RESPIRATION
The number of respirations per minute varies with the different classes
of animals; as a rule, the larger the animal, the slower the
respiration.
The Horse 8 to 10
Cattle 12 to 15
Sheep and Goats 12 to 20
The Dog 15 to 20
Swine 10 to 15
The rate of breathing is increased from the processes of digestion
immediately after eating, or may increase from exercise.
NORMAL TEMPERATURE OF THE HORSE
From 2 to 5 years old the temperature is 100.6 degrees Fahr.
From 5 to 10 years old the temperature is 100.4 degrees Fahr.
From 10 to 15 years old the temperature is 100 degrees Fahr.
From 15 to 20 years old the temperature is 98.4 to 100.2 degrees Fahr.
Sex appears to slightly influence temperature:
Stallion 100 degrees Fahr.
Mare 100.8 degrees Fahr.
Gelding 100.4 degrees Fahr.
The time of day when temperature is taken is important, the lowest body
temperature being at 4 a.m., and the highest at 6 p.m. New born foals'
temperature will run from 102 to 104 degrees Fahr.
TEMPERATURE OF CATTLE
Normal temperature is from 101.8 to 102 degrees Fahr.
Compared with the horse, the daily variations are small.
TEMPERATURE OF SHEEP AND GOATS
In these animals the greatest variation in temperature occurs, viz.:
100.9 to 105.8 degrees Fahr. In the majority of cases the temperature
probably will be between 103.6 and 104.4 degrees Fahr. The cause of this
variation is unknown.
TEMPERATURE OF SWINE
The average temperature is 103.3 degrees Fahr., varying from 100.9 to
105.4 degrees Fahr.
TEMPERATURE OF THE DOG
The dog is subject to important variations depending on the external
temperature; it varies from 99.5 to 101.7 degrees Fahr., although in
some localities it is as high as 100.9, 101.3 and 101.7 degrees Fahr.
Feeding will increase the temperature, and it is also higher toward
evening.
PULSE THROBS PER MINUTE
Per Minute
The Horse 36 to 40
Cattle 45 to 50
Sheep and Goats 70 to 80
The Dog 70 to 80
Swine 90 to 100
The pulse in the young is much more rapid than in the adult animal; that
of a foal at birth beats 100 to 102 per minute, while that of a calf
will go to 130 per minute. In old age the pulsation becomes reduced and
the arteries much weaker. The pulse rate in large animals is less than
in smaller ones, as for instance, an elephant's pulse rate is from 25 to
28 beats per minute. The more rapid the pulse, the greater the quantity
of blood in circulation.
AVERAGE PERIODS OF GESTATION OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS
Mare 11 months
Ass 12 months
Cow 9 months
Sheep 5 months
Goat 5 months
Sow 3-1/2 months
Bitch 9 weeks
Cat 8 weeks
AVERAGE PERIOD OF INCUBATION
Chicken 20 to 22 days
Geese 28 to 34 days
Duck 28 to 30 days
Turkey 27 to 29 days
Pigeon 18 days
Guinea Fowl 28 days
Pheasant 25 days
Ostrich 40 to 42 days
Canary Bird 14 days
VETERINARY FACTS AND ADVICE TO REMEMBER
1. Cleanliness of body and surroundings is a necessity in the treatment
of animals.
2. Pure air, avoiding drafts, is equally essential.
3. Light, excepting in the treatment of eye diseases, is greatly to be
desired. Darkness, while soothing to the eye, tends to prolong germ
life and disease.
4. Keep dry--dampness breeds disease.
5. Keep warm--in chilly weather, blanket the sick animal, hand rub limbs
and bandage with woolen cloths.
6. Exercise with care--excessive and insufficient exercise are both
injurious.
7. Feed with care--green grass, in medium quantity, and vegetables are
cooling to the blood, easily digested and exert a slight laxative
effect. Grain feed is nutritious and strengthening, but it is not
required in any quantity by a horse not working. Be sure that all
feed is fresh and clean.
8. Drinking water must be pure--impure water carries many disease germs.
Also avoid giving water in large quantities, especially if water is
very cold.
9. Disinfection involves little time or expense, but is invaluable. Coal
tar products which emulsify in water (1 part coal tar products to
50-75 parts water) should be freely and occasionally sprinkled about
yards and buildings.
If only these few fundamental and common-sense principles were followed
by stock raisers, a very large percentage of the ills and diseases of
domestic animals would be lastingly prevented.
DRENCHING
Do not drench an animal when you can administer the necessary medicine
in any other way. Drench only when absolutely necessary. A horse, in
contrast with all other domestic animals, cannot breathe through its
mouth. Therefore, in treating horses, drenching is especially dangerous.
