Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1871-04-05
ARMER'S COLUMN.
LAMPASS IN HORSES.

well enough. the groom, quite natura
ly, looks into his mouth. The fret thin
he finds is the ridges or bars in the roc
of his mouth on a level with the edge Q
the teeth, or in some cases even slight,
projecting over the same. Forgetting
that in every young horse these bars ar
on level with the edge Of the teeth, OF
what is more probable, never having ex
a,nined the mouth of the colt before, tn,
groom doubts not but that he has fount
out Why be does not clean the manger-
he is convinced that the swelling of these
bars-the so-called "lsmpass or lamp
ers'-very earnestly treated in almost
every book in the English language Oh
"the horse or his diseases es"-causes the
loss of the appetite.
The groom knows that lampass has
been considered, from time immemorial,
an obstacle to eating; therefore must be
cured Immediately, and so be either takes
his pocket knife and cuts those ridges
jpst behind the incisors, which he thinks
are swollen, or he goes with the young
horse TO smart horse doctor, farrier, or
blacksmith, who burns down the same
with hot iron.
After the terrible lampass has been
thus treated, the groom is satisfied of
having done his duty, and generally has
patience enough to wait till the appetite
returns. If, however, that should take
him too long, be examines the mouth of
the colt again, and. finding that the sores
have been healed, and the bars still being
on level with the teeth, he performs the
came operation once more
All the cutting and burning down of
the larnpass is not only entirely unneces-
sary, but also excessively cruel. 1t is
true that in young horse or in a colt
especially between the second and fifth
year, the gum and tho bars in the roof
ot the mouth are sometimes a little swol-
len, but then this swelling has a good
reason. 1t is generally produced either
hy Indigestion, or, what is more frequent,
by the shedding of the teeth, especially |
the roiars, aud the cutting of the canine
teeth and tusks. This process always
Produces some swelling and irritability in
toe gum, 10; only of horses but all other
animals in dogs, for instance. great
deal more so. 1t quite natural event,
and can neither be accelerated nor made /
easier by such cruel operations. 1t seems
to me to be very singular that the Eng
fish veterinary authors had not the cour-
age to condemn this malpractice in the
strongest terms, and to fight supers,i-
ton because it is so common among horse
men.
If yourg horse does not eat well.
and appears healthy in any other respect
(in a sick horse or colt the disease, |
think, accounts sufficiently for the loss af
the appetite, our duty is to examine the
mouth thoroughly, to look as we'll at the
lnoiays or grinders; as at the gum and
the incisors, and to see whether one or
more of the teeth are being shed, or
a sufficient number of molars
are in a proper condition to nasticate the
food, a. certain period, when the colt
is in its third year, it sometimes happens
that. though having thirty-two teeth, it
can use but sixteen Of them. The rea-
son is this: The nippe:s are shedding
and cannot be used the middle and cor
ner incisors are in full use the tusks
have not yet appeared the first pair of
lnolars have been shed, but the new ones
are yet too short to be used the second
pair of nolars are shedding; the old ones
are still there, but are loose, and cannot
be used on that account, or at least pro- :
duce pain; the third pair are not she'd
ding, and are in full use, the fourth are
fully developed and fit for service; the
fifth pair have cut through, and are yet
too short, and the sixth pair are still
wanting. In such a condition. | think
the poor horse has ample excuse for no.
eating well, and We should, from no
cause, give him more pain. 4 II we have
to do is to feed him such provender as
does not need to be much masticated, and
at the same time lie pouri>hing. 1t will
take bu: short time till the second pair
Of molars falls out, and the fourth and
ffh pairs soon will grow sufficiently to
be able to perform their duties.
| think it is natural enough that the
cutting of the permanent grinders, which
have so very long roots, and are rather
should cause pain and loss of
appetite (the sixth pair of grinders are
generally cut through when the horse is
four years old), or that the cutting of
tusk. especially in the upper jaw, causes
some saelllng of the bars. Frequently.
also, colt, or milk grinder, just before
being shed, is loose, sits on top of the
permanent one, and pricks and irritates
with its partly absorbed and sharp aud
pointed roots the gums. thus causing
great pain to the poor animal In such
Il Gaze hnMever il is frennently Very