STRANGLES IN HORSES.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1783, 7 November 1879, Page 4

STRANGLES IN HORSES.

[Melbourne " Weekly Times."] Amongst agricultural colts in the fields or yards strangles is sometimes got over without any treatment beyond providing a comfortable shed or other such shelter from inclement weather, and supplying a mash twice or thrie daily whilst the swelling is at its worst, and the patients are unable to eat their ordinary food. In such reducing disorders, with a supperlative tendency, it is more important to sustain the patient's strength. Not unfrequently a colt, _ with swollen, tender mouth and throat, is for days unable to pick up, masticate, or swallow ordinary dry food, or even grass; he accordingly becomes much reduced and prostrated, and dies more from starvation than from disease. Such an untoward result may generally be averted by placing in the yard or box gruel or soft masbes, and encouraging the patient to auck in such soft food. In protracted cases eggs and milk, bread soaked in meat or ale, and_ meat soup, are important concentrated nutrient?. Linseed tea and mashes, besides being nutritive, have also the advantages of abating fever and combating any tendency to constipation An ounce or two of Epsom salt, and -Joz. of nitre daily, or even second day, _ prove useful fever medicines ; but all active depletives and drastic physics are injurious. Where the patient has become weak, and especially if, as sometimes occurs, erisepelatous lumps appear over the body, or spots of purpura blotch the mucous surfaces, stimulants, tonics, and antiseptics will be used, such as sweet spirits of nitre, iron salts, turpentine, or sulphite of soda. The local treatment consists in fomenting or poulticing the swellings, especially if they are hard, tender, and throbbing. Steaming the head relieves the catarrhal symptoms, and sometimes coaxes the animal to eat. If the tumour, after a few days, makes little prodress, the best course is to apply a fly blister, and twelve hours later resume the poulticing. When the tumor makes natural progress, and does not interfere with swallowing or breathing, it may very safely be left to evacuate itself or be opened with the thumb nail or with a knife or lancet. When opened prematurely, before fluctuation or thinning of the overlying skin occurs, tumours often form again, and ugly knots and nodules remain. Whenever the breathing is impaired, unless, indeed, relief can be at once secured by opening the fully matured abscess, tracheotomy should unhesitatingly be performed. It is unwise, as is sometimes done, to wait until the poor creatures is gasping for breath. Performed early, it not only saves much unnecessary suffering, but probably also lessens the risk of roaring and whistling, which are so apt in well-bred horses to follow sharp attacks of strangles.