CHAPTER III.

AIR SAC MITE.

CAUSE.—Produced by a parasite called Cylodites Nudus, which bears a close resemblance to the parasite causing mange or scabies in the domesticated animal. Owing to the peculiar construction of their breathing organs fowls are more susceptible to parasites than animals. In addition to effecting the lungs, the Air Sac Mite may extend its operations to the intestines, kidneys, liver and bones.

SYMPTOMS.—Unthriftiness is first noticed, but after the parasites become numerous, the fowl shows signs of difficult breathing, perhaps terminating in bronchial pneumonia. In some cases death occurs without apparent cause. The bird will be inactive, becomes separated from the rest of the flock, comb pale, head drawn close to the body, wings hang pendulous, lose flesh, breathing becomes hard, coughing, sneezing and a rattling from the mucus in the windpipe is heard. Death is produced from suffocation.

TREATMENT.—Separate the sick from the healthy fowls. Disinfect coops and runways of both sick and healthy birds with Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted. Also fumigate the fowls in their coops with steam from hot water and Pine Tar. This may be done by placing the water and Tar in a pan and then inserting a hot stone or brick in the solution. This perhaps is the simplest method of fumigation. Also mix Sulphur in their feed regularly.

APOPLEXY.

(_Hemorrhage of the Brain_)

Due to the rupture of a blood vessel of the brain and pressure from the escaping blood.

CAUSE.—Mechanical injuries, straining when laying eggs (hens are frequently found dead on the nest from this cause), overfeeding, stimulating food, etc., all tend to produce apoplexy.

SYMPTOMS.—Appear very suddenly, bird is seen to walk unsteadily, falls, or perhaps is found dead.

TREATMENT.—In mild attacks, apply cold water or ice to fowl’s head until thoroughly cooled. Give one-half grain of Calomel, feed soft food, compel the bird to exercise. Owing to the loss of blood a tonic will be necessary. Pulv. Gentian Root, Pulv. Saltpeter, Capsicum and Ferri Sulphate Pulv. equal parts one ounce. Mix and place one teaspoonful in feed for every twenty-five fowls. This tonic purifies and builds up the blood, just what is needed in this particular condition.

BALDNESS.

(_Favus_)

CAUSE.—Due to fungi.

SYMPTOMS.—The first noticeable sign is the whitish appearance of the comb due to gray spots about the size of a pin head. As the disease progresses, this condition spreads to other parts of the body; the feathers look rough and dry and break easily. The fowl grows weaker, refuses to eat and if not properly treated, dies.

TREATMENT.—Remove the scabs by separating the feathers and using a brush. Apply Sulphur Ointment. Repeat this treatment after two or three days. Great care must be taken to prevent the fowl from chilling or taking cold.

BEAK AND THROAT OBSTRUCTION.

CAUSE.—Lodgment in the beak or food canal of a foreign substance, such as a kernel of corn, sunflower seed, bone, etc.

SYMPTOMS.—Fowl jerks its head suddenly and frequently attempts to swallow. If a close examination is made the foreign body can be felt from the outside.

TREATMENT.—For the removal of such obstructions, no special treatment is needed further than to use care and avoid any injury to the beak or throat. Feed nutritious food, as wheat bran mashes and vegetables and see that they have a liberal quantity of good pure water at all times.

BLACKHEAD.

(_Infectious Entero Hepatitis of Turkeys_)

CAUSE.—Due to a protozoa taken into the system with the food or drinking water. This parasite enters the caeca which becomes inflamed and discolored and the liver is enlarged and studded with yellowish spots about the size of a pea.

SYMPTOMS.—Although this disease is termed Blackhead, the discoloration of the head is not necessarily present in all cases; neither is this condition confined to this particular disease. One of the first symptoms is loss of appetite, followed in most cases by diarrhoea. The fowl becomes weak and loses weight rapidly. Examination of the liver after death will determine whether or not death has been caused by Infectious Entero Hepatitis. The dead birds should be burned to prevent the spread of the disease.

TREATMENT.—Prevention is one of the most important factors as this disease is very contagious and the protozoa once implanted in the turkey runs is almost impossible to eradicate. Provide clean, well ventilated coops and feed clean, wholesome food and good fresh water to drink.

MEDICAL TREATMENT.—Give Bismuth Salicylate and Quinine Sulphate each one grain two to three times a day. Also mix Hyposulphite of Soda in the proportion of two to four grains to every fowl in their drinking water twice daily. Disinfect coops and runs with Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted.

