Pulsatilla is useful for calves that suffer from the inferior quality of their mother’s milk. (See Section on Dysentery).
Dislocation of the Patella or Stifle Bone.
This is the most frequent dislocation, and the only once which a non-professional man can hope to treat with success.
CAUSE.- a horse falling across a bank, and then struggling to put his hind legs after him, land ligaments of the patella become sprained, and allow it to slip over the external condyle of the femur. It may also be caused in the stable by the horse’s slipping when endeavouring to get up.
SYMPTOMS.- When we move the animal we find the leg protruded backwards, with inability to draw it under the body; the fetlock joint is flexed; he trails the pastern along the ground, and is unable to strengthen it; in fact, the action is so peculiar that, once seen, if can never be forgotten.
TREATMENT.- The mode of reducing this dislocation is not difficult. With a side-line from the pastern, let the leg be drawn forward and upwards towards the belly by an assistant, so as to relax the muscles inserted in the toe. The operator at the same time puts his arms round the haunch, places his hand upon the outer angle of the patella, and keeps forcibly depressing that part, at the same time endeavouring to pull the bone forwards and upwards, in order that he may enable the extensor muscle to draw it back again into its place. A snap is the signal of success. The horse should have his head racked up for a few days, and a strong pitch plaster applied to the joint, or the dislocation will be very likely to recur.
Distemper.
Distemper is a contagious disease of which a dogs appear to carry the seeds in their system. It is most common in pups during the latter period of dentition, and in the spring and autumn particularly the latter; by at no age and at no season is a dog exempt from its attach. The younger the dog, the better chance of recovery. Superior breeds suffer most. Dogs that are fined are more susceptible that those that are free to roam; those that are fed upon flesh suffer more than those that never taste it.
CAUSES.- Contact with dogs having the disease; too much meat while young; exposure to damp and cold; pampering and confining gods; too early or suppressed sexual gratification. A great variety of circumstances may cause the disease to develop itself.
SYMPTOMS.- They often steal on without notice, and consist of dulness and loss of appetite; wasting of flesh; short cough with vomiting; watery eyes with increased sensibility to light; peevishness; unwillingness to the disturbed. Shivering fits then come on, and animal hides in any hoe or corner, and it is difficult to persuade him to come out; the pulse is greatly increased in frequency, but less full. Thick matter is discharged from the reddish eyes, which sticks to the eyelids and finally glues them together; the nostrils are obstructed by a yellowish, glairy mucus; the cough is more frequent and sometimes spasmodic; the digestion impaired; vomiting is not uncommon, the ejected matter being very offensive; shivering almost constant; the body wastes rapidly; the skin is hot, the paws are warm, the coat is starting and devoid of gloss.
In the course of a week the disease changes its character, and appears o subside, though it is very likely to return. Later on, if the disease is unchecked, all the symptoms are aggravated; there is a kind of paralysis of the hinder parts, which comes on with weakness of one or both legs; after a few days the animal has to drag itself along; but this paralysis is rarely seen in dogs over twelve months old. Not unfrequently there is an interval of apparent subsidence of the disorder; the dog seems to be better while the discharges continue; but a relapse occurs, with aggravated symptoms. If the eyes are still congested, and if the animal does not quickly regain flesh, danger is not averted. If this disease neglected and ‘assumes a bad form, it frequently ends in chorea, paralysis, diseases of the eyes, chest, etc. The average duration of the disorder is six weeks; but if the dog dies, it is usually in the third or fourth week.
TREATMENT.- Nux Vom. – Very useful at the commencement of the disease, with loss of appetite, cough with vomiting, constipation, watery discharge from the nose. Numbers of cases have been cured with this medicine along.
Aconitum.- When the disease beings with quick pulse, accelerated breathing, loss of appetite, dry, hot nose, shivering. A dose every two or three hours for several times.
Belladonna. – Eyes sensitive to light, inflamed and watery; the nose dry; the dog wants to hide; tries to escape from observation; suddenly starts as from sleep; chorea. Belladonna may often;be advantageously given every three hours in alternation with Aconite
Arsenicum.- Weakness and wasted condition; almost entire loss of appetite; thick offensive or bloody discharge from the nose; diarrhoea and exhaustion.
