90 SHEEP DISEASES. 



where the disease is enzootic. Immunization has 

 been tried, but with very little success. Hygienic 

 care sems to be the best line of treatment. Dif- 

 ferentiating the disease from common scab is the 

 first problem. 



8. Foot-and-Mouth Disease. 



Aphthae epizooticae. 



Probably no disease appearing among cloven- 

 footed animals in this country has been so thor- 

 oughly discussed in the past several years as this 

 one, consequently a mere summary is given here, 



Cause: Unknown. The clear serum-like con- 

 tents of the vesicles and the blood carry the con- 

 tagium. 



Symptoms: As this is an acute febrile disease, 

 the first symptom noted is a high temperature 

 usually accompanied by a slight lameness. The 

 foot becomes swollen, feverish, and small vesicles 

 which later become pustules are found in the in- 

 terdigital space. Upon squeezing this, thick pus 

 comes out in a spiral, worm-like shape, hence the 

 colloquial term, u hoof -worm. " Great care must 

 be used to differentiate it from foot rot. Compli- 

 cations, such as lack of appetite, abortion in preg- 

 nant ewes, and vesicles on other parts of the body, 

 as in the mouth and sometimes on the teats, may 

 help one to exclude any form of rot. In the 

 latter disease the hoof becomes gangrenous, and 

 to one who has seen both, the difference between 

 these two disorders is very noticeable. The his- 

 tory of an attack is perhaps more important in 

 arriving at a diagnosis than are the lesions. The 