BODY LICE.

CAUSE.—Insanitary conditions. Communicated by direct contact.

SYMPTOMS.—Young chicks become emaciated and die quickly. Older birds withstand the parasite much longer, but in time show signs of uneasiness by dusting themselves frequently. The comb and wattles become pale and bloodless, the feathers rough, dry and brittle. The birds grow weak, poor and eventually die.

TREATMENT.—Dust the birds with the following: Sulphur, one part; Napthaline, one part; Tobacco Dust, twenty-eight parts and seventy parts of middlings. Powder finely and mix well together and dust the birds once daily. Also sprinkle freely in the dust baths.

BRONCHITIS.

CAUSE.—Exposure to dampness, cold drafts of air, inhaling irritating gases, vapors or dust. The fowls should be carefully examined, as bronchitis is occasionally caused by the presence of gapeworms.

SYMPTOMS.—Loss of appetite, the bird moves about slowly, breathing with difficulty and making a sort of whistling sound accompanied by a cough. As the disease progresses, there will be a peculiar bubbling sound from breathing due to an excessive accumulation of mucus in the windpipe. At this stage of the disease the bird becomes very weak and if not properly treated and cared for will rapidly lose strength, the feathers will become rough, head and wings droop, and the bird dies.

TREATMENT.—This disease is most satisfactorily treated by placing the affected birds in warm, dry, well ventilated quarters, admitting sunlight if possible, but excluding all drafts of air. Feed stale bread, middlings, etc. Also place the fowls in a moderately air tight coop and compel them to inhale steam from hot water and Turpentine. This is readily done by placing the water and Turpentine in a pan and then insert a hot stone or brick in the solution. Force them to inhale this steam from twenty to thirty minutes twice a day. Also add Chlorate of Potash to their drinking water, one teaspoonful to every twenty-five aged fowls. To chicks add one-fourth teaspoonful to every twenty-five. If the weather is favorable and the above treatment is followed, bronchitis yields very favorably.

BUMBLE FOOT.

(_Corns—Deep Bruises—Abscesses_)

CAUSE.—Sharp-edged or narrow perches which bruise the feet or where the perches are high, heavy fowls often injure their feet by alighting on stones or other hard objects.

SYMPTOMS.—The bird limps or hobbles about, moving with great difficulty. Examination will show the foot to be hot and tender to the touch.

TREATMENT.—Wash with clean, warm water and in some cases it is advisable to apply Hot Flaxseed poultices. When soft spots or abscesses develop, lance them with a clean, sharp knife. After abscesses and bruises are opened, treat them antiseptically by washing with a solution of Carbolic Acid, one teaspoonful to a pint of water. The foot should be bandaged to keep out dust and dirt.

CATARRH.

CAUSE.—Exposure; poorly constructed coops which admit rain or drafts. Weak birds are very susceptible to Catarrh.

SYMPTOMS.—The bird is dull, moves about slowly, coughing or sneezing; appetite is poor, the mucous membrane of the air passage becomes inflamed and the breathing difficult, especially through the nose. The discharge from the nostrils at first watery, becomes mucus-like and thick and sticky, closing the nose, causing the bird to breathe wholly through the mouth with a wheezing sound.

TREATMENT.—The cause of Catarrh shows the necessity of clean and comfortable quarters for the fowls. Keep the birds strong and vigorous by feeding clean, nourishing food.

MEDICAL TREATMENT.—To each fowl administer in their drinking water or feed: Chlorate of Potash, one grain, twice daily.

CHICKEN POX.

(_Sore Head—Warts_)

CAUSE.—These diseases are due to low forms of parasites or fungi and occur most frequently in wet weather especially if the coops are leaky and allow the rain to fall on the droppings, causing mold or fungi. Poor ventilation and lack of light also promotes the growth of fungi.

SYMPTOMS.—The disease is usually confined to the head and affects principally young chickens, pigeons and turkeys, but rarely ducks and geese. The infection appears in form of yellowish warts or nodules about the nose, eyelids, comb, wattles, under the wings, or any unfeathered place. The warts vary in size from that of a pin head to the size of a pea and they discharge a fluid which at first is thin and watery but as the disease progresses, it becomes thick and sticky, yellow in color and fetid in smell. At this stage the appetite is poor, the feathers appear rough, and where the eyelids are affected, as in most cases, the bird cannot see, fails to eat, becomes emaciated, loses weight and strength rapidly and if not properly treated, dies.

