As Sequel of Acute: as result of unhygienic environment, diet and
usage. Symptoms, breathing accelerated, double expiratory act, short
breath, cough husky, or paroxysmal, excited by cold air, water,
discharge white flocculent. Percussion, drum-like patches;
Auscultation mucous and sibilant râles. Lesions, thick mucus, pale
membranes, bronchiectasis, emphysema, ulceration. Thick wind.
Treatment, stimulating, tonic, derivative, medicated vapors, careful
diet. Tar water.
This may be a sequel of the acute form, or it may appear at once as a
catarrhal discharge from the bronchial tubes and without any very marked
febrile affection, in animals debilitated by damp stables, overwork and
a faulty regimen and diet.
_Symptoms._ Respiration accelerated, and expiration effected with a
double lifting of the flank; the horse is easily blown when
moderately exercised; the cough is frequent, soft or rattling and
paroxysmal—sometimes hard and deep—is excited when brought from the
warm stable into the cold air, and is followed by a whitish,
flocculent, purulent discharge from the nostrils, consistent but not
sticky (like buttermilk). The pulse is rapid and small in volume.
Percussion manifests a healthy resonance over the greater part or all of
the chest, a drum-like sound over given areas, and auscultation over its
median part detects a bronchial rattle and in most cases a dry sibilant
râle.
_After death_ the bronchial tubes are found to contain an abundance of
thick mucus, though abnormal redness of the mucous membrane is by no
means a necessary condition. There is always more or less dilatation of
the bronchial tubes especially at their points of subdivision where they
are often twice their healthy calibre, and an emphysematous state of the
lungs is equally constant. Delafond and Rodet have noted minute ulcers
on the bronchial mucous membrane and Reynal miliary abscesses and
grayish and white indurations of the lung tissue and bronchial glands
which may have been glanderous.
It will be observed that the symptoms and lesions closely resemble those
of broken wind (heaves), and unless early and successfully treated, into
this it gradually merges. The chief distinguishing symptoms are the
abundance and nature of the discharge, the fetor of the breath, and the
presence of the mucous râle in the chest. It is one of the conditions
known by the horseman’s expression “_thick wind_.”
_Treatment._ Like its type (dilatation of the bronchia, bronchiectasis)
in man this disease obstinately resists treatment. In our efforts to
cure it the same general principles must be followed as in acute
bronchitis, with this grand qualification that the general aim must be
to stimulate and support. Stimulating liniments may be repeatedly
applied along the course of the trachea and on the sides of the chest.
An equable temperature is desirable and a dry building. Water vapor
medicated with various astringents and antiseptics (creosote, carbolic
acid, turpentine, tar, or tar vapor) is to be commended. A course of
tonic and expectorant medicine is desirable and a highly nutritious and
laxative diet is imperatively demanded.
As tonics Gentian may be given daily in 4 drachm doses combined with
quaiacum in doses of 2 scruples. In most cases it will be advisable to
add to the above or employ separately arsenious acid in doses of 5 to 10
grains combined with three times the amount of bicarbonate of soda, and
given daily for a month or longer.
The diet should be as for broken wind, nutritious, in small bulk, of a
laxative nature and given at least an hour before work. A moderate
supply of grass, roots, bran, oats or barley may be given, but hay must
be sparingly supplied and, if exclusively clover hay, dry and dusty, is
better withheld. In the north of France horses with chronic bronchitis
are maintained in a serviceable condition by a diet of cut straw and cut
hay, well sifted to remove all dust mixed with oats and molasses and set
aside in a large cask to ferment before being given to the animals. Tar
water may be the exclusive drink.
A pint of linseed, well boiled, and given daily for a length of time in
succession is often of great value.