While drenching any animal, strangulation, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.,
are liable to be caused by some of the drenching liquid escaping from
the mouth into the lungs. This is a frequent occurrence in which the
drenching proves to be the immediate cause of the animal's death, as in
case of strangulation, or the originating cause when drenched animals
later succumb to pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.
MEDICINE IN CAPSULES
In many of the treatments prescribed in the preceding pages, the use of
gelatine capsules has been advised in preference to giving the medicine
in any other form.
Capsules, made of gelatine, do not lie in the animal's stomach, as
commonly supposed, but dissolve readily; the gelatine itself being
beneficial in many cases, especially if the bowels or stomach be
irritated. The animal receives the intended dose fully. It avoids any
unpleasant taste. With capsule gun, or by hand, medicine in capsules is
more easily and quickly given than to attempt to hold animal's head up,
as is necessary when administering liquid drenches, the danger of which
has been explained.
PREVENTION OF CONTAGIOUS DISEASES
Newly purchased animals or poultry should be segregated for from ten
days to two weeks to give opportunity for any infectious diseases with
which they may be afflicted, or have been exposed to, to fully develop.
This precaution will often save the buyer from loss.
Avoid exhibiting in fairs, shows, etc., where the health of your animals
might be jeopardized, especially through the presence of contagiously
affected animals. If you cannot be sure proper precautions are to be
taken, better forego your pride and possible prize ribbons.
HEREDITARY TENDENCIES
When breeding, it is of utmost importance to select a good female as
well as male, for the least faulty conformation in either will in all
probability be transferred to the offspring, viz.: an animal with a
crooked hind leg is subject to bone spavin, curbs, bog spavin,
thoroughpin, ring bone, etc., and is liable to transmit any of these
diseases, especially if exposed to slight exertion. A tubercular cow
will invariably give birth to a tubercular calf, or at any rate the calf
will contract tuberculosis from the milk.
EVOLUTION OF STOCK
During the transformation which our country has undergone, and is
undergoing, no one industry has experienced such marked changes as the
production and raising of livestock.
At the earliest time of which we have any record, and even up to within
comparatively recent years, large herds of horses and cattle ranged over
our plains in a wild state. At first no attempts were made to capture or
round up these herds, and later but one or two attempts per year, when
the young were branded and grown animals shipped, if possible, or driven
to available markets.
As the country became more thickly settled and populated these larger
herds were broken up, the ranges becoming divided and fenced. With this
segregation, attention to breeding and care of animals began to be
practiced, gradually causing the animal's evolution from the wild to the
domesticated state.
As this process of evolution progressed the animal became farther and
farther removed from its natural condition of living, becoming more
dependent on man for food and shelter, and with this change the animal's
former vitality and power to resist disease decreased markedly.
With the advancement of agriculture, and their resultant prosperity, the
farmers and settlers improved their stock by importing blooded or
registered males and females, particularly the former, until today our
country is second to none in the number of good conformated draft and
speed horses; beef and dairy cattle; quick-maturing hogs; large wool and
mutton-producing sheep, etc. Poultry has likewise been improved for both
egg-laying and meat-producing qualities. The poultry industry is yet in
its infancy, and offers large inducements to the practical raiser. Our
importation of eggs is enormous.
The average stock raiser and poultryman has just begun to realize the
value of proper care and treatment of his stock, and how much
unnecessary loss can be prevented by the expenditure of a little time
and even less money if given at the proper time.
Animals and poultry are subject, just as humans, to many diseases but,
unfortunately, when they become ill are dependent on man to recognize
the symptoms of disease and diagnose. Therefore, it behooves all owners
of stock to know and practice the fundamental necessities of their
animals' health, not only for the welfare of themselves, but also as an
act of humanity to dumb animals.
