38 HOG CHOLERA 



there is often noted a scarcely audible, high- 

 pitched, complaining expiratory grunt, but if the 

 animal is seized suddenly it struggles feebly and 

 emits a weak, hoarse squeal. The gait may be 

 unchanged, but often staggering is noticed, and 

 sometimes there is a characteristic unsteadiness 

 or weaving in the hind quarters, best observed in 

 well advanced cases when the animals are caused 

 to move without undue excitement. 



Convulsions appear somewhat infrequently, and 

 may be regarded as the only violent hog cholera 

 symptom. The attack usually occurs at feeding 

 time or under stress of other excitement, more 

 often in young pigs. The pig comes to the trough 

 as if to eat, but suddenly backs away, squealing, 

 with the snout drawn low between the forelegs. 

 The muscles stiffen in spasm, the pig falls on its 

 side, the eyeballs roll upward, the legs are in con- 

 stant motion, and the snout is gradually extended 

 with a jerky, convulsive movement. The attack 

 lasts less than a minute and terminates either in 

 death or complete return of nervous function. 



Early in an attack of hog cholera, the skin is 

 flushed, hot and sensitive, the flush being appar- 

 ent only in clean white pigs. Later, as death ap- 

 proaches, a diffuse purplish discoloration some- 

 times appears in the skin covering the ears, snout, 

 belly and inner surfaces of the legs, and is less 

 frequently observed at the extremity of the tail, 



