164 THE VETEEINARIAN 



ABORTION 



Catjse: Sows may abort at any state of pregnancy 

 by slipping, falling, receiving kicks, or by being caught 

 while crawling through or under fences. Sows may also 

 abort when allowed to crawl into quarters where there 

 are other hogs. Contagious diseases, such as Cholera 

 and Pleuropneumonia also produce abortion. There is 

 also a contagious form of abortion in sows, but this is 

 very uncommon, as the disease spreads very slowly. 



Symptoms : There is no warning given, as a rule ; the 

 sows expel their pigs before any signs of abortion are 

 noticed. 



In other cases the sows refuse to eat, become uneasy, 

 shivering and trembling of the muscles, and straining or 

 labor pains are noticed. As a rule, when a sow aborts, 

 she will not prepare a bed, as she would normally. 



Tkeatment: Preventive is the only safe and sure 

 treatment, although when the first sign of abortion ap- 

 pears, and there are no signs of the membranes coming 

 away, remove the sow to quiet, warm, clean quarters by 

 herself, and if straining, give one dram of Chloral- 

 Hydrate in her drinking water every two or three hours. 



When a sow aborts, burn the pigs and afterbirth, and 

 disinfect the pens with a Coal Tar disinfectant. Keep 

 this up for several days, and do not breed until all dis- 

 charges from the vagina have ceased flowing. 



ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINE TO HOGS 



To administer medicine to hogs may seem easy, but, 

 nevertheless, it is a difficult task. Never lay a hog on 

 his back to drench him, as in so doing there is great 

 danger of strangling. The proper method is to stand 

 or set him on end, holding him up by the ears, and by 

 the use of a bottle with a piece of hose drawn over its 

 neck, give the medicine very slowly, so as not to allow 

 a large quantity to accumulate in the mouth or throat 