INDEX
DISEASES OF HORSES
Abortion
Abscess
Acute cough
Anemia
Apthae
Ascaris megalcephala
Atrophy
Azoturia
Barrenness
Bleeding after castration
Blood poisoning
Bog spavin
Bone spavin
Bots
Bronchitis
Capped elbow
Capped hock
Capped knee
Cerebral meningitis
Choking
Chronic catarrh
Chronic cough
Coffin joint lameness
Cold
Colic, flatulent
Colic, spasmodic
Colic, wind
Colt constipation
Colt diarrhoea
Conjunctivitis
Constipation
Constipation in colts
Corns
Cough
Cracked heels
Curb
Dentistry
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea in colts
Dislocation of the patella
Distemper
Dropsy of belly
Dropsy of legs
Dropsy of sheath
Dropsy of udder
Eczema
Emphysema of the lungs
Epizootic catarrh
Eye diseases
Failure to breed
Farcy
Filariae
Fistula of foot
Fistulous withers
Flatulent colic
Forage poisoning
Founder
Galls
Gastrophilis
Glanders
Grease heels
Haemopis
Heaves
Hernia, inguinal
Horse dentistry
Inflammation of the brain
Inflammation of the membrane of nictitans
Influenza
Inguinal hernia
Lampas
Laryngitis
Leeches
Lock jaw
Lung fever
Lymphangitis
Mange
Monday Morning disease
Mud fever
Nasal catarrh
Nasal gleet
Navel rupture
Navel string infection
Navicular disease
Nettle rash
Open joint
Oxyuris curvilis
Palesade worm
Petchial fever
Pharyngitis
Pink eye
Pin worm
Pleurisy
Pneumonia
Poll evil
Purpura haemorrhagica
Quittor
Red worm
Rheumatism
Ring bone
Round worm
Rupture, scrotal
Scabies
Scrotal rupture
Septicaemia
Shoe boil
Side bones
Sore throat
Spasmodic colic
Spavin, bog
Spavin, bone
Splints
Staggers
Stifle joint lameness
String halt
Strongulus armatus
Strongulus tetracanthus
Supernumerary teeth
Surfeit
Sweeny
Tapeworm
Teeth, supernumerary
Teeth, wolf
Tenia
Tetanus
Thoroughpin
Thread-like worm
Thrush
Umbilical hernia
Umbilical pyemia
Urtecaria
Wind colic
Wind galls
Wolf teeth
Worm, maw
Worm, palesade
Worm, pin
Worm, red
Worm, round
Worm, tape
Worm, thread
Worm, thread-like
Wounds
DISEASES OF CATTLE
Abdominal hernia
Abdominal rupture
Abnormal Calving
Abortion, contagious
Abortion, non-contagious
Abscesses
Absence of milk
Actinomycosis
Acute cough
Afterbirth retention
Amaurosis of the eye
Anthrax
Apoplexy, parturient
Ascities
Bacterial dysentery
Bag Inflammation
Barrenness
Big head
Black leg
Black quarter
Bleeding
Bloating
Blood poison
Blood suckers
Bloody flux
Bloody flux in calves
Bloody milk
Blue milk
Brain congestion
Bronchitis
Bronchitis verminous
Calf cholera
Calf scours
Calving
Casting the withers
Cataract of the eye
Catarrh
Chapped teats
Choking
Chronic cough
Chronic dysentery
Colic
Congestion of the brain
Congestion of the lungs
Congestion of the spinal cord
Congestion of the udder
Conjunctivitis
Contagious abortion
Cough
Cow pox
Cud chewing
Dehorning
Diarrhoea
Dropsy
Dysentery
Eczema
Epizootica eczema
Ergot poisoning
Ergotism
Eversion of the womb
Eye inflammation
Eyelid laceration
Failure to breed
Fluke, liver
Fluke, lung
Foot and mouth disease
Foot rot
Foul in foot
Founder
Garget
Grub
Hard milkers
Hematuria
Hemorrhage
Hernia, abdominal
Hollow horn
Indigestion
Infectious abortion
Infectious aphtha
Inflammation of the bag
Inflammation of the eye
Inflammation of the heart sack
Inflammation of the kidneys
Inflammation of the penis
Inflammation of the womb
Joint ill
Jones disease
Kidney inflammation
Laceration of the eyelid
Laminitis
Laryngitis
Leeches
Leucorrhea
Liver fluke
Loss of cud
Lumpy jaw
Lung congestion
Lung fever
Lung fluke
Mammitis, simple
Mange
Measly beef
Milk fever
Navel ill
Non-contagious abortion
Obstruction of the esophagus
Paralysis
Parturient apoplexy
Penis Inflammation
Pericarditis
Pharyngitis
Physiology of rumination
Pneumonia
Pyemia
Red Water
Retained afterbirth
Rheumatism
Ring worm
Round worm
Rupture, abdominal
Scabies
Scum over the eye
Septicaemia
Sore throat
Spinal cord congestion
Stringy milk
Suppression of milk
Tape worm
Teats chapped
Texas fever
Ticks
Tuberculosis