TREATMENT.—This disease is very contagious, therefore the coops and runs should be disinfected with Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted. In the drinking water add Hyposulphite of Soda in the proportion of one to two grains to each fowl (one-half grain to chicks). Wash the nodules or warts about the head with Carbolic Acid solution, one teaspoonful to a quart of water. Feed easily digested food, such as vegetables or warm bran mashes.

CONGESTION OF THE LIVER.

CAUSE.—Lack of exercise, overfeeding, tainted or moldy food, infection, or impure blood.

SYMPTOMS.—Birds suffering from this disease seldom show signs of sickness and it is well to dissect the fowl after death to ascertain the exact cause. If death is caused by Congestion of the Liver, the organ will be greatly enlarged and easily torn.

TREATMENT.—If the fowls are fat and sluggish, compel them to exercise by driving them about. Also give fifteen to twenty grains of Epsom Salts to each affected fowl. Feed laxative foods that are easily digested, as vegetables and warm bran mashes. They are cooling and relieve congestion.

CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS.

(_Pulmonary Congestion_)

CAUSE.—Exposure; the bird chills, causing contraction of the blood vessels near the surface of the body, thereby forcing a large quantity of blood to the internal organs; the small blood vessels in the lungs become distended with blood and rupture.

SYMPTOMS.—Rapid and difficult breathing; the bird appears stupid and sleepy and does not care to move about; appetite poor, wings drooping, plumage ruffled, a thick mucus, colored with blood, escapes from the mouth, comb and wattles show a dark-red color from lack of oxygen in the blood. This disease is of very short duration, the bird dying within a few hours. It is very common among young chicks and turkeys that are permitted to run out in the early spring rains.

TREATMENT.—Medical treatment is of no value, as the disease progresses so rapidly that the bird dies shortly after the first symptoms appear. Sanitary surroundings, good light, pure air and exercise are essential. Do not allow the birds to stand out in the cold or rains, especially during the molting season. Keep your poultry strong and vigorous by feeding clean, nourishing food and give them pure water to drink.

CONSTIPATION.

(_Intestinal Obstruction_)

CAUSE.—Irritation of the membranes lining the intestines, caused by dry feed, glass or gravel; may also be due to parasitic worms. Obstruction may occur in any part of the intestines although the external opening is the part most frequently affected.

SYMPTOMS.—Bird appears dull and stupid, walks with difficulty and attempts frequently to expel the obstructing material. The appetite is poor and the feathers rough. By examination and manipulation the obstruction may be located. Dried masses of excrement by adhering to the feathers sometimes block the outer opening of the intestines.

TREATMENT.—Remove the waste matter clinging to the feathers with warm water or by clipping the feathers off. If the Cloaca is obstructed, give injections of Sweet Oil or Olive Oil with a small bulb syringe. Also give one to two grains of Calomel and feed clean food and soft mashes containing Pulv. Gentian Root, one grain to each fowl twice daily. This stimulates the worm-like movement of the bowels and assists in expelling their contents.

CROP IMPACTION.

(_Obstruction, Paralysis, Inflammation, Catarrh_)

CAUSE.—Errors in feeding; birds that are not fed regularly are predisposed to any of the above conditions; may also be due to swallowing large pieces of bone, thread, nails, pins, glass, gravel, etc.

SYMPTOMS.—Loss of appetite, frequent attempts to swallow, crop greatly distended and hard on pressure; eventually the food decomposes and a liquid may escape from the mouth and nose. The bird appears dull, stupid and sleepy, comb pale, feathers rough, beak open, owing to pressure on the windpipe. If caused by swallowing sharp objects, they may penetrate the crop and skin, causing a gangrenous condition. Grain in the crop will sometimes send out sprouts of considerable lengths.

TREATMENT.—If no sharp objects are present, give two teaspoonfuls of Sweet or Olive Oil. This will lubricate the esophagus and crop. Manipulate the crop upward, forcing the food gently through the mouth, adding oil occasionally. If, however, sharp objects penetrate the crop it is best to remove them through an artificial opening. Clip the feathers from around the intended seat of operation and wash the clipped surface with a Carbolic Solution, one teaspoonful to a pint of water. The incision should not be over one-half inch long and should be made as high as possible and in the center of the crop. After removing the contents, sew up with ordinary thread and needle and wash occasionally with the above antiseptic solution. The operation is not difficult and will be successful if the parts are not too badly inflamed.

