Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-01-12
AZOTURIA.
Another Interesting Article by DR..
Harmon.

Another Interesting Article by DR..
Harmon.
AZOTURIA, AZOTAENIA OR BLACK
wATER.-This disease has several other
names but it is not necessary to men,
ton them here as it is best known in
this vicinity as blackwater, and carries
of more good horses yearly than any
other one disease which the horse is
heir to.
The pathology is not very well un-
derstood, but like diabetes this is a di-
sease of the liver and blood forming
functions rather than of the kidneys.
1t is directly connected with high feed
ing. 1t is never seen at pasture and
very seldom is it seen where horse is
kept constantly at work, although it
will sometimes occur where a horse is
kept at work every day.
SYMPToMs.-The symptoms of black
water are very plain and once seen are
not easily forgotten. The animal when
taken out of the stable after few days
rest and good supply of food, starts
off in high spirits and may go one mile
or five miles, or even further, before the
disease makes itself manifest. Then
the driver will notice that the horse
begins to lag, his head droops and he
breaks out in profuse sweat. The
hind parts will become stiff or perhaps
he will go lame in one hind leg. Or
may be the disease will appear in the
front parts and the horse walk stiff as
if foundered. On examination then
the horse will be found to be breathing
very hard; fianks heaving, nOstrils di-
lated, the horse bathed in perspiration
and the body trembling. The muscles
of the loins or haunch become swelled
or rigid; the eyes become red; the in
ternal surface of the nostril becomes
brown; the urine, if passed or drawn, is
found to be very dark in color, almost
black and sometimes with reddish
tinge, but contains neither blood clots
nor globnles. 1t may be fatal in few
hours or a few days, or it may last for
weeks. In tardy recoveries partial
paralysis of the hind limbs may last
for some time. z''SAiig
Sometimes wasting away of the
muscles of the hips takes place, gener-
ally the muscles leading up from the
front of the stifie. These cases are as
a rule, slow to recover, but they will
recover in time.
PREvENTIoN.- An ounce of preven-
ton is worth pound ofcure." A very
old adage and very true one. The
prevention lies in restricting the diet
and giving plenty of exercise daily.
In fact every horse should be exercised
every day either in the harness or
turned out in a paddock or pasture.
Then giving about three bran mashes a
week, with few carrots now and then,
will help to obviate this disease.
TREATMENT.--It is impossible to lay
down line of treatment in short ar
ticle like this. All we can do is to
offer few suggestions to help those
who have trouble with this disease
When your horse has symptoms of
blackwater you should stop him at
once, no matter where you are or what
the circumstances are. The animal
should be nnhitched and embarrassed
at once and kept as quiet as possible.
He should also be blanketed and Kept
sweating as long as possible. AS l
said before the pathology is not well
understood and as it is not convenient
for farmers or teamsters to carry the
necessary medicines and have them
with them at all times, it would be best
if the case is serious to sc nd for quail
fled veterinarian at once. There are a
great many medicines on the mark ct,
sure cures for blackwater, but L do not
believe there is specific for this or any
other disease for that matter. The
practice of inserting salt into the
vagina should never be thought of, as
it is cruel and inhuman and does no
good but Is positive injury. The CIV
ing of nitre in the first stages of this
disease is also wrong. In the first
stages if the patient be kept as quiet as
possible and none of these extreme
measures resorted to, think great
many more recoveries might be effect
ed. Il. HARMON, V. s.,
Decorah, Iowa.
THE Postmaster General has ordered
a series of special postage stamps issued,