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

In the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 22.°,
generated in the system by the use of food of a heating
nature, forming a chemical compound of an acrid quality
of urine ; stone in the bladder will also produce this
disease. Some persons are so absurd as to administer
the tincture of cantharides by way of hastening the
season of horsing the mare, which is almost certain to
inflame the neck of the bladder. Some practical men
advocate bleeding until the animal faints for this com-
plaint, which they say will cure it at once, but should
this not be done, the following should be given every
three hours : —Powdered
opium one drachm, linseed-meal
three drachms, made into a ball or given in a drink. In
cases of mares being afflicted, the water can be drawn off
easily with the catheter, which would give great relief,
but with the horse it is difficult to pass the catheter, and
should not be attempted by anyone who is not a practical
man. Strong blisters should be applied at the same time.
In cases of stone in the bladder, we have no well-defined
symptoms, but the irregularity of the discharge of
urine with the occasional suppression of it, and fits
resembling spasmodic colic, are symptoms which
attend this disease and may lead us to suspect that
stone exists. To ascertain if it is really stone which
produces these symptoms, the horse should be thrown
on its back and the hand forced up the rectum, when
the stone may be easily felt, and if it is large then an
operation is necessary, which can only be performed by
a clever practical veterinary surgeon, but if the stone or
stones are small, they may be carried away with diuretics
the best in cases of gravel is carbonate of potass and
digitalis ; three drachms of potass and one drachm of
digitalis may be given three times a day.