GENERAL SWINE MANAGEMENT 47 



certain gait characterizes general weakness and is typified in the 

 latter stages of any infective disease or debilitating condition. 

 Stilty gait is characteristic of tetanus in swine. Dragging of the 

 hind quarters is typical of rachitis, polyneuritis, osseous tubercu- 

 losis and perhaps some other conditions. Lameness associated with 

 swollen joints is typical of polyarthritis. Disturbances of locom- 

 tion may be of rheumatic origin or may be due to injury, or to in- 

 fection with B. necrophorus. 



CONGESTION OP THE SKIN 



Congestion or hemorrhage into the skin is observed in hog cholera, 

 paratyphoid infection and swine plagiie, and there is a peculiarly 

 disposed congestion in the so-called diamond skin disease in which 

 ihe congested area occurs in the form of a baseball diamond. Malig- 

 nant edema has been identified in swine and is typified by a sub- 

 cutaneous edema with deep-seated gas. Swine are subject to urti- 

 caria in which the lesions are typical but are usually difficult to 

 identify because of the cutaneous pigment, excepting in those cases 

 which are well marked. There is a papulo-vesicular eruptive con- 

 dition that occurs in swine in the south in which the successive 

 changes are papules, vesicles and in some cases pustules, followed by 

 scab formation or less frequently by ulceration. 



ECZEMA 



Eczema with all the cutaneous variable symptoms and lesions is 

 occasionally observed in swine. Swine are affected with sarcoptic 

 and follicular mange, the cutaneous lesions of which are character- 

 istic. ■ In sarcoptic mange the lesions are first noted around the 

 eyes and ears and consist of papules, vesicles and pustules. The 

 principal symptom of sarcoptic mange is intense pruritus. This 

 condition usually affects several animals in the same lot. Follicular 

 mange is usually not of an enzootic character. The lesions are 

 usually confined to the skin of the legs which will be intensely red. 

 Cutaneous irritation due to infestation with lice, fleas and mosqui- 

 toes should not be overlooked. Foot-and-mouth disease affects swine 

 in which the typical changes incident to that disease are observed. 



There is usually a mucopurulent inflammation of the conjunctival 

 mucosa in hog cholera and swine plague, and a similar condition has 

 been observed as a result of the bites of flies and gnats. There may 



