DISEASES OF SWINE 419 



beards of grasses, as barley and wheat, in the feed, and rope loops 

 used in catching hogs may also cause it. 



Symptom*. The mucous membrane of the mouth is hot, dry 

 and red in appearance. Ropy saliva dribbles from the corners. 

 The animal champs the jaws and seems to find relief in running 

 its nose into cold water. There is a disagreeable odor from the 

 mouth. Mastication is painful and the hog shows a disposition to 

 eat sparingly. Soft liquid food is preferred; hard food is imper- 

 fectly masticated and may drop from the mouth. Recovery usually 

 takes place in a few days. 



Treatment. If due to irritating foods, the cause must be re- 

 moved. Hard food should be withheld and nothing but sloppy 

 foods be fed to the animal when in this condition. Plenty of cool, 

 clean water should be placed where the hog can drink and run its 

 nose into it. The medicinal treatment consists in washing the 

 mouth twice a day with an astringent wash or antiseptic lotion. A 

 four per cent, watery solution of boric acid or alum can be used for 

 this purpose. The coal tar washes are also serviceable. (Ind. B. 

 100.) 



DISEASED TEETH. 



The hog eats all sorts of objects and cracks nuts, coal, gravel, 

 etc., upon the teeth, so that when the hog becomes old he is almost 

 sure to have a bad mouth. Hogs sold for stock purpose are seldom 

 affected in this way. Boars sometimes have very long tusks. 



Symptoms. The symptoms of some derangement of the teeth 

 are pain upon grinding, holding the head to one side while eating, 

 insufficient mastication, as seen in the half or whole grain passed, 

 and inability to shell corn from the ear. 



Treatment. The treatment is to give largely ground or sloppy 

 food, and pasture. Cut off with dentist's cutters all long tusks, but 

 do not knock them out with a punch or cold chisel, as the latter 

 method is almost certain to crack the teeth and fracture the jaw. 

 (Ind. B. 100.) 



BLACK TEETH. 



This condition is frequently brought to the attention of the 

 veterinarian, but as yet we have no satisfactory explanation to offer 

 for their presence. They are also found in health, as may be ob- 

 served in heads at the slaughter house. Undoubtedly too much 

 stress has been laid upon this condition. We are not inclined to 

 attribute any disease to this condition upon the present evidence. 

 In very young pigs, when this condition is most frequently seen, 

 there may be very long, sharp teeth present which it would be 

 better to cut off. At the time of dentition, the temporary tooth may 

 be present as a dark shell and the gums be made sore and cause the 

 pig to hold the mouth open, to salivate, and to refuse food. (Ind. B. 

 100.) 



DEPRAVED APPETITE. 



Causes. Depraved appetite is due to a variety of causes and 

 may occur, as a symptom in different diseases. Faulty rations, 



