138 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



eating its food. In simple cases of sore 

 mouth, the membrane looks red and in- 

 flamed. In some animals the amount of 

 saliva is increased, the sheep shows pain 

 in eating, and the breath has a disagree- 

 able odor. Kecovery ordinarily takes 

 place within a few days but may be con- 

 siderably hastened by using a mouth 

 wash of a 4 per cent solution of borax or 

 a 1 per cent solution of carbolic acid. 



Bloating — Sheep are exceedingly sus- 

 ceptible to bloating or tympanites. Any 

 unusual fermentation set up in the food 

 may cause an accumulation of gas which 

 distends the paunch to a painful or dan- 

 gerous extent. The foods which are us- 

 ually responsible for bloat are green 

 alfalfa, green clover, rape, green corn, 

 and other succulent foods. Sheepmen 

 quite commonly hold the belief that 

 these materials are especially apt to cause 

 bloat if eaten when the dew is on or 

 soon after frost. The evidence for this 

 belief, however, is not very strong. It is 

 a fact of general observation that sheep 

 may become accustomed to eating these 

 materials so that no bloating takes place. 

 The best treatment for bloating in sheep 

 is found in the use of a trocar and can- 

 ula. This instrument should be thrust 

 into the paunch from the outside at the 

 point on the left side of the animal 

 where the paunch comes most closely m 

 contact with the body wall. The canula 

 is left in the wound until the gas es- 

 capes, after which a tablespoonful of tur- 

 pentine may be given in 4 ounces of lin- 

 seed oil in order to prevent further 

 fermentation. The administration of 

 laxatives and tonics is also of some value. 

 As a result of improper feeding or 

 confinement in insanitary places, lambs 

 and occasionally old sheep, may develop 

 a depraved appetite which leads to eating 

 various harmful plants or even wool. 

 Obviously, the treatment for such trou- 

 bles consists in allowing the animals more 

 freedom and providing better rations and 

 more sanitary quarters. If indigestion 

 is developed in connection with^ this 

 trouble, it may be desirable to give a 

 tonic of 2 ounces of soda, 1 ounce of 

 powdered gentian, 6 ounces of sulphate 

 of soda mixed together and used in doses 

 of 1 teaspoonful. 



Various digestive ailments — A num- 

 ber of other digestive disturbances are 

 occasionally observed in sheep, such as 

 chronic bloat, which may best be con- 

 trolled by the use of laxatives and a 

 tonic such as just mentioned; overload- 



ing of the paunch, which appears to be 

 due in most cases to overeating, and a 

 consequent partial paralysis of the 

 paunch; and stomach staggers, which is 

 due to irritation and inflammation of 

 the third stomach, resulting from thj use 

 of innutritious food. A change of diet 

 and the use of Epsom salts in doses of 

 6 ounces, or flaxseed tea will usually con- 

 trol this trouble. Occasionally sheep 

 choke on foreign bodies in the gullet. An 

 occasional cause of choking is found in 

 turnips, potatoes, or ears of corn. The 

 svmptoms need not be described since 

 they are so obvious as to be readily rec- 

 ognizable. It is usually possible to 

 remove such materials in the gullet by 

 means of pressure and manipulation 

 with the hands. 



White scours — This frequently occurs, 

 especially in young lambs kept under 

 unsanitary conditions in badly crowded 

 quarters. It is usually a contagious dis- 

 ease and is accompanied with considera- 

 ble fever, bloating, diarrhea and death 

 in a large percentage of cases. The treat- 

 ment should be mainly preventive, con- 

 sisting in providing clean quarters and 

 the use of disinfectants about the prem- 

 ises. Some benefit may be derived from 

 the administration of subnitrate of bis- 

 muth in doses of 1 dram. 



Unrecognizable diseases — Such dis- 

 eases as inflammation of the fourth stom- 

 ach and intestines, atrophy of the liver, 

 jaundice, peritonitis, and inflammation 

 of the kidneys are accompanied with 

 symptoms which cannot always be recog- 

 nized by the farmer and will, therefore, 

 require diagnosis and treatment by the 

 veterinarian 



Catarrh — Sheep and lambs are quite 

 subject to catarrhal conditions of the 

 nasal passages, due to exposure during 

 inclement seasons, especially just after 

 the animals have been sheared. If caught 

 in cold rain storms at such times a 

 considerable percentage of the flock may 

 develop colds and in some cases the 

 symptoms of catarrh are also accom- 

 panied with general lameness and occa- 

 sionally paralysis and death. As a rule, 

 however, there is merely a slight sneez- 

 ing and coughing which commonly goes 

 by the name of snuffles. If the animals 

 are placed in warm, dry quarters and 

 given small doses, say % ounce of niter 

 and common salt, they usually recover 

 within a few days. Under range condi- 

 tions it is obviously impossible to treat 



