ANIMAL PARASITES IN THE INTESTINES 161 



Life History. — ^This parasite lives in its larval form encysted 

 in the abdominal cavity of the grub of the May bug. Even 

 adult May bugs may contain them. Hogs which run on 

 woodland pastures, old manure piles, or clover fields, where 

 the May bugs abound, feed on the grub or the adult bugs. 

 In the bowels of the ho^ the larvae attain maturity aad 

 fasten themselves by means of their hooks to the mucosa 

 of the intestinal wall. In the small intestines the adult 

 worm can produce local inflammation, sometimes even 

 perforation with peritonitis. The patients show symptoms 

 of colic by grunting, restlessness, snapping toward the 

 abdomen, or even other animals. Occasionally in young 

 pigs epileptiform convulsions are produced, which are 

 generally fatal. 



Diagnosis. — A diagnosis can be made only by an examina- 

 tion of the feces for the eggs of the parasite. When a num- 

 ber of pigs are sick with symptoms of colic, convulsions, 

 etc., a necropsy will reveal the existence of the worm. 



Treatment. — ^Treatment is not very successful, as the 

 worms are hard to dislodge. One of the best agents is oil 

 of turpentine (3ij). 



Prevention. — Prevention consists in keeping swine out of 

 woods pastures, manure piles, etc., and the destruction of 

 the May bug and its grub. 



Oxyuris Curvula {Pin Worm). — ^This parasite is found 

 living in the large intestines of the horse. Frequently, 

 however, it is found in the rectum, where it causes irritation 

 and proctitis, inducing the patient to rub the root of the 

 tail and buttocks. Quite often, as a result of the catarrhal 

 inflammation of the rectum, a layer of white to yellowish 

 dried exudate is found about the anus and perineum._ 



Treatment.— The usual treatment consists in giving 

 clysters of raw linseed oil (Oj) or vinegar. Tobacco decoc- 

 tion (3j to Oj of boiling water), oil of turpentine (3ij in ofl 

 or gruel Oj),'and quassia infusion are recommended. Clys- 

 ters, however, reach only the worms in the rectum. _ Those 

 in the colon may be eliminated by the use of santonin (3 j), 

 tartar emetic (3ij) or other anthelmintics given per or em. 



Uncinariasis ( Dochmiasis). — ^Uncinaria rarely affect cattle, 

 although cases are reported from the states of Florida and 



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