After-treatment consists of feeding very little food until the crop is fairly well healed. Feed soft bran mashes and vegetables. To the drinking water add Boracic Acid, one grain, twice daily. It relieves the catarrhal condition that is present, such as irritations of the crop and intestines.

DIARRHOEA.

(_Gastro-Intestinal Catarrh—Enteritis_)

CAUSE.—Inflammation of the digestive organs can be traced in every instance to the quality or quantity of food and water consumed. The food or water may contain parasites, or large quantities of mustard, pepper, or may be moldy or tainted.

SYMPTOMS.—Loss of appetite, the feathers appear rough, the crop is sometimes paralyzed and distended with gas, the bird moves slowly, the droppings vary in color from a white to a yellow or a green and finally becomes tinged with blood; at this stage there is a rise in temperature accompanied by great thirst and signs of pain. Mild cases of simple diarrhoea if not properly treated when first symptoms appear, will develop the same severe conditions described above.

TREATMENT.—Determine the cause and remove it if possible. See that the food is clean and nutritious, the coops well ventilated, the runs well lighted. Sunlight is very beneficial. Avoid exposures, drafts and dampness. Place oatmeal in their drinking water, also give two grains of Bismuth mixed with dough and make into a small pill. Give one every six hours.

When in addition to the above symptoms a bloody discharge is present, give six drops of Tincture of Catechu every four hours. Warm mashes made of bran or oatmeal are very nourishing and soothing to the intestinal canal.

DIPHTHERETIC ROUP.

(_Diphtheria_)

CAUSE.—Due to a specific germ. The disease is very contagious and is communicated by direct contact. Great care should be exercised, therefore, when showing or buying birds. Any new birds to be added to the flock should be kept in separate pens for a week or two to make sure they are in good condition.

SYMPTOMS.—The first symptoms are similar to those of catarrh or cold. A clear, watery liquid escapes from the eyes and nostrils, the head is drawn in toward the body, the feathers appear rough, the breathing fast, the temperature rises from three to five degrees above normal. The bird walks about as if blind, sneezing, swallowing with difficulty, and showing signs of great weakness. If the mouth is open small white spots or elevations will be seen on the back of the tongue. There may be diarrhoea of a green or yellow color. As the disease progresses the discharge from the nose and eyes becomes thick and stringy, obstructing the air passages and gathering in large quantities between the eyelids. The mouth, throat and tongue are very much inflamed and swollen and in most cases it is impossible for the bird to make a sound. Recovery is doubtful after the disease has reached this stage.

TREATMENT.—Isolate the affected birds in some clean, warm, light, well ventilated quarters, excluding drafts. Dissolve thirty grains of Chlorate of Potash in one ounce of water and one ounce of Glycerine, and to the average sized fowl give one teaspoonful three or four times a day. To chicks give one-fourth the dose. When the scum loosens in the back part of the tongue, remove gently. Care should be taken so as to prevent bleeding. Feed soft, nourishing food.

DOUBLE-YOLK EGGS.

Eggs are frequently found with two yolks. This condition is produced by two ovary capsules bursting at about the same time and gaining entrance together into the oviduct where they are concealed in the same shell. Double-yolked eggs are larger than normal and may injure the oviduct when expelled. When hatched they produce twins or abnormal chicks.

DROPSY.

(_Ascites_)

CAUSE.—Generally due to irritating, indigestible food, causing inflammation of the membraneous lining of the intestinal cavity.

SYMPTOMS.—The abdomen becomes enlarged, is tender to the touch and contains a watery fluid, the movement of which can be heard in most cases by pressure on the swollen parts. The bird appears stupid, the comb pale and the appetite poor.

TREATMENT.—Unless the bird is very valuable, treatment is not advisable. In case the bird is valuable, give one grain of Potassium Iodide twice daily in the feed or drinking water. Also feed nourishing food as beef-scraps, vegetables, wheat bran mashes, etc.

EGG BOUND.

(_Difficult Laying; Obstruction of the Oviduct_)

CAUSE.—Due to the eggs being too large, the bird too fat, or to the absence of the secretions lubricating the oviduct.

SYMPTOMS.—The first signs are scarcely noticeable but soon the feathers appear rough, the bird becomes dull and moves slowly, making frequent efforts to expel the egg.

