COMMON DISEASES 99 



animal becomes so plethoric from being highly fed, that sometimes 

 the tubes connected with the organs of generation are blocked up. 

 There are also other causes, such as disordered ovaries; a morbid 

 condition of the uterus ; or hardening of the neck of the uterus. In 

 a pig, on account of not being able to make an examination, it is 

 difficult to find the cause and, if found, it would be difficult to re- 

 move. 



If the animal is kept in only good growing condition, avoiding 

 its getting too fat, there will seldom be any trouble. If the sow takes 

 on fat very easily, and will not breed, give her two ounces of Ep- 

 som Salts, dissolved in half a pint of cold water; follow this with 

 ten grains of Iodide of Potassium twice a day, in her feed, for two 

 weeks. By this treatment one may succeed in absorbing the ma- 

 terials which have blocked up some of the tubes connected with the 

 organs of generation. On the other hand, if an animal is very thin 

 and in a weak, run-down condition, and fails to breed, give her 

 good feed all she will eat and with this twenty to forty drops, 

 according to size of animal, of tincture of chloride of iron, twice 

 a day in the feed. 



Rheumatism. Rheumatism is very common among pigs ; more 

 particularly among quite young ones. It is hard to say what causes 

 rheumatism in the pigs, as we often find it under various condi- 

 tions whether the animals are well kept or not. 



Symptoms Lameness in one or more of the legs ; swelling of the 

 hock joints or the fetlock joint. When these muscles are affected 

 it may be a form of inflammatory rheumatism, which may cause 

 some fever and sickness. In this case the animal would be stiff 

 and refuse to eat ; its breath will come quite short and fast ; muz- 

 zle, or nose, will be dry, and if the animal is made to move about it 

 will show signs of pain. Often it will shift from one leg to an- 

 other. 



Treatment The animal should be kept in a warm, comfortable 

 place and if it is in good flesh give it a dose of from one to two 

 ounces Epsom Salts every three or four days, or two to three, drops 

 of Croton oil, which is a useful medicine in rheumatism. 



For pigs, two or three months old, give half the quantity. It is 

 well to rub the swollen joints with an equal mixture of turpentine 

 and sweet oil. 



Inflammation of Udder. "While this is not considered a dis- 

 ease, at times it causes some trouble but not often. 



Causes Usually this is caused by an over accumulation of milk 

 in the udder which is the result of overfeeding the sow on rich 

 feed immediately after farrowing, or caused by the litter being too 

 few in number or too weak to take all the milk that the sow furnish- 

 es, resulting in a feverish condition and soreness of the udder. 



Symptoms Udder becomes swollen and rather hard, and is 

 hot to the touch. The skin will become red and very tender. When 

 this is the case the sow usually shows considerable fever, loss of ap- 

 petite and constipation. 



Treatment. If possible, draw off the milk, although this is a 

 hard matter to do as the inflammation causes the milk to coagulate. 



