ANOMALIES AND DISEASES OF YOUNG PIGS 221 



Some investigators have reported the finding of a coccidia that 

 appeared to be responsible for the loss of many pigs in which scour 

 was the principal manifested symptom. 



Lesions. — There will be soiling of the tail and hind legs. Unless 

 the disease has been very acute the pig will be thin and light in 

 weight for its size. The intestinal contents are usually quite liquid 

 and may be putrid. Larval parasites may be present in the intestinal 

 content. Areas of congestion of the intestinal mucosa may occur, 

 or if the affected pig has a subacute or chronic form of the disease, 

 inflammatory disturbances and ulceration may be noted. If the scour 

 has been due to irritants there will be inflammatory lesions of the 

 gastric mucosa, the extent of which will depend upon the nature of 

 the irritant. The lesions evidenced in pig scour are not deflnite and 

 constant. 



Symptoms. — Diarrhea is the characteristic symptom of pig scour. 

 The evacuations in the beginning are pasty in consistency and of a 

 gray or slate color. Later the discharges become more watery and 

 have a very disagreeable odor. During this stage the pig's tail and 

 hind parts become soiled. The longer the disease persists the more 

 fluid and fetid are the discharges. The appetite is usually good- at 

 the beginning but the affected pig soon loses desire for food. The 

 affected pigs evidence abdominal pain by kicking the belly, squealing, 

 grunting and by their restlessness. They have a dejected appear- 

 ance, standing with head down, tail drooping, marked tucked ab- 

 domen and rough coat. They emaciate rapidly, become weak and 

 die of exhaustion. 



Treatment. -^If possible, remove the cause. Give proper diet to 

 the sow and have clean, wholesome surroundings for the pigs. Me- 

 dicinal treatment of the affected pigs, particularly those depending 

 entirely upon their mother's milk, is difficult. It is a good practice 

 to hasten the removal of the irritating substances from the bowel, by 

 the use of castor oil or similar purgative. If the diarrhea persists 

 after the correction of diet and the action of castor oil, small quan- 

 tities of bismuth subnitrate may be used to advantage. Intestinal 

 antiseptics, such as salol and the sulphocarbolates of sodium, calcium 

 and zinc, are exceedingly beneflcial where they can be administered 

 frequently. 



The injection of bacterins composed of the microbian agents asso- 

 ciated with pig scour is of value according to the reports of some 

 practitioners. 