TREATMENT.—Remove the egg by injecting Sweet Oil, assisting the bird with gentle pressure. In some cases it is well to puncture the egg and collapse the shell. If the bird is very fat, reduce by careful feeding. If the bird is of normal size, the trouble is probably due to the absence of lubricating secretions of the oviduct, in which case the following tonic should be given: Pulv. Ferri Sulphate, Pulv. Gentian Root, each one dram. Mix and make into thirty powders. Give one powder two or three times a day in their feed for a week or ten days.

EGG EATING.

CAUSE.—Is usually due to lack of shell-building material in the food; in such case the shell of the egg is thin and easily broken and the fowl craving the lime contained in the egg shell, naturally contracts the habit.

TREATMENT.—Supply ground bone and oyster shells. Feed green food such as cabbage, kale, potatoes, carrots, etc.

EGGS WITHOUT SHELLS.

(_Soft-Shelled Eggs_)

CAUSE.—Deficiency of shell material; or it is possible that fright sometimes causes premature expulsion of the eggs before the shell is formed.

TREATMENT.—Feed ground bone, oyster shells. They contain egg shell producing material. Perhaps the best results are obtained when mixed with wheat bran. Also feed vegetables such as cabbage, potatoes and carrots.

FEATHER PULLING.

(_Feather Eating_)

CAUSE.—Irritation of the skin due to lice, mites, or to lack of exercise and improper food.

TREATMENT.—Feed meat, ground bones and vegetables. Place the food where the fowls are compelled to scratch and work to obtain it. Dust the fowls with Powdered Aloes.

If due to lice, treat the same as recommended under the heading of Lice.

GAPES.

(_Verminous Trachea Bronchitis_)

CAUSE.—A red, parasitic worm, the male measuring about one-fifth of an inch and the female one-half an inch in length. Fowls become infected by eating worms containing this parasite or its eggs, and by coming in contact with other birds suffering from the disease.

SYMPTOMS.—The most noticeable symptom is frequent gaping; the Gapeworms attach themselves by their mouths to the walls of the windpipe where they suck the blood which nourishes them; they cause irritation and inflammation of the windpipe, bronchial tubes and lungs; breathing is difficult and the bird loses strength rapidly; windpipe eventually becomes totally obstructed and the bird dies from suffocation and exhaustion. Young, weak chickens are more susceptible to this disease than strong ones.

TREATMENT.—Separate the sick birds from the healthy ones. Clean and disinfect the coops and runs. Burn all manure. Remove the worms from the windpipe by the use of a feather, from which the fan has been stripped, leaving only a small brush at the end. Dip the feather into Oil of Turpentine or Coal Oil, removing the surplus liquid by drawing the feather between the fingers. Now insert the feather into the windpipe of the bird and by turning gently you will dislodge the worms from their attachments. Repeat this treatment once a day for two or three days. Disinfect coops and runs with undiluted Crude Carbolic Acid. Feed good nutritious food as wheat bran mashes, etc.

HEAD LICE.

CAUSE.—Result of insanitary conditions and lack of care. Communicated by direct contact with infected birds, or by infected coops or brooders.

SYMPTOMS.—The head soon becomes denuded of feathers, and also sore by being constantly scratched with the feet. If not properly treated the chicks weaken and die.

TREATMENT.—An ointment made of one part Sulphur and four parts Lard well mixed and applied two to three times will exterminate the lice. If the fowl is run down in condition, feed good nutritious food as wheat bran mashes.

HOW TO FEED YOUNG POULTRY.

Withhold all food for at least eighteen hours; then feed stale bread moistened with boiled milk every three hours. When they are three or four days old, feed rolled oats, ground corn moistened with pure water, finely chopped meat and boiled vegetables. Feed them often and you will be well repaid by their rapid growth, strength, and the low death rate. After they reach the age of one week or ten days, watch them closely and regulate their feed to their apparent needs.

INCOMPLETE EGG.

(_Abortion_)

CAUSE.—Irritation of the oviduct; improper secretion of albumen or internal egg-producing material.

TREATMENT.—Careful feeding will overcome this condition. Warm wheat bran mashes, ground bone, beef scraps, all tend to allay the irritations of the oviduct and stimulate the secretions of albumen.

JAUNDICE.

CAUSE.—Obstruction of the bile duct, due to rich, nitrogenous food and insufficient exercise.

