COCCIDIOSIS 503 



discharged with considerable tenesmus, and after a few hours 

 streaked with blood. If the tenesmus is severe, prolapses of 

 the rectimi may result. In adult cattle the symptoms 

 disappear in three or four days, and after showing capricious 

 appetite for a time, recovery follows. In young animals, 

 however, the condition gets worse, the feces becoming very 

 fetid, admixed with clots and shreds of mucus — often ichorous 

 in character. The patients are greatly depressed, have no 

 appetite, rapidly emaciate, and show an uncertain, staggering 

 gait. The pulse becomes increased and the temperature 

 elevated. Death may occur within one to three days. 



Diagnosis. — ^The occmrence of the disease among young 

 stock on pasture, its acute course and the foul hemorrhagic 

 diarrhea with rapid emaciation of the patient are very 

 suggestive. The determination of the coccidia by micro- 

 scopic examination of the feces clinches the- diagnosis. 



Course and Prognosis. — ^The course is acute, lasting from 

 one to ten days. Animals which recover do so very gradually. 

 Individual patients are left with a profound anemia which 

 may lead to death in a few months. Mild cases which 

 assume the type of a simple gastro-intestinal catarrh recover 

 promptly in eighteen to twenty-foxu- hours. The prognosis 

 in young animals is less favorable than in older ones. Obvi- 

 ously weak and debilitated patients succumb more rapidly 

 than those with higher resistance. The mortality is about 

 5 to 10 per cent. 



Treatment. — ^Treatment is only successful in mild cases. 

 It is important to take the animals from the pasture and 

 place them on dry feed in the stable where they should be 

 provided with pure water. Internally intestinal disinfectants 

 and astringents have been recommended. A mixture of 

 tinctiu-e of opium (5ij), oil of eucalyptus (gss), dilute acetic 

 acid (Bss), mixed with water as a drench, is recommended. 

 The above dose may be given hourly until the symptorhs 

 begin to subside, afterward three times daily. Intrarectal 

 injections of tannic acid (1 per cent.) or alum (1 per cent.) 

 have given good results. As the appetite remains impaired 

 for some time the patient may be fed milk and eggs as a 

 substitute for its usual food. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



