94 SHEEP DISEASES. 



Cause: Unknown. The virus is conveyed by 

 the saliva, Negri bodies found in the brain con- 

 firm the clinical diagnosis. Remarkable success 

 in diagnosing this disease from a blood examina- 

 tion has been reported recently. 



Symptoms: In sheep, the period of incubation 

 is unknown; there are practically no prodromal 

 symptoms. In ewes, stamping the feet and a de- 

 sire to butt everything in sight is noticeable. In 

 bucks, the sexual desire is greatly increased. This 

 stage of disease persists for nearly a week, and 

 the animal finally drops to the ground from ex- 

 haustion and dies with paralysis. 



The diagnosis can usually be made from the 

 history of the case, together with the character- 

 istic symptoms of the affected animals. Poison- 

 ing is often confused with this ailment by the 

 herders, and in every doubtful case a microscopi- 

 cal examination of the brain should be made, as 

 the autopsy reveals little or nothing. 



Treatment: Infected animals should be de- 

 stroyed and the carcasses burned. Extra precau- 

 tions should be observed in watching the actions 

 of the sheep dogs. The Pasteur treatment should 

 immediately be administered to any person bitten 

 by even a suspicious-acting dog. The expense of 

 the Pasteur treatment is too great to be practical 

 for ordinary sheep, although valuable ones may 

 be given the Pasteur treatment. Dr. Zell has re- 

 ported a successful inexpensive prophylactic 

 treatment that he has used to some extent in an 

 experimental way. 



