136 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



the food. It may not develop during the 

 first few weeks, but will appear soon 

 after the pigs are weaned and especially- 

 after they begin to put on considera- 

 ble weight. The bones are weak and 

 bend or break. This weakness is not 

 only in the leg bones but is seen in the 





Fig. 95 — RICKETS IN THE HOCK JOINT OF 

 THE PIG 



Fits — Occasionally hogs which appear 

 to be in good health are attacked by 

 spasms or fits. These attacks may be due 

 to various reuses, such as the presence 

 of intestinal worms or other digestive 

 troubles and in many instances are the 

 result of too close in-breeding for a 

 number of generations. If the spasms 

 are not too severe, they may easily be 

 relieved by throwing the pig into a warm 

 bath, after which he is to be kept as 

 quiet as possible. Occasionally some 

 benefit is derived from giving a dram of 

 bromide of potash, with a small cathartic 

 of castor oil. 



Thumps — This disease, also known as 

 spasms of the diaphrrgm, is rather com- 

 mon in pigs. The heart beats are some- 

 times louder than under normal condi- 

 tions, but thumps are not always due 

 to any disorder of the heart. The chief 

 cause of thumps is found in over feed- 

 ing or some digestive trouble due to the 

 use of improper rations. The most con- 

 spicuous symptom is a jerking move- 

 ment of the flanks, which occurs irreg- 

 ularly. The disease may persist from 



undue arching of the back. The treat- 

 ment should consist in withholding part 

 of the corn and substituting nitrogenous 

 grains and especially milk. Hogs should 

 also be given an abundant supply of 

 wood ashes, charcoal, air slaked lime 

 and salt. 



Pitchy mange — This is not a para- 

 sitic or infectious disease, but is due to 

 uncleanly conditions, especially filthy 



Fiff. 96 — PITCHY MANGE IN THE HOG 



pens and exposure to great changes of 

 temperature. Eed spots develop on the 

 skin which later become blisters and 

 pustules. Treatment consists in cleanli- 

 ness about the pens and washing the 

 in a warm water bath. 



Fig. 9/ 



-PAPILLOMA OF THE TONGUE 

 EN HOGS 



a few days to three or four weeks. 

 Thumps are usually treated with suc- 

 cess by turning the pigs on pasture, thus 

 giving them abundant exercise. A ca- 

 thartic of raw linseed oil may also be 

 given with a dose of about 10 drops of 

 tincture of opium. In cases where 

 thumps are the result of heart trouble 

 in consequence of an attack of bronchitis 

 or some other disturbance, treatment 

 may consist in the administration of a 

 vermifuge and the use of small doses of 

 digitalis. 



Sore mouth — A form of sore mouth, 

 not of an infectious nature, may some- 

 times be observed in pigs which are 

 allowed to wallow in filthy places and es- 



