DISEASES OF DIGESTIVE TRACT 



SORE MOUTH (STOMATITIS) 



Stomatitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane lining 

 the mouth. It may involve only a part of the cavity, or the entire 

 lining of the mouth may be red and inflamed, and the mucous 

 covering of the tongue is also usually affected. 



The disease is very common in the hog, but often escapes 

 notice, and, as the course is usually mild, treatment is often ne- 

 glected. Stomatitis is also a common disease in other domestic 

 animals, especially horses and cattle. 



Sore mouth may be a primary disease or it may be a secondary 

 complication in the course of some other disease. 



Causes of Primary Stomatitis. — As a primary disease, stomati- 

 tis, or sore mouth, may occur as the result of injury from sharp- 

 pointed foreign bodies, such as pieces of wood, thorny plants, weed 

 stubbles, and various other irritating substances. Not infre- 

 quently one of these sharp points becomes lodged in the mucous 

 membrane lining the mouth, and, as a result, sets up an infection 

 and inflammation. Small pieces of bone, nails, and sharp pieces 

 of gravel or coal are occasionally met with as the cause of the 

 disease. Bearded grains of barley or wheat, or the beards from 

 barley or wheat straw, may be the cause of the disease in some 

 cases. 



In the handling of hogs for purposes of ringing or castrating, 

 where a looped rope or wire is used to hold them by snaring the 

 loop in the mouth, the rough handling and rubbing of the rope on 

 the hning of the mouth may set up an inflammation. In sick 

 animals, powerful drugs, such as ammonia, are sometimes admin- 

 istered in strong solution, and prove sufficiently irritating to set up 

 an inflammation. 



Where sour distillery slops are used as an article of daily food 

 for the herd this disease often breaks out. The cause in these 

 cases is the formation of an irritating chemical substance in the 



535 



