caustic. The horns of calves a few weeks of age may be removed with a sharp
knife or calf dehorner.

CHOKING.--This is a common accident in cattle and horses. The object that
causes the choke may be lodged in the pharynx or oesophagus. Certain
individuals are more prone to choke while feeding than others. This is
because of their habit of eating greedily, and swallowing hastily without
properly mixing the bolus with the saliva. For this reason, choking occurs
when the animal is eating dry feed. Cattle frequently become choked on
pieces of such food as roots and apples that are too large to readily pass
down the oesophagus. Sharp objects taken in with the food sometimes become
lodged in the oesophagus or pharynx.

_The symptoms_ differ in complete and partial choke. In the latter, the
symptoms are not very characteristic. The animal may stop feeding, but
shows very little evidence of suffering pain. It may be able to swallow a
little water. On attempting to drink, a part of the water may be returned
through the nose, the same as in complete choke. Ineffectual efforts to
swallow, salivation, coughing, hurried respiration, and an anxious
expression of the face occur in complete choke. Bloating may complicate
this accident in ruminants. After partial choke has persisted for a day or
two, the animal appears dejected or distressed. Pressure on the trachea by
hard objects may cause difficult respiration.

Mechanical pneumonia sometimes occurs. This is due to the food and water
that the animal may attempt to swallow, being returned to the pharynx and
passed into the air passages and lungs.

_The treatment_ is as follows: Animals that have choked should not be given
access to feed of any kind. Any attempt to take food or drink water may