640 DISEASES OF SWINE 



ground. In like manner, hogs after shipment for a considerable 

 distance in stock cars may come out in the morning quite lame and 

 sore. Another common cause for sore feet is the keeping of ani- 

 mals in filthy, dirty, muddy pens. In these cases the skin between 

 the toes becomes softened and irritated, and germs from the filthy 

 lots enter the skin and set up a quite severe condition. 



Symptoms. — The principal symptoms of the condition, of 

 course, is the lameness. When the feet are examined they will be 

 found to be bruised and swollen in case the lameness is due to 

 injury, or they may be found softened, inflamed, and scaly in the 

 case of infection. In many of these cases due to filthy feed yards 

 the condition present is really an eczema. 



Treatment is largely to be governed by the cause. If the con- 

 dition be due to recent shipment in railroad cars, nothing need be 

 done in the way of treatment. Simply turn the animals out into a 

 pasture range or into a clean feed lot and the lameness will disap- 

 pear in a few days. In those cases that are due to filthy feed lots 

 a change of range, giving a clean, dry pasture, is all that will be 

 required. 



In the more severe cases, where there is genuine eczema or in- 

 fection present, the treatment will need to be a bit more active. 

 Bathing of the feet in some strong astringent solution, such as 

 equal parts of vinegar and water or in strong salt solution, may 

 prove efficient. An excellent foot-bath for these cases is made by 

 dissolving a teaspoonful of chlorid or sulphate of zinc in a pint of 

 water. In cases where the feet are red, swollen, and tender this 

 should be followed by the application of zinc oxid ointment. This 

 is an excellent healing application, and its use will be followed by 



good results. 



FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE 



In animals that suffer from sore feet the possibiUty of foot-and- 

 mouth disease must not be overlooked. This disease at present is 

 unknown in the United States, but there have been several out- 

 breaks in the past, and stock owners should always be on the look- 

 out for the disease. 



In an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease cattle are usually 

 first affected, and the disease may then spread to the swine. The 

 characteristic symptom of this disease is the finding of large num- 



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