452 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



of the acute type of hog cholera. In this acute type, the chief symp- 

 toms observed are sluggishness, disinclination to move, weakness, 

 loss of appetite, a high fever, inflammation of the eyes with the gum- 

 ming of the lids, and there may be diarrhea. If the sick animals 

 are examined carefully, red or purplish blotches may be seen on the 

 skin, especially over the surface of the abdomen, on the inside of the 

 legs, and around the ears and neck. As a rule the progress of the 

 infection is so rapid that the hog is not greatly emaciated before 

 death; it is, in fact, usual in acute outbreaks for hogs to die after 

 being sick only a few days. 



In the chronic type of the disease the symptoms are quite simi- 

 lar to those seen in acute cases. The sick hogs are sluggish and dis- 

 inclined to move when disturbed, and coughing is frequently heard 

 when they are suddenly roused. They may eat very little and usual- 

 ly lose flesh rapidly, finally becoming so emaciated and weak that 

 they stagger or walk with an uncertain gait, the hind legs particu- 

 larly appearing to be very weak. The eyes, also, become inflamed 

 and the lids may be gummed together. After the first few days of 

 illness there is apt to be a profuse diarrhea, and in these chronic 

 cases the hog may, and usually does, linger for several weeks, some- 

 times months, before it finally dies. It is extremely rare for such 

 an animal to recover its health and vigor sufficiently to become of 

 value to the owner. 



Cholera usually starts with a diarrhea. The pigs quit feeding, 

 many have a cough and are dumpish for several days, lose all en- 

 ergy, gradually become weaker and die. The older hogs act in the 

 same way, except that they do not usually become so thin before they 

 die. Sometimes a constipation precedes the diarrhoea for a longer or 

 shorter period. The discharges are usually very offensive. There 

 is frequently a discharge from the eyes which resembles pus, which 

 may be sticky enough to gum the lids together. In many outbreaks 

 one or two hogs may not feel well for several days, and before the 

 owner is aware of the fact the whole herd may be infected and a 

 greater or less number die every day. Some may show symptoms of 

 a severe illness, such as fever, weakness, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, 

 redness of the skin of the abdomen or flanks and in patches around 

 the snout or ears, while others may show but a few of these symptoms 

 before death. (Kan. B. 163.) 



It will thus be seen that before death the appearance of hogs 

 affected with hog cholera is not particularly characteristic, for the 

 symptoms, especially in acute cases, are only such as might be ex- 

 pected in a severe disease of any kind. But if these symptoms are 

 noticed in a herd of hogs, and if the disease is seen to be contagious, 

 showing a tendency to spread from the sick to the healthy animals, 

 it is likely that hog cholera is present, though in order to be sure of 

 this a post-mortem examination must be made. (F. B. 379.) 



Appearance of a Hog After Death from Hog Cholera. In re- 

 gard to the examination of hog carcasses on the farm, it may be well 

 to state that while hog cholera is not communicable to man, there is 

 always danger of the hog being affected with other diseases, such as 