Twisted stomach worm
Udder congestion
Umbilical Pyemia
Umbilical Septicemia
Variola
Verminous bronchitis
Warts
Warbles
Whites
White scours in calves
Wolf in the tail
Womb inflammation
Wooden tongue
Worm, lung
Worm, round
Worm, stomach
Worm, tape
DISEASES OF SWINE
Abortion
Administration of medicine
Bag inflammation
Black tooth
Blood poisoning
Bronchitis
Castration
Catarrh
Choking
Cholera, hog
Cold in the head
Congestion, kidney
Diarrhoea in young pigs
Heat stroke
Hind quarter paralysis
Hog, administration of medicine
Hog cholera
Hog lice
Hog regulator and tonic
Indigestion
Inflammation, bag
Inflammation, lung
Inguinal rupture
Jaundice
Kidney congestion
Kidney worms
Lice on hogs
Lung fever
Lung inflammation
Lung worm
Mange
Nasal catarrh
Navel rupture
Nettle rash
Paralysis of the hind quarters
Pig diarrhoea
Pig scours
Piles
Pin worm
Pleurisy
Prolapse of the anus
Pyemia
Regulator and tonic
Rheumatism
Rickets
Round worm
Rupture, inguinal
Rupture, navel
Rupture, scrotal
Rupture, umbilical
Septicemia
Scours in pigs
Scrotal rupture
Sore feet
Sore mouth
Sows eating their young
Sun stroke
Thorn headed worm
Thumps
Tonic and regulator
Urticaria
Worm, kidney
Worm, lung
Worm, pin
Worm, round
Worm, thorn headed
Worm, whip
Yellows
DISEASES OF SHEEP AND GOATS
Abortion
Acute indigestion
Acute typanitis
Apoplexy, pulmonary
Black scours
Bloating
Bronchitis
Catarrh
Cold in the head
Congestion of the liver
Congestion of the lung
Congestion of the udder
Diarrhoea
Dysentery
Dyspepsia
Foot rot
Forage poisoning
Foul in foot
Garget
Gastritis, verminous
Gid
Grub in the head
Head grubs
Head maggot
Hoven
Indigestion
Indigestion, acute
Inflammation of the liver
Inflammation of the udder
Jaundice
Lamb disease
Liver congestion
Liver fluke
Liver inflammation
Louse fly
Lung congestion
Lung fever
Lung worm
Mange
Pneumonia
Poisoning, forage
Pulmonary apoplexy
Scab
Scours, black
Strongylosis
Sturdy
Tick
Typanitis, acute
Udder, congestion of
Udder, inflammation of
Verminous bronchitis
Verminous gastritis
Worm, lung
DISEASES OF POULTRY
Abortion
Abscesses of the feet.
Air sac mite
Apoplexy of the brain
Aptha
Ascites
Baldness
Beak and throat obstruction
Black head
Body lice
Body scabies
Brain apoplexy
Bronchitis
Bronchitis verminous
Bruises of the feet.
Bumblefoot
Catarrh
Catarrh of the crop
Chicken pox
Cholera of the fowl
Congestion of the liver
Constipation
Corns
Crop impaction
Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea, white
Difficult laying
Diphtheria
Diphtheritic roup
Double yolked eggs
Dropsy
Egg bound
Egg eating
Egg incomplete
Eggs with two yolks
Eggs without shells
Enteritis
Favus
Feather eating
Feather pulling
Feeding of young poultry
Fowl cholera
Gapes
Gastro intestinal catarrh
Gout
Head lice
Hemorrhage of the brain
How to feed young poultry
Impaction of the crop
Incomplete egg
Infectious entero hepatitis of turkeys
Inflammation of the crop
Inflammation of the mouth
Intestinal obstruction
Jaundice
Leg weakness
Lice, body
Lice, head
Liver congestion
Mange
Mite, red
Mouth inflammation
Obstruction of the beak and throat
Obstruction of the bile duct
Obstruction of the crop
Obstruction of the intestines
Obstruction of the oviduct
Paralysis of the crop
Paralysis of the legs
Pip
Pulmonary congestion
Red mite
Rheumatism
Roup, diphtheritic
Scabies of the body
Scabies of the legs
Scaly leg
Soft shelled eggs
Sore head
Sore mouth
Throat and beak obstruction
Thrush
Tuberculosis
Vent gleet
Verminous tracheo bronchitis
Warts
White diarrhoea
Worms
MISCELLANEOUS
Average Period of Gestation
Average Period of Incubation
Deposit or Investment Table
Drenching of Animals
Evolution of Stock
Hereditary Tendencies
Medicine in Capsules
Normal Purse Throbs
Normal Respiration
Normal Temperature
Prevention of Contagious Diseases
Six Per Cent Interest Table
Table of Valuable Drugs and their Doses
Veterinary Facts and Advice to Remember