Treatment.—In any case in which it appears to exist independently, or to be the principal symptom, give twenty drops of the J. K., morning and night, The “cud” will soon return.
Colic
This disease is not so dangerous as tympanitis, yet it may prove fatal from bad treatment or neglect. It is generally the result of improper or indigestible food, or food in too great quantity, or that to which the animal is not accustomed. If colic comes on after indigestible food, it is accompanied by constipation and thirst. Certain kinds of food, such as grains, oats, decayed turnips or cabbages, or dry food, are liable to induce it, or it may arise from exposure to cold when the body is warm, or from cold drinking when the body is heated.
It consists in severe paroxysms of pain in the bowels, and, if neglected, is liable to cause inflammatory disease of the digestive organs.
Symptoms.—Sudden manifestation of pain in the belly, by uneasiness, pawing the ground, striking the belly with the hind legs or horns, often lying down and then rising, grinding the teeth, and moaning. When caused by wind, the belly is much swelled on the left side, and there is frequent passage of flatus. The animal’s back is arched, and she frequently looks at her flanks, scrapes with her fore feet, and kicks with the hind ones. All these symptoms increase, until she expires amid groans and grinding of the teeth. Or the following may be noticed:
The animal refuses to eat, looks to its sides, paws the ground, kicks against the body with the hind feet, lies down, rises again, and continues these movements till unable longer to keep upon its feet. Often the animal falls down so violently that it seems as though the four legs were suddenly struck away from under it, or he squats down like a dog upon his hind quarters, rolls over, lies upon his back for a time, with the legs stretched upward, and generally acts as if frantic. The horns, ears and feet are alternately hot and cold. The animal suffers from thirst and constipation, the longer the constipation the more acute the pain; the paunch is much swollen. If recovery takes place, the symptoms are gradually mitigated, and then entirely disappear. On the other hand, if the pains get worse and become more frequent, the bowels become inflamed, and if the pains, under these circumstances, suddenly disappear, the inflammation terminates in gangrene (mortification), and the animal dies.
Treatment.—The F. F., will almost invariably be found successful. Give a dose of twenty drops every half hour until relieved. If not better after a few doses, and should there be fever, alternate the A. A., the same dose, with the F. F., at the same intervals. As the animal seems relieved, or partially so, give the remedies at longer intervals.
Constipation
This is rarely of grave consequence in cattle, and when it exists, is usually a symptom of some other disease. When present, a dose of twenty drops of the J. K., given morning and night, will soon set all right again. If there is suspicion of some inflammatory condition lurking in the system, the A. A., in like doses, will have the like effect.