The management and treatment of the horse in the stable, field, and ...

hi the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 221
walk. It withdraws from the pressure of the hand upon
the loins, which also indicates an undue heat, considera-
bly above that of its natural condition. When turned
with moderate quickness it feels pain, and looks back wist-
fully at its flanks, as suppression of the action of the
urinary organs takes place and is followed by a difficulty
in voiding urine, which comes off in small quantities and
is generally high-coloured, and not unfrequently mixed
with blood. Strong efforts are made by the horse to
void it in larger quantities, but at length it is almost
entirely suspended. Hence it will be manifest that
there is an affection of the urinary organs, but at first
it will be difficult to say whether it is the kidney or the
neck of the bladder. At this stage of the disease, ac-
cording to Brown, the pulse is hard and accelerated ; it
soon after becomes small, although retaining its cha-
racter of hardness. In order to find the seat of the
disease, the hand must be forced up the rectum, and if
the bladder (which is situate under the rectum) feels
distended and hard, then it is certain that the disease
is in the neck of the bladder. If, on the other hand,
it is soft and feeling empty, with heat in the intestines
over it, then there is inflammation in the bladder itself
but if there is no unnatural heat over it, then you may
infer that the inflammation is in the kidne} T
s. Musty
or mowburnt oats and hay are often the cause of
inflammation in the kidneys. Farmers in these hard
times turn all their good oats and hay into money and
keep only the inferior for their horses, and pay the
piper accordingly. Another cause of this complaint is
giving too strong doses of diuretic medicine, esj)ecially