Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-07-18
SunStroke Of Horses.

Especial Article for Grant County Herald.)
During periods of exclusive heat
when work horses in the fields or
upon the streets are liable to suffer
from sunstroke or ''overheating'
much may be done by the owner to
lessen the likelihood of an attack
Seeing that affected horses are
usually those that are sick or soft"
every possible means should be
taken to prevent indigestion and fit
the animal to Withstand labor in
hot weather. Horses under five
years of age are more apt to suffer
than seasoned, adult animals; hence
should be worked lightly during hot
weather, as should new purchases
and horses being acclimated in a
new location. Indigestion, the
common forerunner of sunstroke, is
indicated by dizziness, sluggishness,
thick urine, painting at light labor,
sweating in stable and the change
able character of the manure which
is normal some days and again clay
colored, muc ous-covered or an I'M
digested, offensive mass. When so
affected it is extremely dangerous
to work the animal in extra hot
weather. Slight change of food,
more care in feeding, rest and
simple correctives are required in
in such cases and preventive meas
ures may be adopted as follows:
Feed hay night and morning only;
give drinking water before meals
and in small sips often when at
work; prefer clean, soft water to
that rendered hard" by the pre-
sence of lime salts which tend to
derange the stomach; remove har-
ness at noon and allow sufficient
time for rest and mastication of
food; groom skin thoroughly once
daily; feed sound food avoid corn
in summer as it is heating; prefer
sound old oats, which repair waste
of tissue and promote vim and en-
durance; avoid sudden changes of
food and do not feed heated, green
grass or clover; cleanse stable daily,
ventilate perfectly, screen doors and
windows, remove manure piles from
vicinity of stable; feed fresh food
each meal. Shade horses head
when at work; avoid heavy, wet
sponge; if possible, do not work
three horses abreast, as the middle
horse suffers thereby and is the
most liable to sunstroke; where such
combination cannot be avoided,
change horses often to afford as
much relief as possible. Choose cool
est hours for work and change
teams often during sultry moist
weather when thunder storms are
prevalent.
SYMPTOMS OF OvERHEATING.
Horse lags, requires urging, may
pass soft manure and gas, sweats
but dries off suddenly, becomes
weak, staggers, pants, has dilated
nostrils, red eyelids and lining of
nostrils, anxious countenance, weak,
rapid pulse, high fever, falls. In
sudden attack may fall at once, show
above symptoms and die in few
minutes or hours after period Of
madness or inconsistencies and
loud snoring. Following bad at
tacks brain becomes softened and
animal stands with head damned in
corner, is blind, forgets to chew
food and remains a dummy" i. e.,
stupid, weak and useless in hot
weather. Less severe attacks re-
covered from units horse for work
in warm weather.
TREATMENT.
Do not bleed or allow bleeding to
be done. Do not give aconlte,
belladonna, acetanilid- they are
highly dangerous in amateur hands.
Do not put ice pack on the head
it tends to produce softening of the
brain. Stop work Immediately re-
move harness, get horse into a
shady place, under a tree where
there is a breeze or draft of air.
Administer half pint of whiskey
in equal quantity of water, or two
ounces OF alcohol mot wood alcohol, }
well diluted with water, or two
ounces of sweet spirits of nitre and
one ounce of aromatic spirits of
ammonia in one quart of water.
Repeatin half above doses hourly un-
til horse revives. Add four ounces of
granulated hyposulphite of soda
if he is blOat ted: tap with trOcar and