102 POrLTRY DISEASES 



A bird with o])striictioii of the ])eak will shake its head and 

 scratch at its beak. Upon noticint^- such symptoms in a fowl 

 the caretaker should examine its mouth and remove the 

 obstruction. 



"PIP" 



Amon^ poultrymen one often hears of ''pip" as a disease 

 of fowls, particularly of chickens. It is one of those names 

 like ''hollow horn" or "loss of cud," in cattle, which signifies 

 no specific disease or condition, but merely a sj^nptom of some 

 ailment, real or fancied. 



In some of the respiratory diseases, particularly in roup 

 and pox, the nostrils nmy be closed by an exudate and the 

 l)irds compelled to breathe through the mouth, and if. as is 

 usually the case, the bird has an abnormally high temperature 

 (fever) at the same time there is a tendency for the mouth to 

 become very dry and the mucous membrane maj^ crack and 

 bleed. Owing to its dryness, the epithelium of the tongue may 

 not exfoliate normally, and, being retained, may form a trans- 

 parent ' ' beak or horn ' ' on the end of the tongue. This dryness 

 of the mouth and the resultant changec are what is known as 

 "pip." This dried eud of the tongue should not be picked off 

 as often this causes death of the bird. 



This condition may also accompany diseases of the mouth or 

 the respiratory passage, in which, on account of the difficulty 

 in breathing the bird holds its beak partially open. The sur- 

 face of the mucous membrane may become dried and catarrhal 

 stomatitis follow. The bird will be noted to hold its mouth 

 partly open and at intervals emit a shrill sound, accompanied 

 by a jerk of the head. 



Open the mouth and observe the tongue and buccal cavity. 

 The tip, borders and frenum of the tongue are found covered 

 by a hard, dry coating, which may also extend to the ])uccal 

 nucous membrane. Forcible removal of this membrane re- 

 sults in a bleeding surface wdiich may soon ulcerate as a re- 

 sult of infection and death of the bird is likelv to follow. 



Treatment. — In such cases the treatment consists in the first 

 place of measures directed at the primary cause ; that is, the 

 condition which is producing the dryness of the mouth. The 

 hardening and drying of the membi'anes of the mouth may 

 be relieved by the ai)plication. several times daily, of a mix- 

 ture of e(jual parts of glycerin and water. 



If cracks and ulcers have formed tiiey should be ])athed in 

 a solution of potassium chlorate and water, twenty grains 

 of the former to the ounce of the latter. This is best ac- 

 complished by dipping tlie l)ird's beak into a vessel, eontaining 



