Intestinal Parasites in Sheep and Goat. 289 



serious resultant trouble being recognized is to be accepted, but 

 when this is joined to conditions favorable to its encrease, like, a 

 genial climate, absence of frosts, a damp soil, and a heav}' stock- 

 ing of the same land with sheep year after year, a parasite with 

 the deadly potencies of the uncinaria cannot fail to cause a de- 

 structive enzootic. 



Treatment. The agents most in use in uncinariasis are thymol 

 and male fern. The great drawback as in all ruminants is the 

 delay of the agent in the first three stomachs, and the loss and 

 dilution of the agent through absorption and diffusion through 

 the great mass of ingesta. Stiles, however, claims excellent re- 

 sults with 32 to 60 grains of thymol given at one dose without a 

 purge. The main objection to thymol is its expense when de- 

 manded for large flocks. Gasoline another volatile and diffusible 

 vermifuge can be tried. Or areca nut with arsenious acid may be 

 resorted to in ansemic or weakened conditions. Or finally any 

 one of the vermifuges advised for Strongyli may be resorted to. 

 In any case they are best given in the morning before the first 

 feed, after a purgative the night before, and should be followed 

 by a purgative later in the day. It is further important to give 

 water largely with or after the dose to hasten the progress of the 

 latter through the gastric cavities. A generous diet and tonics 

 are important in sustaining the .syStem through an attack. (See 

 under Distomatosis) . 



Prevention. This is the most important as it can be made the 

 most successful factor in treatment. 



In districts and flocks free from uncinaria great care should be 

 taken to exclude animals from infested flocks and districts. 

 Sheep of uncertain antecedents should be thoroughly examined, 

 and kept in quarantine until proved to be .sound. 



Sound flocks should be carefully kept from pastures that receive 

 the drainage of areas grazed by other (suspected or uncertain) 

 flocks, and from streams that have flowed through such areas. 



An infested flock should be treated (preferably in winter) for 

 the expulsion of the worms and then turned out on newly seeded 

 pasture, the soil of which has not recently been manured with the 

 products of sheep folds, and the drainage and water supply of 

 which are above suspicion. 



Ewes should be kept on a limited area until after lambing, and 



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