Mercurius.- Eyes inflamed; eyelids glued together; saliva hanging about the mouth; shivering; diarrhoea.
Kali bichromicum- Thick yellow discharge from the eyes; discharge from the nose, greenish, gluey, sometimes bloody; frequent sneezing; cough, with vomiting of froth streaked with blood.
Phosphorus.- Quick breathing; discharge of offensive matter from the eyes, adhering to the eyelids and eye; painful cough, with bloody froth running from the mouth; paralysis.
Ipecacuanha.- Diarrhoea and vomiting.
Sulphur.- If after the disease appears to be cured some of the symptoms return.
ACCESSORY MEANS.- The cure will be hastened by plunging the dog, two or three times a week, into a tepid bath, for a few minutes, and afterwards rubbing it dry with a cloth. Great cleanliness is most essential; the bed, composed of any ample supply of straw or hay, changed every other day, must be warm and dry, but away from the fire, in a clean, dry place, where the dog can breathe pure air, and be protected from cold. No animal food, gravy, butter, sugar, sweet or fine biscuits, or dainties must be allowed; cold milk with rice, coarse bread or ship biscuit is the best diet, and at all times plenty of fresh cold water.
Dropsy
VARIETIES.- This is an accumulation of water (serum) in some part of the body; and is known by different names, according to the part involved. In Ascites the abdomen is distended; and, when laying one hand flat on one side of the abdomen, and striking with the other hand on the opposite side, the water in the abdominal cavity can be perceived by a fluctuating noise. In Hydrothorax, the animal becomes gradually feeble and languid, the breathing is extremely laboured, and the pulse feeble and irregular, owing to pressure of water upon the heart, and the fore legs stand apart. By striking the chest, the motion of the water may be distinctly heard. In Anasarca or general dropsy, the water collect in the cellular tissue under the skin, causing considerable swelling; if pressed upon with the finger, an indentation remains for a short time before it fills up again. The swelling generally commences at the feet, and extends thence over the whole body, in which case the other forms of dropsy supervene.
CAUSES.- Neglected colds, had feed, damp and ill-ventilated stables, neglected or badly-treated diseases; by these causes the equilibrium between the powers of absorption and secretion may be disturbed, and the internal cavities may become filled with the secreted substance.
SYMPTOMS.- In addition to those mentioned under Varieties, dropsical diseases are generally accompanied with dryness of the skin, loss of appetite, violent, thirst, scanty secretion of urine, slow digestion, debility, paleness of the eyes and inner mouth, emaciation and prostration, often ending in death.
TREATMENT.- Arsenicum.- This is one of the best remedies in all forms of dropsy; especially when there are great weakness, hurried breathing, thirst, urinary difficulties, loss of appetite, dulness of spirits, and exhausting diarrhoea. A dose four times daily.
China.- Dropsy from bleeding, severe purging, or any tedious, exhausting compliant. This remedy may often be given in turns with Arsenicum, every three or four hours.
Dulcamara.- Dropsical swellings appearing suddenly after a cold.
Helleborus.- Very rapid accumulation of water in the belly and chest, with extreme weakness.
Sulphur.- When improvement takes place, and the remedies which produced it seem no longer required, this remedy, administered twice daily for a few days, often completes the cure.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES.- The causes which give rise to this complaint should, if possible, be guarded against; and as soon as any of the indications of dropsy are noticed, they should be promptly met with appropriate remedies. This is the more necessary as dropsy is often only curable it its early stages. Internal dropsies are sometimes overlooked; as, without due caution, the swelling is apt to be mistaken for an improvement in condition.
Dysentery – Bloody Flux.
This disorder is often confounded with Diarrhoea. It consists it inflammation of the mucous membrane of the intestines, producing change in the character of the secreted mucus and increase in its quantity; whereas Diarrhoea is a natural means of removing from the system what is prejudicial to it. Dysentery may, however follow neglected Diarrhoea, or it may be idiopathic. A full description of each disorder is given in the Veterinary Vade Mecum. See also Section on Diarrhoea.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.
Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."