With the hope of preventing attacks feed light rations, no corn, no mashes, no ground feed other than bran; avoid green grass, unless the horses are on it all of the time; do not feed hay at noon; allow cool, pure drinking water often when horses are at work; keep stables clean, darkened, screened, and ventilated; shade the polls of the horses’ heads during work time and in such a way that air passes freely under the shading device.
In sunstroke the horse falls and soon succumbs. In heat exhaustion he lags, stops sweating, pants, staggers, skin is dry, nostrils dilated, membranes of eyes and nostrils red. High fever is present. Treat by keeping cold, wet packs to the poll of head or letting a stream of cold water run over it. Shower body with cold water from a sprinkling can. Stand horse in shady place under a tree where air passes. Give stimulants freely in water as a drench every hour at first, then less often as symptoms abate. A suitable stimulant is whiskey in half pint doses, or a mixture of one part of aromatic spirits of ammonia and two parts each of alcohol and sweet spirits of niter. Dose is two ounces in half pint water. Do not bleed horse or give aconite. Give half ounce doses of saltpeter in water twice daily as horse recovers. Call the veterinarian in sunstroke cases.
=HERNIA.=--A protrusion of any portion of the bowels or their coverings through a break in the walls of the abdomen. A rupture, for that is the popular term, is most common in horses. Often at birth they are seen near the navel. These disappear in a few months without any treatment being required. In mature horses the usual causes are blows, kicks or some violent effort that tears the muscular structure.
It may occur in any part of the abdomen and varies in size with the extent of the rupture.]
The characteristic symptom is the bulging out of the gut, tumorlike; and this often can be slipped back where it belongs. If the rent be not closed, even if the gut is returned, the least bit of strain is liable to force it out again. Some kinds of hernia cause immense pain and the animal shows it.
In treating, work the gut back to its place. This done, place a pad--a flat piece of wood or leather will do--over the wound and fasten in such a way as to keep it in place. This should be worn for a month until recovery is complete. Such treatment will not serve in all cases of hernia. An operation may be necessary, which should be made only by a skillful veterinarian.