries to tendons, ligaments, or joints may cause spavin. In addition to these causes may be mentioned sprains caused by jumping, galloping, or trotting animals faster than they are accustomed to; also straining by starting a heavy load, slipping on an icy surface or sliding on a bad pavement.

If the patient is examined before any bony growth has developed, inflammation will be detected on the inside of the hock joint at the junction of the cannon bone and the joint. While in the stable the horse prefers to rest the diseased leg by setting the heel on the toe of the opposite foot with the hock joint flexed. In traveling the patient is very lame when first taken out of the barn, but after traveling for a short distance goes sound. The diseased leg is not lifted clear from the ground, but nicks the toe in the middle of the stride, which is very noticeable on a pavement. A strained horse becomes very lame after being allowed to stand for even a very short time, then moved again.

Preventive treatment consists in keeping horses’ feet trimmed properly, not overworking colts while young, careful driving on hard or uneven roads, and avoiding all injuries that are liable to strain tendons, ligaments or joints of the limbs. Even after a spavin has developed it may be cured by proper treatment of the feet, and applying a fly blister. The fly blister is prepared by mixing thoroughly 4 tablespoonfuls of pulverized cantharides, 4 tablespoonfuls of biniodide of mercury and 8 ounces of lard. The hair is clipped over the spavin and the blister applied with considerable rubbing. The horse’s head should be tied so as to avoid his biting the part blistered. A second application of the blister is to be used about a month after the first. If blistering fails to cure the spavin, point-firing may be resorted to. It is necessary to “fire” rather deeply to secure good results, care being taken not to fire into a joint. After firing, a fly blister should be rubbed into the holes where the hot iron has been used.

SPAYING.

—The removal of the ovaries to prevent breeding. Cast the animal on her right side. Give an anesthetic to prevent pain. When the animal is unconscious, free the limbs sufficiently to remove any pressure from the abdomen. Now pinch up a fold of the skin in the left side, midway between the prominent bone of the haunch or pelvis, and the last rib, about 4 inches below the backbone. Make an incision in the skin 5 or 6 inches long; now do likewise with the abdominal muscles until the lining membrane of the abdominal cavity is exposed. This membrane is then punctured and an incision made as long as that in the skin and muscles. Now kneel down in close contact with the cow’s back and insert the arm, passing the hand within the brim or cavity of the pelvis. By so doing both ovaries can be secured and detached. This ended, the operation of uniting the abdominal muscles follows by means of stitches and sutures.