Nasal Catarrh, Cold, and Rhinitis
It is a catarrhal inflammation of the nasal mucosa. The disease may be simple or only symptomative of some contagious disease such as Distemper, Strangles, and Influenza. It is commonly due to some infection and the organisms responsible may be common. Saprophytes only take on pathogenic powers when resistance is broken-down by chill, defective ventilation or some other debilitating circumstance. Catarrh may also be due to dust or polyp such as hay fever or dust fever.
Symptoms: There appears a nasal discharge which is, at first; watery later is opaque and yellowish white. This is accompanied by sneezing in cats and dogs and snorting in horses. Some-times, the affection is up to Ducts and Nasuswhich become swollen and causes an overflow of tears and even eyelids may be swollen. Fever or rise of temperature only occurs when these ca-tarsal symptoms are associated with some contagious general disease. Mucous membrane is use-ally red and sometimes ducts of mucosa are swollen and prominent. A common catarrh is a mild affection and runs its course in 4 or 5 days with complete recovery. Sometimes, it extends to air sinuses or pharynx or to other parts of respiratory tract and may become chronic.
Treatment Keep the animal warm and comfortable but allow plenty of fresh air. Nasal drops may be used and antihistaminic drugs may be of some use.
Epitasis: Bleeding from nose - In epistaxis, haemorrhage is usually slight and drops in small streams. Blood is bright red, occasionally in clots and is unmixed with air and the animal frequently snorts.
Etiology
(1) some ulceration of nose in ganders orpurpura hemorrhagic.
(2) Mechanical irritants like straw or foreign bodies such as bites of insects or ulcerating new growth. In the horse of the present day, epistaxisis commonly due to some defects in the walls of nasal vessels which rupture when the animal is subjected to severe exercise such as racing or hunting or unusual excitement. It is very common in race horses and is hereditary and the animals are called Bleeders or Blood vessel breakers. The bleeding occurs suddenly and is usually one-sided. It is usually bright red in color and un-mixed with air.
Treatment: The natural tendency is spontaneous recovery. Keep the animal quiet. Apply cold scrub or ice over poll and give adrenaline subcutaneously. Camphorated oil may be used. Tie up head short. Rarely it is necessary to plug the nose and both nostrils require plugging, Tracheotomy must first be performed.
Laryngitis: Involves the mucous membrane of the larynx. It may be acute or chronic. The most common form is catarrhal, but it may bephlegomonous or edematous, Coupons or Diphtheria, Ulcerative or Necrotic— such as inlanders. Calf-diphtheria.
Etiology:
(1)Pathogenic microorganisms — many on-contagious forms of laryngitis are also due to pathogenic bacteria, some of which may be saprophytic on the surface and only invade the mucous membrane when the resistance is broken-down by chills, sudden change of temperature and exposure to cold and wet.
(2)Inhalation of irritant gases in concentration or irritant fumes.
(3) Drenches which may go in the wrong way.
Cough and the severity of the cough varies in proportion to the difficulty experienced by the larynx in removing foreign body such as dies-charge or dry mucous. In the dry stage of inflammation, the cough is loud and harsh, later when exudates appears, it becomes moister and softer. It is frequent after feeding or during sudden change of temperature. Soon a nasal discharge appears which comes from both nostrils. It is similar to that of catarrh. In the dog, the cough is often associated with shaking of head and even attempts of retching and vomiting. It is some-times thought that there is some foreign body in the throat. Squeezing over the larynx causes flinching and pain and induces coughing. There may be some difficulty in swallowing but that symptom is more closely associated withpharyngitis. In edema of the larynx, the sump-toms — which have been previously there of simple laryngitis — become very severe.
Dyspnoea sets in owing to the narrowing of the opening from the accumulation of exudates in the mucosa and sub mucosa causing swelling of the mucous membrane. This dyspnoea may ape-pear very rapidly and be very severe. A roaring sound is often produced and there is great difficulty in swallowing food or fluids. The great danger here is asphyxia. Ulceration of larynx is occasionally noted in ganders and there roaring sometimes appear as a symptom. The course of the disease varies from a week to 10 days or more. Recovery is usual.
Sequelae: are chronic cough, chronic laryngitis, pulmonary emphysema and, in the horse, whistling and roaring.
Treatment: Keep the animal warm. Allow plenty of fresh air; put it in a well-ventilated house. Avoid dusty food and litter. Avoid pressure on larynx and avoid drenching. Externally, application of antiseptics may be of some use. Expectorants and Sedatives may be administered.
Chronic Laryngitis or Chronic Cough: It appears as a sequel to the acute form but some-times appears independently. The chief symptoms a persistent dry cough appearing in spasms. Sometimes there is a nasal discharge which is often white and scanty. The animal may make noise. This may give rise to pulmonary emphysema.
Treatment: Begin with the same treatment assigns the acute form of Laryngitis. Various other agents may be used.