Diseases of Sheep. 



301 



ounce and half of Epsom salts : with one exception they all 

 recovered under this treatment. 



Palsy sometimes, but not frequently, proceeds from pressure 

 on the brain caused by the pressure of the hydatid. In such 

 cases, the original disease being for the most part incurable, the 

 palsy that it occasions is equally past the aid of medicine. 



Rabies. — When wounds arise, as they often do, from the bite 

 of the dog, some attention is requisite.* It would be prudent 

 to break the fangs of every savage sheep-dog; for the loss to the 

 animal is of no importance, compared with the safety of the 

 flock. It is a good rule, in every case where a dog has severely 

 bitten a sheep, and particularly if he has worried the flock, to 

 extirpate the wounded part without delay, or to apply the lunar 

 caustic to the wound, taking care that it shall come in contact 

 with every part that the poison can have reached. The caustic 

 can be more readily used than the knife. The sooner this is 

 done the better ; but no lapse of time should deter us from ope- 

 rating, for, fortunately for the quadruped and the biped, the 

 poison is slowly absorbed. 



Whenever rabies appears it is inevitably fatal. It admits 

 not of even temporary relief. Agitation almost amounting to 

 ferocity, indescribable wildness of manner and look, a large flow 

 of saliva and froth, and unconscious delirium, are the usual symp- 

 toms. The time of their appearance varies from the third week 

 to even the fourth month after the bite. After sheep have been 

 decidedly worried by a suspicious dog, they should be shorn, and 

 the skin most carefully scrutinised for the marks of the bite, for 

 the very smallest wound will be sufficient to cause infection. At 

 the same time it must be admitted that there is less danger in 

 wounds through the fleece, because the teeth of the dog will pro- 

 bably be cleaned of their poisonous liquid, by passing through 

 a thick wool. The farmer must take his chance of this, if he 



* Much of the injury arising from the dog's biting the sheep might l)e 

 prevented by proper training, and more careful management. The treat- 

 ment recommended by the author, in case they are bitten, appears to me to 

 be very judicious. — W. JHumfrey. 



Having been much in Spain and Portugal, I have there observed that 

 the sheep-dogs, which are of a powerful and savage nature, are solely em- 

 ployed to guard the flocks from wolves, and are never allowed to bite the 

 sheep when collecting them together. This is, of course, the effect of 

 instruction, and there can be no reason why it should not be adopted with 

 equal benefit in this country. The Spanish shepherd, indeed, teaches some 

 of the rams to come to him by name ; and when the flock is required to 

 move, he calls one of them forward to follow him. Tlie flock naturally, 

 also, follows the ram, and the shepherd, marching a- head, leads instead of 

 driving. — F, Burke. 



I should recommend the flock-master not to keep a savage sheep-dog. — 

 Richmond. 



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