SORE MOUTH 537 



and certain grasses and clover often cause inflammation of the 

 mouth. Caterpillars and plant lice often get into the mouth with 

 the food and cause trouble. 



Secondary Stomatitis. — Sore mouth often develops as a sec- 

 dary condition or complication in hog-cholera, pneumonia, anthrax, 

 and in severe infections of the stomach and bowels. 



Symptoms. — The disease is rather mild in character, and may 

 often pass almost unnoticed. The lining of the mouth first be- 

 comes hot and dry and there is a checking of the flow of saliva 

 for a few hours. The mouth is quite sore and tender, and the 

 animal eats food very sparingly or not at all. Especially is he 

 prone to refuse any hard food, such as ear corn. The pain of 

 eating is too great, and he would sooner go hungry than eat. If 

 the mouth is examined at this time it will be found to be hot, dry, 

 very red, and quite tender. 



The second stage follows in a few hours, in which the dryness 

 of the mouth is replaced by a profuse flow of sahva. The mouth is 

 filled with secretion, and the saliva drools from the sides of the 

 mouth and even hangs down from the jowls in long strings or 

 shreds. The mouth is still hot and painful, and there is a de- 

 cidedly bad odor, due to the decomposition of saliva and debris 

 in the moiith. The animal refuses all forms of hard food, and eats 

 very slowly and carefully even when eating soft foods. Thirst 

 is usually a marked symptom at this stage of the disease. 



If the condition be very severe there may be sloughing of 

 the lining of the cheeks in spots, with the formation of small, 

 shallow ulcers. 



Course of the Disease. — This is usually short and compara- 

 tively mild. Most cases recover in a few days at most, even with- 

 out treatment. Some cases, especially those due to improper feed- 

 ing, may last for weeks, and the animal may lose flesh and become 

 stunted. 



Treatment — The treatment of stomatitis, or sore mouth, is 

 divided into the prevention and cure of the disease. 



Preventive. — Prevention of stomatitis consists in care as to 

 nature of food given. Avoid use of sour distillery slops, dirty 

 milk, lyes, copperas, and soap, which are common in kitchen refuse, 

 and the use of bearded grains, such as wheat and barley. Filthy 



