464 Pork Production 



drenches is sometimes a cause. Very serious outbreaks 

 of stomatitis sometimes occur in hogs that are allowed to 

 feed about straw stacks, due to the awns or beards of 

 barley or other grains penetrating and lodging in the 

 mucous membrane of the mouth. Sick animals may 

 develop sore mouth because of their debilitated condition 

 and the salivary secretions not keeping the mucous 

 membrane clean. 



Difficult mastication or inability to eat, champing the 

 teeth and dipping the snout into water are common 

 symptoms. After the first or dry stage of the inflamma- 

 tion has passed, frothy saliva may accumulate about the 

 lips or hang in strings from the mouth. The lips and 

 cheeks may appear swollen, and the lining membrane of 

 the mouth coated or red. A mild localized case of 

 stomatitis may not be noticed by the attendant. 



Unless the lining membrane of the mouth is severely 

 injured by irritating food, the disease responds quickly 

 to dieting and treatment with antiseptic washes. Pre- 

 ventive treatment consists in avoiding irritating feeds 

 and insanitary drinking places. Plenty of clean water 

 should be provided so that the hog can clean its 

 mouth. Usually this is all the treatment necessary. If 

 awns become lodged in the mucous membrane, they 

 should be removed. The mouth may be washed daily 

 with an antiseptic solution, such as a teaspoonful of 

 powdered alum dissolved in one quart of water, or \ 

 per cent water solution of liquor cresolis compound. 

 Mouth washes should be applied to the inside of the 

 cheeks, lips, and other parts of the mouth with a syringe. 



Ulcerative inflammation of the mouth is a disease of 

 pigs caused by the Bacillus necrophorus. It is spread by 

 pigs nursing mothers whose udders have become soiled 



