STOMATITIS 91 



Symptoms. — ^Following symptoms of congestion of the 

 buccal mucous membrane, in one or two days roundish 

 aphthous areas appear in the mouth. These vary in size 

 from a pinhead to a dime. They occur most commonly on 

 the back and borders of the tongue, gums and at the com- 

 missures of the mouth. The areas are at first white but as 

 they thicken become gray to yellow. Surrounding each area 

 is a red zone. The pseudomembrane adheres rather firmly 

 to the underlying mucosa and when removed it leaves behind 

 a very red, bleeding erosion. Sometimes small vesicles occur 

 along the borders of the lips, which erupt, forming brownish- 

 yellow crusts. When the pseudomembranes slough the 

 erosions left behind are soon covered with epithelium. In 

 severe cases the number of areas constantly increases. Many 

 become confluent, forming thick, brownish-yellow deposits 

 upon the mucous membrane, which may become ulcerous. 

 The process may extend to the gums and teeth which, through 

 suppurative alveolar periostitis, often become loosened. 



The young animal does not nurse well, shows salivation 

 and fetid breath. Due to lack of nourishment and general 

 infection the little patient becomes anemic, emaciated, may 

 sxiffer from diarrhea or pneumonia, eventually dying of 

 inanition. 



Course. — In very young animals the disease frequently 

 leads to death. The mortality varies from 5 to 25 per cent, 

 depending on the outbreak. 



Diagnosis. — ^In well-developed cases the white or yellow 

 spots associated with acute stomatitis and the vesicles 

 occurring on the borders of the lips are very characteristic. 

 It may be differentiated from vesicular stomatitis by the 

 presence of blisters in the latter and from so-called diphtheria 

 of calves by the presence of the well marked, thick, necrotic 

 areas and deep ulcers seen in this disease. 



Treatment. — ^As the disease is communicable a separation 

 of the healthy from the sick and the constant inspection for 

 and sorting out of new cases should be practised. Patients 

 which cannot nurse should be hand-fed. The medicinal 

 treatment consists in syringing out the mouth with disinfect- 



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