76 SWINE DISEASES 



Treatment. Epistaxis is usually not fatal. It is 

 difficult to treat in swine because of the small size of the 

 opening of the nostril. Hydrogen peroxide may be 

 introduced by means of a syringe, and this gives immediate 

 and sometimes permanent relief. A solution of adrenalin 

 chlorid gives similar results. 



Rhinitis 



Catarrhal rhinitis is very common in swine. It may 

 be either acute or chronic. 



Etiology. Catarrhal inflammation of the schneid- 

 erian membrane is most commonly caused by the inhala- 

 tion of dust or other irritating substances. It may be 

 caused also by sudden temperature changes. It is 

 sometimes associated with other disease conditions, 

 particularly swine plague and hog cholera. An infec- 

 tious type of this disease has been identified and is 

 discussed separately. (See p. 77.) 



Lesions. Acute catarrhal inflammation of the nasal 

 mucosa is characterized by congestion and tumefaction 

 of the mucous membrane. This membrane is at first 

 dry, but later varying quantities of a serous fluid and 

 mucous escape upon the surface of the mucosa and are 

 discharged, some of the discharge accumulating upon 

 the external surface of the nostril. The exudate may 

 become infected and invaded by leukocytes, the dis- 

 charge thus becoming mucopurulent or purulent . Chronic 

 catarrhal inflammation may produce a hypertrophy or 

 atrophy of the nasal mucosa. The hypertrophic change 

 is due to the production of large quantities of fibrous 

 tissue in the submucosa. The mucosa thus becomes 

 thickened, dense, and leathery. The increased volume 

 of the mucous membrane may so diminish the cavities of 

 the nose that breathing is difficult. In other instances 

 the mucous membrane atrophies, the nasal cavity thus 

 becoming larger. It is not unusual to find desiccated 

 discharges adhering to the mucosa. In either the hyper- 

 trophic or atrophic forms of chronic catarrhal rhinitis 

 there may be ulceration of the mucous membrane. When 



