Gammon Parasites 25 



one of the oily preparations recommended for the destruction of 

 hog lice should be used at frequent intervals, when animals occupy 

 infested pastures. 



INTERNAL PARASITES. 



Round Worm of Hogs (Ascaris suilla), (Ascaris suis), (Ascaris 



lumbricoides). 



This is the most common intestinal worm of the hog. It varies 

 in length from seven to twelve inches, the female being larger than 

 the male. In color they are pinkish-white. The skin of the worm 

 is very smooth and the body of the parasite is quite firm. The 

 worms are not blood suckers but obtain their food supply from the 

 partially digested contents of the small intestines which they in- 

 habit. The female worm produces great numbers of eggs which 

 pass out with the excrement. Upon reaching the ground they be- 

 come mixed with the earth and water and if the food of hogs be- 

 comes contaminated with this material the eggs are taken into the 

 stomach of the hog where the young worm is hatched. The young 

 worms pass into the intestines where they grow rapidly and soon 

 reach maturity. 



Symptoms. When present in large numbers the worms cause 

 digestive disorders, indigestion, colic, diarrhoea, unthrifty appear- 

 ance and loss of flesh. A bloated condition of the abdomen is often 

 to be seen. In some cases the mature worms ascend into the stom- 

 ach and cause nausea and vomiting. The mature worms may be 

 vomited or may pass from the animal with the manure. In rare 

 instances the worms are present in such large numbers that obstruc- 

 tion of the bowels may result. 



Treatment. On account of the difficulty in administering medi- 

 cines to hogs it is best to select remedies that may be given in the 

 food. The following formula recommended by the Kentucky Ex- 

 periment Station gives good results. 



Santonin 2% grains. 



Areca nut 1 dram. 



Calomel 5 grains. 



Sodium bicarbonate 1 dram. 



These ingredients mixed together constitute one dose for a 100 

 pound hog. Feed on an empty stomach mixed with soft feed. Fol- 

 low in 12 hours with Epsom salts 1 or 2 tablespoonfuls. Care must 

 be exercised when numbers of hogs are treated so that each animal 

 in the herd gets its share of the medicine. 



Another treatment highly recommended consists in the adminis- 

 tration of turpentine in doses of a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful to 

 each animal, according to size, mixed with milk or soft slop. This 

 should be given on an empty stomach and repeated three or four 

 times. Following this a physic of epsom salts, castor oil, or raw 

 linseed oil should be given. 



Control. It must be borne in mind that infestation takes place 



