The Prevention of Hog Diseases 479 



The early symptoms occurring in hog cholera are 

 elevation of body temperature, depression, weakness, 

 and staggering. Depression and weakness are especially 

 noticeable when the hog is forced to get up from its bed. 

 Vomiting, diarrhoea, or rapid labored breathing may occur. 



The early symptoms in hog cholera closely resemble 

 those occurring in other infectious diseases. Other 

 means of diagnosis must be employed. The history of 

 the outbreak and character of the lesions found on post 

 mortem examination are more important than the symp- 

 toms. A fatally sick hog should be killed for post mortem 

 examination, as the lesions of disease are not changed 

 by decomposition of the tissues as is the case if the hog 

 has been dead for a short time. 



It is very necessary to make an early diagnosis of any 

 disease. If recognized early, curative treatment can be 

 employed at a time when it will do the most good, and 

 in the case of hog cholera, its spread to neighboring herds 

 can be prevented. Stock-men are beginning to recognize 

 the importance of handling hog cholera the same as other 

 infectious diseases, and employing experienced veterina- 

 rians to diagnose it and recommend measures of control. 



The most important measures for the control of hog 

 cholera are the quarantining of farms where outbreaks 

 of the disease occur; the reporting of all cholera herds 

 to the proper health officers; the slaughter of fatally 

 sick hogs and those having the chronic form of the disease ; 

 the vaccination of the other hogs in the herd ; the crema- 

 tion of the carcasses of all cholera hogs ; and the cleaning 

 and disinfecting of the yards. 



Stock-cars should be disinfected immediately after 

 unloading, and public stock-yards quarantined. Car 

 shipments of feeding and stock hogs should be unloaded 



