DISEASES AND TREATMENT OF PIGS. -^ [345 



HOW TO CASTRATE PIGS THAT ARE RUPTURED IN THE BAG. 



Causes of Rupture. — Generally from a young pig standing on 

 \t8 hind feet with its front feet up on the front of the pen 

 when you go to feed th«m; in other cases it is noticed as soon as 

 It is pigged. 



Symptoms of Rupture. — The bag is enlarged by the bowels 

 coming out into it, and when you catch the pig and press on the 

 enlargement, you can press the bowel back into its place, but as 

 soon as you let go it will fly out again. 



How to Operate. — It is best to castrate ruptured pigs when 

 they are young — about five or six weeks old. If it is a large 

 boar, starve him for twenty-four hours before operating, so his 

 bowels will be empty, for they will slip back to their place easier 

 while you are castrating him. Have help enough to hold the hind 

 end of the pig well up while you press the bowels back, which is 

 easily done when they are empty, and his hind end being 

 higher than his front they will stay back better while you are 

 operating on him. Take the testicles out in the same manner as 

 you would a pig that was not ruptured, only make the cuts as 

 small as you can. After each testicle is out, sew up the cut with 

 a needle and thread (the same as used for sewing up wounds); 

 put the stitches in about one-quarter of an inch apart, so the 

 bowels cannot slip out. If it is a small pig, let him run with the 

 others ; but if a large pig, keep him in a quiet place and do not 

 give him much to eat for a few days until the cuts swell, which 

 will keep the rupture back. Leave the stitches in until they rot 

 out of their own accord. 



BLACK TEETH m YOUWG PIGS. 

 These are very small black teeth which are found in the sides 

 of the mouth when young pigs are pigged, and continue growing 

 for some time, but after the pig gets larger they drop out of their 

 own accord. These teeth sometimes grow in such a manner 

 that they cut and poison the tongue and make it so sore 

 that they cannot eat, and in a little while, if not attended to, 

 the tongue becomes so badly swollen that often the pigs 

 will die from starvation and blood-poisoning. We have seen 

 cases where three or four pigs in one litter died from black teeth. 

 Treatment. — Catch the young pigs and examine each one of 

 them, and if they have black teeth, pull them out with a pincers 

 \nd they will soon be all right. It is a good practice to catch ami 



