14 



there are mauy who believe that the dog is man's most faithful friend 

 and that he is of great use even on a sheep farm. It is unfortunate for 

 the dog that the mass of testimonj^ on this subject is against him. It 

 is not from the stand-point of the dog as a beasi of prey, however, that 

 this work is written, but it is from the more technical standpoint of the 

 dog as a carrier of parasites dangerous to sheep and man. In the list of 

 j)arasites of sheep there are at least four which are commoa to the dog 

 and sheep, viz: Toenia marginata^ Batsch; T. coenurus, Kiich.; T. echi- 

 nococcuSj V. Siebold, and Linguatula twnioides, Eud. The last is rare, 

 and in justice to the dog should not be used against him, although it 

 may subsequently afford as damaging evidence as the other species. 

 By referring to the descriptions of the other three species it will be 

 found tbat dogs harbor in their intestines the adults of these species, 

 and that they scatter the eggs of the parasites broadcast for the infec- 

 tion of sheep. Thus each dog, harboring one or more, is a constant 

 menace to the health and lives of the flocks in the neighborhood. Nor 

 is this all, for man himself can be infected by at least two of these spe- 

 cies — Tcenia echinococcus and T. marginata — in their cystic stage. The 

 former of these species jiroduces a disease of slow development, but one 

 which is nearly always fatal in results. To prevent these diseases the 

 precautious prescribed in the text must be closely adhered to. A plan 

 which would remove much of the loss caused by dogs by doing away 

 with them entirely is scarcely practical in this country, where the ma- 

 jority of these animals are owned by i)ersons who have no direct inter- 

 est in sheep. The hunting and the sheep dog are most to be feared, 

 unless we except some of the fiercer watch-dogs which are kept at 

 slaughter-houses and fed on waste bits. The day of the usefulness of 

 hunting dogs is quite past, and their retention by sheep-men at least 

 should be abandoned. The watch-dogs are nearly always chained and 

 in places not accessible to sheep. 



In the range country the coyotes and prairie wolves still menace the 

 flocks by killing individuals for food, and by harboring the adults of 

 Tcenia marginata and T. cwnurus, the eggs of which they also scatter. 

 In most sections, especially where a bounty is oflered for their scalps, 

 the trap is remorsely exterminating them. Laws which would subject 

 the mongrel curs to the same treatment would result in a great gain to 

 the farming community and to their respective owners, if they be owned 

 by any one. 



There are reports that the sheep can be infected by parasites from 

 some of the mauy wild animals that still haunt the land where they 

 were formerly so abundant. The examination of these little quadru- 

 peds to ascertain the parasites they contain has not been as extensive 

 as it should be for a broad generalization, but so far as it has extended 

 it is safe to say that sheep are not infected from either rabbits, skuuks, 

 squirrels, woodchucks, gophers, prairie dogs, or foxes. Foxes may 

 harbor some of the adult Twnia whose cystic stages infest sheep, bat 



