FOX-FARMING IN CANADA 51 



ministered with their food will help to arrest the disease at its beginning. 

 Abundance of fresh air and sunshine should also be provided. 



"Foxes in confinement are prone to suffer especially from 

 Digestfoa **^ disorders of digestion due to lack of knowledge in feed- 

 ing them. The following are a number of the more com- 

 mon of the diseases of the digestive organs, together with directions for 

 treating them. : 



"Diarrhoea. — Diarrhoea is caused by abuse of purgatives, prolonged 

 vegetable diet, feeding too much liver, exposure and specific causes e.g. 

 germs, distemper, etc. 



Treatment: First ascertain the cause. If severe, give a purge of 

 castor oU with a few drops of spirits of turpentine, followed by 10 to 20 

 grains of bismuth every two hours tUl the animal is better. The castor 

 oil dose may be repeated more than once in smaller doses if the diarrhoea 

 persists. At the same time, the food should also receive attention. 

 Meats should be restricted, and milk, biscuits and eggs given. No 

 food should be left in the feeding-pans more than a few hours and the 

 pans should be scalded out freqiiently. If the animal seems weak, 

 liberal doses of brandy should be given frequently. If the pups are 

 young, artificial heat must be provided by the use of hot water bottles, 

 or some other efficient means. If the enclosures are dark and damp, 

 they must be removed to a dry, sunny place or indoors. 



"Constipation. — ^They do not suffer much from this disease. It 

 can be overcome largely by means of dieting. A dose of cascara acts 

 well, and, when needed, injections of soap suds may be given. The diet 

 should be of a laxative mixture and sloppy. Feed liver. 



"Inflamation of the bowels. — ^This is one of the commonest and 

 most fatal diseases that affect the fox. Causes : Improper feeding, unhy- 

 gienic surroundLags, worms, irritant poisons, specific agencies, e.g. germs, 

 distemper, etc. The symptoms are, — loss of appetite, diarrhoea, excreta 

 often blood-stained, mucus, fever, listlessness, loss of fiesh, coat dry, 

 staring eyes, dull, pulse rapid. When the foxes show the above symp- 

 toms a qualified veterinary surgeon should be immediately summoned. 

 A short delay may prove fatal. When a fox is taken in hand early 

 much can be done, but, if the disease has made much headway, it al- 

 most invariably proves fatal. In pups it is apt to cause fits. The 

 young ones will not eat; their coats lose sleekness and they become 

 listless. If not promptly treated, they die quickly. Give castor oil 

 and turpentine and feed judiciously. This can only be done by separating 

 the ill from the well. After death the bowel is found to be dark red 

 or black and gangrenous and, in some sections, a thin bloody fluid is 

 found. As the disease is infectious, the diseased animal should be sep- 



