16 DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISHERIES No. 9 



lost during the early spring but the owner has paid no attention until the infection 

 has spread and cases suddenly appear in all parts of the ranch. When the pups 

 are thus exposed they appear more susceptible and the owner may lose all of 

 them before he realizes the seriousness of the situation or has time to take any 

 precautions. When the pups are exposed they do not last long and also help to 

 spread the infection to the rest of the adults. When once exposed, the adults 

 appear just as susceptible as the pups but they will not succumb as quickly 

 The adults may last two days to one week. 



Symptoms. — A number of animals will be affected suddenly, as opposed to 

 the gradual onset of secondary lung-worm pneumonia or verminous bronchitis. 

 The breathing is laboured with a distinct rattling sound in the trachea. This 

 peculiar sound is produced by each breath being forced past the large amounts of 

 pus that accumulate in the upper air passages. A purulent discharge may drip 

 from the nose and sometimes small amounts will collect in the corners of the 

 eyes. The appetite is fair at first but gradually lessens. The stools are normal 

 at the outset but later and just prior to death the feces become liquid and foul- 

 smelling. The foxes become weaker and die in a coma. 



Autopsy. — Post-mortem findings are characteristic of broncho-pneumonia. 

 Areas of pneumonia are found throughout the lung tissue. The lungs are 

 enlarged but the pneumonic areas are distinct and do not tend to run together 

 or involve the entire lung. The bronchioles and trachea are inflamed and filled 

 with much purulent material. The cut surface of the lung tissue will ooze 

 greenish pus from ever\' tiny air passage. The lower bowel may show 

 slight traces of inflammation from the severe diarrhoea in the last stages of the 

 disease. The other organs show no lesions. The carcass is usually in good con- 

 dition but this will depend on the length of sickness. Emaciation is seldom 

 present. 



TREATMENT AND PREVENTION 



The two pneumonias will be considered together as to treatment and preven- 

 tions. Their differentiation is not of importance to fox ranchers. Medicinal 

 treatment of the aftected foxes is not advisable. Any clinical cases and also all 

 foxes in the same pen as those showing symptoms or in pens where other foxes 

 have died should be immediately isolated in special pens or placed in the remotest 

 part of the ranch and watched for development. Care should be exercised not 

 to carry the infection to other parts of the ranch on the feet or with the feed. 

 The foxes should be fed and watered from outside the pens and the pens should 

 not be entered unless absolutely necessary. 



Whenever foxes die from an unknown cause the carcasses should be sent 

 immediately after death to a pathologist for post-mortem examination. Once 

 a definite diagnosis is given steps can be taken immediately to stop the spread 

 of further infection. Once the disease is found in several parts of the ranch 

 the difficulty of stopping further losses is more than doubled. Ranchers would 

 be well advised to have every death on the ranch accounted for as soon after 

 death as posible. 



When a definite diagnosis of infectious pneumonia is arrived at and the 

 causative organisms isolated an autogenous bacterin may be prepared at the 

 laboratory. With proper facilities this will take two or three days to prepare. 

 Injections will be found to be of great benefit in stopping the spread of further 

 infection. Eacterin treatments of sick animals mav also be of value. If the 



