652 DISEASES OF SWINE 



by the presence of lice upon the skin. Large numbers of the 

 parasites do, however, cause considerable irritation, and the skin 

 becomes irritated, covered with scales, and frequently is covered 

 with an eczema. 



There is another great danger in the presence of the hog-louse 

 that may be overlooked. This is the abiUty of the louse to carry 

 other diseases from animal to animal. Sucking blood as it does, 

 and pushing its sucker or stylet deep into the tissues, there can be 

 but little question that the hog-louse is capable of carrying cholera 

 germs from one animal to the other. Not only can the parasite 

 carry the germs of the disease, but also through the drain that they 

 make upon the system and the irritation they produce they make 

 the animal more susceptible to the effects of the cholera poisons 

 and more likely to die from an attack of the disease. 



Diagnosis. — There is no trouble in making a diagnosis of lousi- 

 ness in a herd of swine. The animals exhibit quite familiar symp- 

 toms in the rubbing and scratching of the body, and the louse as 

 well as the nits can be easily found by examining the portions of the 

 skin where they are particularly common. Especially should an 

 examination be made of the skin back of the ears and on the inner 

 side of the hams. In both of these locations the lice and their 

 eggs, cemented to the hair, will be found. 



Treatment. — In considering the treatment of lousiness in the 

 hog we must take into consideration several things. In the first 

 place, we must use some substance that is capable of destroying the 

 living lice on the skin of the animal. Second, the nits must be 

 destroyed. Killing the Uce is a fairly easy matter, but destruction 

 of these nits is by no means so readily done. The eggs are sur- 

 rounded by a tough, gelatinous coat, which gives them an added 

 protection and makes it a difficult matter to destroy these eggs. 

 If they are left on the animal they hatch in a few days or weeks, and 

 the body is soon covered again with lice. 



Another important point to be considered in ridding the herd 

 of Hce is the condition of the quarters in which the animals are 

 housed. If these are serving as breeding places for the lice, little 

 can be accomplished unless proper steps are taken to rid these 

 breeding places of the parasites or a change of quarters made. 

 For instance, where the hogs are allawed to burrow around an old 



