DISEASES OF ANIMALS 



139 



all of the animals which may be affected 

 and it is, therefore, necessary to rely 

 upon the effect of dry air and sunshine 

 in checking the progress of the trouble. 



Respiratory ailments — A number of 

 diseases of the respiratory passages in- 

 cluding the larynx, wind pipe, bronchi, 

 and lungs occur in sheep, following such 

 exposure as sometimes causes colds or as 

 a result of infection. In some cases 

 croup results, especially in young lambs. 

 This disease most commonly occurs after 

 shutting the animals up in too close and 

 hot quarters, especially if the litter is 

 of a dusty nature. The disease is accom- 

 panied by a hacking cough, followed by 

 the development of false membranes in 

 the nose. It must be treated promptly in 

 order to secure satisfactory results. Sul- 

 phate of soda in doses of x /% pound should 

 be given by way of the mouth at once 

 and a mustard poulti or some other 

 blister may be applied to the wind pipe. 

 In cases of suffocation it may be neces- 

 sary to open the wind pipe as is done in 

 the operation called tracheotomy. This 

 operation frequently becomes necessary 

 in cases of laryngitis, which is a compar- 

 atively rare disease in sheep and is due 

 to exposure to rain or confinement in 

 close, unsanitary buildings. The symp- 

 toms are persistent coughing, snuffling, 

 and soreness of the throat. The treat- 

 ment should consist in proper ventilation 

 and disinfection of the sheep quarters, 

 after which the affected animals may be 

 made to inhale sulphur fumes or the 

 water vapor from a boiling kettle. The 

 treatments of sulphate of soda at the rate 

 of 2 pounds daily for each 100 head of 

 sheep usually give satisfactory results. 



Croupous bronchitis — This trouble is 

 usually the result of inhaling irritating 

 gases or smoke, especially such as comes 

 from smelters. In the vicinity of smelters 

 the disease may occur in large numbers 

 of animals, otherwise it is obviously not 

 very frequent. Occasionally this trouble 

 develops in connection with certain other 

 contagious diseases which cause a high 

 temperature and general prostration of 

 the animal. Counter-irritants applied to 

 the chest may give some relief but, as a 

 rule, treatment for the disease is quite 

 unsatisfactory. 



^ Croupous pneumonia—This disease is 

 likewise caused by confinement in too 

 warm buildings or allowing heavy fleeces 

 to remain too long after the advent of 

 hot weather. It usually takes a very 



acute form, indicating congestion and 

 inflammation of the lungs. Direct treat- 

 ment for the disease is almost entirely 

 without avail, but occasionally relief may 

 be obtained from the administration of 

 castor oil in doses of 2 or 3 ounces fol- 

 lowed by ammonium acetate in y 2 ounce 

 doses or acetanilid in doses of l 1 ^ 

 ounces. 



Pleurisy — l n connection with pneu- 

 monia, pleurisy may sometimes occur 

 and may be recognized by the high fever, 

 rapid pulse, and short, jerky breathing 

 accompanied with a dry, painful cough. 

 The same treatment should be used as 

 in pneumonia but is not very satisfac- 

 tory. 



Blood and nervous diseases — A num- 

 ber of diseases of the blood system and 

 nervous system occur in sheep, but the 

 symptoms are not particularly character- 

 istic and the troubles, if serious, usually 

 require the attention of the veterinarian. 

 It is, therefore, useless to discuss these 

 diseases in this connection more than 

 briefly to mention the fact that the more 

 important ones are dropsy, inflammation 

 of the heart, thumps, inflammation of 

 the brain, cerebro-spinal meningitis, apo- 

 plexy, fits, paralysis, heat exhaustion and 

 sunstroke. In the rare instances in 

 which sunstroke occurs in sheep the an- 

 imal ^ may usually be relieved by im- 

 mersing it in a tub or tank of cold water 

 for a few minutes. It may then be given 

 alcohol in y 2 ounce doses at frequent 

 intervals and tincture of digitalis in tea- 

 spoon doses. 



Abortion— As usually applied to 

 sheep this term refers to the birth of the 

 lamb at least 20 days before the normal 

 period. Sometimes, however, it occurs 

 much earlier and it is not observed at 

 all. Abortion may be due to eating 

 plants infested with ergot, smut, or other 

 fungous diseases, to worry from dogs or 

 other animals, jumping fences, exposure 

 to severe storms, or the occurrence of an 

 infectious disease which produces a high 

 fever. Any mechanical injury to the 

 abdomen may result in abortion. Many 

 of these cases are due to infection and 

 wherever this form of the disease occurs 

 it is necessary to get rid of the affected 

 ewes. According to extensive statistics 

 collected on the subject of abortion and 

 sterility in ewes, it appears that from 

 4 to 8 per cent of most breeds of ewes 

 abort, for one reason or another. While 

 it is usually recommended that the dis- 



