BPAYIXG.] 



PIGS, 



[tetanus. 



SWELLING OF THE SPLEEN. 

 In the hog the spleen is of great length, 

 and, throughout its whole extent, of nearly 

 uniform thickness and breadth. The symptom 

 which indicates tlie disease called ratille, is per- 

 ceived by the animal leaning towards one side, 

 bending towards the ground, and drawing it- 

 self together, as it were, from internal suffer- 

 ing. The cause of this proceeds from over- 

 feeding, which, in the animal, has injured the 

 condition of the secretions, and obstructed 

 the excretory ducts. As a curative, strong 

 aperients, to produce copious evacuations, are 

 recommended ; also bleeding, if the disease 

 has continued some length of time. French 

 veterinarians recommend the expressed juice 

 of the leaves and tops of wormwood and liver- 

 wort, to be given in quantities of half a pint to 

 a dose. The decoction of these plants, pro- 

 duced by boiling them in soft water for six 

 hours, is more readily obtained than the ex- 

 pressed juice ; and this may be given in doses 

 oi" from half a pint to a pint and a-half, accord- 

 ing to the size, age, &c., of the patient. 

 IScammony and rhubarb, mixed up in a bran 

 mash, or with Indian meal, may be given the 

 following day, or equal portions of blue-pill 

 and compound colocynth pill, formed into a 

 bolus with butter; and the animal, having 

 been kept fasting the previous night, will 

 probably swallow it. If not, it is recom- 

 mended to keep the pig fasting for a couple of 

 hours longer, and then it will take it. Lower 

 the diet, and keep it on reduced fare, with 

 exercise, and, if you can manage it, p'azinr/, 

 until the malady has quite passed away. If 

 you then wish to fatten, do so gradually. Be 

 cautious of at once restoring the patient to 

 lull diet. Indeed, it would be better to keep 

 it for a month as a store ; and then feed at 

 regular intervals, always removing vrhatever 

 food is left from each meal. 



SPAYING. 

 Spaying of female pigs is an operation 

 which usually requires considerable care ; and 

 is generally performed when the pig is about 

 three weeks old. The whole litter is usually 

 cut at prices varying, in difierent localities, Irom 

 Is. Qd. to 25. Gflf. per litter, great or small. 

 In performing the operation, the little animal 

 S02 



is first laid on its right side, and the two hind 

 legs are stretched out straight, so as to allow 

 the mid-flank to come fairly under the eye and 

 hand of the operator. An incision, about two 

 inches long, is then made with a round-pointed 

 knife, and the thumb and finger are introduced 

 to search for the ovaries, which, from their 

 being separate at one end, and presenting a 

 convoluted or knotted appearance to the eye, 

 are easily found. These are collected together, 

 and folded in a downward direction over the 

 edge of the wound. "When the operator finds 

 that all are exposed, he cuts them by a little 

 pressure of the knife towards the skin, and 

 the uterus falls back into its place. He now 

 stitches up the orifice, and the animal usually 

 very soon recovers. The operator should 

 clean his knife well after every cut ; secure the 

 whole of the ovaria, and be careful not to 

 stitch up any of the intestines with the skin. 

 If this be done, death is almost certain to 

 follow. Though this operation is usually per- 

 formed at or before the pig is a month old, it 

 may be safely done at any reasonable age of 

 the animal. 



STAGGERS. 



Tliis complaint is caused by excess of blood 

 to the head. Bleed freely from behind the 

 ears, and purge. 



SURFEIT. 



This is another name for indigestion. The 

 symptoms are — loss of appetite, swelling of the 

 region about the stomach, &c., and fi'equently 

 throwing up the food. The illness will, in 

 general, pass away of itself, provided the ani- 

 mal be kept from any kind of food for a few 

 hours. A small quantity of sweet grains, with 

 a little bran wash, may then be given, but not 

 nearly so much as the animal will take. For 

 a few days the food had better be limited in 

 quantity, and also be of a washy, liquid 

 nature. 



TETANUS. 



The common name for this disease is Lock- 

 jaw, and is by no means an unlrequent malady 

 in pigs. It is often produced in young ones 

 by castration, especially if, after this operation, 

 they are highly fed for a few days. The disease 

 is frequently fatal, and soon brings the life of 



