DISEASES OF SHEEP 503 



small, it should be enlarged. This is necessary as there is danger of 

 the margins of the incision adhering before the part is healed, thus 

 interfering with the draining off of the pus and endangering the life 

 of the animal. In castrating a buck it is necessary to confine him in 

 some way. He should be laid on his back on the ground, and the hind 

 legs held by an assistant, or tied in such a way as to prevent his strug- 

 gling. On account of danger from hemorrhage, it is advisable to 

 scrape the spermatic cord until it breaks or, 'better, to cut it off with 

 an emasculator. Lambs do better if allowed to run in the pasture. 

 If kept in the sheep house or in a yard, everything should be clean 

 to avoid infection from germs. 



DISEASES OF THE EYE. 

 SIMPLE CONJUNCTIVITIS; SORE EYES. 



Causes. Conjunctivitis is due to irritation from various foreign 

 bodies getting into the eye (dust, seeds, pollen, flies, etc) and injur- 

 ies of various kinds (blows from a whip, stones, branches of trees, 

 brush, etc.). General diseases, cold winds and wet weather may also 

 cause it. 



Symptoms. The eye is held more or less closed, especially if 

 the light is bright. The discharge is at first watery, but soon becomes 

 heavier and more pus like and adheres to the margins of the lids. 

 The conjunctiva is inflamed, thickened, red and swollen. The cor- 

 nea usually takes part in the inflammation and when it does, it looks 

 white and opaque and the blood-vessels around its margins often be- 

 come quite prominent. The inflammation may extend to the deeper 

 layers of the eye. Recovery generally takes place in about a week. 



Treatment. If any foreign body is present, it should be re- 

 moved and the eye washed with an antiseptic or astringent lotion. 

 If the lids are wounded, it may be necessary to use hot or cold water 

 applications in order to keep down the inflammation. The following 

 eye lotion can be dropped under the lids with a medicine dropper or 

 applied once or twice daily: Boric acid (thirty grains), sulphate of 

 zinc (fifteen grains), and distilled water (three ounces). Equal parts 

 of boracic acid and calomel by weight may be blown into the eye with 

 an insect powder blower. 



ENZOOTIC OPHTHALMIA ; CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. 



Causes. The direct cause of this disease is not known. By most 

 investigators, it is held to be of an infectious nature, but some attrib- 

 ute it to irritating pollen or soil. The disease is spread by diseased 

 sheep coming in contact with healthy ones and in a short time will 

 affect a large number of animals in a neighborhood. Low, damp, 

 land ; and level prairies seem to favor the development of the disease. 

 Dust and pollen may act as carriers of the germ. 



Symptoms. At first the eyes are closed and there is an abun- 

 dant secretion of tears. This is followed by a heavy pus like secre- 

 tion. The lids are inflamed, red and swollen, the cornea opaque and 

 thickened. Ulcers may form on the cornea and the eye ball become 

 milky white and hard. Usually at the beginning of the disease the 

 body temperature is elevated and there is a partial or complete loss 



