610 



DISEASES OF SWINE 



In chronic heart disease there is some difficulty in breathing, 

 and the animal frequently develops a chronic cough. In this 

 form of heart disease dropsy may also occur as a prominent 

 symptom. 



Treatment.^ — Rest is the all-important factor in the treatment of 

 diseases of the heart. The animal should be placed in a warm pen, 

 well bedded, and kept quiet. The pen should be kept somewhat 

 darkened in order to encourage rest. Food should be of a soft 



Fig. 88. — Fibrinous pericarditis; pericardium turned back to show the sur- 

 face of the heart covered with fibrinous formation (Orth). 



character, and plenty of water is to be given. Open up the bowels 

 with a brisk cathartic, such as calomel, in doses of 10 to 15 gr., fol- 

 lowed by the usual dose of castor oil or Epsom salt. The animal 

 should have plenty of water, to which mild doses of potassium ace- 

 tate or potassium nitrate may well be added. 



To encourage quiet the animal should be given teaspoonful 

 doses of tincture of opium every three or four hours. It is impos- 

 sible to give any remedies that will act directly upon the disease 

 process in the heart itself. In most cases it is important to treat 



