PAROTITIS 539 



Treatment. — This is about tiie same as for sore mouth. The 

 main thing in treating ptyahsm is to discover, if possible, the 

 cause and remove it. Frequently this condition is due to pas- 

 turing the animals on Swedish clover. Removal from these 

 pastures is frequently all that is necessary. Plenty of good cold 

 water, with the addition of a little chlorate of potash, is about 

 all that is usually required in the way of medicinal treatment. 

 In severe cases small doses of atropin or belladonna may be given. 

 Atropin and belladonna are poisonous drugs, and should only be 

 given by a veterinarian who fully understands their powerful 

 character and possiblhty of harm from overdose. 



PAROTITIS (INFLAMMATION OF PAROTID GLAND) 



The parotid gland is a large organ located just in front of and 

 below the ear along the side of the jowl. It is one of the glands 

 that secretes the saliva, and is often the seat of inflammation. 

 In human beings there is a special type of infectious parotitis 

 which is known commonly by the name of the mumys. 



Causes. — The causes for inflammation of the parotid gland 

 in the hog are usually some form of injury. In handUng the ani- 

 mals for the purpose of ringing or castrating, where the stanchion 

 chutes are used, the head may frequently be so bruised as to cause 

 an inflammation of this gland. In fighting with other animals the 

 gland may be injured. Likewise by getting the head fast in an 

 opening in the fence, or in trying to get through a gate, the animal 

 may injure the parotid gland and a few days later have a severe 

 inflammation of the gland. 



In not a few cases the disease is due to the spreading of an 

 inflammation from the mouth. In stomatitis the inflammation 

 not infrequently travels up along the tube which leads from the 

 mouth to the gland and causes a secondary inflammation of the 

 parotid gland. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of parotitis are principally pain, 

 swelling below and in front of the ear, and marked local tenderness. 

 The swelling often becomes quite large, and the jaws are often 

 opened with difficulty. The pain on moving the jaws becomes 

 so marked that the animal is liable to eat very little on account 

 of the distress caused by the chewing movements. 



