20 DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



of affected stock is advised. A thorough disinfection of quarters should follow. 

 All litter from hutches should be burnt, and drinking-vessels thoroughly cleansed 

 and disinfected. It is vastly preferable to kill and effectually dispose of, say $10 

 worth of stock than to try to cure same and perhaps get the whole rabbitry finally 

 affected. 



PARALYSIS. 



In most cases the hind-quarters are affected and the animals are generally 

 emaciated, showing malnutrition. The writer has recently examined quite a number 

 of young stock suffering from this trouble. Post-mortem examinations have shown 

 inflammation of the bowels, which undoubtedly proves it to be caused by gastric 

 trouble. In other words, unsuitable feeding. Most of the cases are found to be 

 amongst stock confined in hutches, pointing to lack of exercise as a contributing 

 factor. Stock that is not possessed of a good vigorous constitution at birth will 

 undoubtedly fall victims to this trouble quicker than healthier specimens. 



WORMS. 



These may be seen in the droppings, and the affected stock will usually be in 

 an emaciated condition. 



Treatment. Starve for twelve hours and then give 5 drops of spirits of turpen- 

 tine in % teaspoonful of olive-oil. About an hour afterwards give % teaspoonful of 

 castor-oil and do not feed till morning. The rabbit should be held firmly and the 

 spoon inserted at the side of the mouth between the teeth. Then give a wet mash ; 

 bread and milk is suitable. Watch the droppings for signs of the worms. 



VENT INFLAMMATION. 



The sexual organ of the doe oftentimes becomes enlarged and inflamed. This 

 condition is due principally to feeding a ration that is overrich and of a heating 

 nature, and is undoubtedly aggravated by not mating the affected animal when 

 necessary. This disease is contagious, and the affected animal should not be mated 

 until cured. 



Treatment. Give % teaspoonful of castor-oil, anoint the vent with carbolized 

 vaseline or Sellers' tablet solution twice daily. Feed only a small quantity of hay 

 and greenstuffs daily until cured. 



COCCIDIOSIS ("GOING LIGHT" OR LIVER-TROUBLE). 



This disease is undoubtedly allied with what is known as " black-head " in 

 turkeys and common fowls. It appears more often amongst young stock. Affected 

 ones are very thin, have ravenous appetites, and, as with turkeys, they generally die 

 very suddenly. Post-mortem examination shows an enlarged liver, spotted here and 

 there with cancerous spots, or coccidia. These spots are really dead tissues. All 

 suspected stock 'Should be killed and burnt, and if the hutches are not too valuable 

 they should also be burnt. This disease is very prevalent amongst both wild and 

 domesticated rabbits in Europe. 



TUBERCULOSIS. 



This disease has somewhat the same symptoms as coccidiosis, and the latter is 

 often mistaken for it. Consumption amongst rabbits is generally brought on through 

 bovine tubercle infection. Milk should be used from tested cows only. Treat as for 

 coccidiosis. 



In conclusion, it should be the aim of every breeder to prevent as far as possible 

 all and any outbreaks of disease by making and keeping conditions so that it is 

 impossible for outbreaks of any kind to get a footing. " An ounce of prevention is 

 worth tons of cure." 



It may be mentioned that a Provincial Rabbit-breeders' Association has recently 

 been formed to further the interests of the industry. The writer is at present 

 Assistant Secretary, and will be glad to supply information. 



