Operations and Minor Ailments 421 



sow's belly to which pus-forming germs gain access. Such 

 wounds, if treated immediately with an antiseptic solu- 

 tion, may cause no further trouble if the pigs are pre- 

 vented from repeating the offense. On examination it will 

 usually appear that the pigs which- are most pugnacious 

 have several teeth which are considerably longer than 

 normal. Not infrequently these irritate the lips of the 

 pigs, so that they do not care to suckle as normal pigs 

 would, and the result is that when the others suckle, 

 these want to prevent them from doing so. A small pair 

 of pruning shears or dental clippers may be used, and the 

 teeth removed to the level of the others. This is but 

 little trouble, and it should be attended to soon after the 

 pigs are born, to avoid having to treat wounds later on. 



MILK FEVER 



It sometimes happens that a large quantity of milk 

 will be present in the udders of sows before the pigs are 

 farrowed. This may be due to too stimulating a ration 

 during the gestation period, and it is sometimes due to the 

 failure of the sow to deliver the pigs when they are ready. 

 Partial paralysis or abnormal condition of the genital 

 organs may make parturition unduly late. 



The approach of trouble may be noticed if the sows have 

 milk in the udders more than two or three hours before 

 the pigs arrive. One or more sections of the udder will 

 be abnormally full, then gradually harden, and finally 

 the hardened area extends until the entire udder may be 

 involved. The milk should be drawn from the teats which 

 are beginning to harden, or if the hardening has already 

 become general, the udder should be treated with castor 

 oil, which has been heated to a temperature as warm as 