SYMPTOMS.—Disease is not easily detected. The yellow color of the wattles and comb is the first symptom; the appetite is variable, the feathers appear rough and dry, the head is retracted, and the bird finally dies owing to the absorption of bile in the blood.

TREATMENT.—Change food. Feed upon a vegetable diet, also give one grain of Calomel, which is particularly useful in a case of sluggish liver in poultry. Also give one grain of Pulv. Gentian Root and one grain of Bicarbonate of Soda, twice daily in feed.

MANGE.

(_Scabies of the Body_)

CAUSE.—Due to a parasite that resembles the mite.

SYMPTOMS.—When the affected bird is closely examined large quantities of scales or scabs are found in the soft feathers. The appetite is poor; the bird walks slowly about showing signs of uneasiness. If the disease is allowed to run its course, the bird grows weak and eventually dies. The disease is easily transmitted from one bird to another and should be treated without delay.

TREATMENT.—Disinfect roost, coops and pens with undiluted Crude Carbolic Acid. Apply to the irritations that present themselves on the body of the birds: Sulphur Ointment twice a week and feed good nourishing food as wheat bran mashes and vegetables.

PIP.

(_Inflammation of the Mouth_)

CAUSE.—Irritations, injuries, or micro-organisms. It is sometimes caused by nothing more than a dry condition of the mucous membrane due to the bird breathing through the mouth when suffering from respiratory diseases.

SYMPTOMS.—Dryness of the mucous membrane of the mouth; especially the part covering the tongue, which becomes hard and ragged, forming rough edges along its sides. These dried portions become loose and partially detached from the tongue, interfering with its movements and causing more or less pain and annoyance.

TREATMENT.—Do not forcibly detach these pieces, but assist nature to remove them. This can be accomplished by mixing Glycerine and Water, equal parts, and dropping into the mouth with an ordinary syringe or dropper. It is advisable to add Boracic Acid, one teaspoonful to every gallon of drinking water, which will prevent the entrance of parasites into the blood.

RED MITE.

CAUSE.—These grow spontaneously in favorable surroundings, as the interior of poultry houses and brooders containing numerous cracks and crevices.

SYMPTOMS.—This mite is a blood-sucker; irritates the skin and sometimes causes sores to form on the body of the chick. The birds grow stupid and weak and die rapidly if not properly treated. Older fowls withstand the irritation of mites much longer, but do not thrive, or lay regularly, and will finally die if the insects become too numerous. The insect may be transmitted to horses, cattle, and even to man.

TREATMENT.—Paint the roosts and spray the interior of the coops and runs with Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted, being very careful that the solution reaches the bottoms of the cracks and crevices. Also paint the interior of brooders with the same solution.

RHEUMATISM.

(_Leg Weakness—Gout—Paralysis_)

CAUSE.—Damp coops and pens, lack of ventilation and improper food.

SYMPTOMS.—Fowl refuses to stand or walk, and on examination, the legs are found to be swollen and painful, especially about the joints. In some cases suppuration of the joints takes place and they become open running sores. The bone finally becomes diseased and the fowl dies.

TREATMENT.—Preventive measures are first to be considered. See that the coops and pens are clean and dry. Avoid drafts. Feed vegetables, also wheat bran mashes. Give internally Salicylic Acid, one-half grain, twice daily. When the legs are swollen and sore apply Zinc Ointment once or twice daily.

SCALY LEG.

(_Scabies_)

CAUSE.—Due to a mite that burrows under the scales of the leg.

SYMPTOMS.—White, scaly-looking scabs form about the upper part of the foot. The feet and legs become swollen and painful as the disease progresses and if not checked will result in lameness, inflammation of the joints, and the toes may slough off. Great care is necessary as the disease is very easily transmitted from one bird to another.

TREATMENT.—Use boiling water or Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted, on the perches. Wash the feet and legs with warm water and soft soap. Dry well and apply Carbolated Ointment. Repeat the above treatment every other day for a week.

SORE MOUTH.

(_Aphtha; Thrush_)

CAUSE.—A vegetable parasite called Oidium Albicans.

SYMPTOMS.—Inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the mouth, throat, gullet and crop, which finally terminates in white ulcerations. Other symptoms are swelling of the head, poor appetite and a rapid loss in weight and strength.

TREATMENT.—Isolate the sick from the healthy fowls. Give as much sunlight as possible, feed nourishing food, such as warm oatmeal mashes, kale, potatoes, etc. Add one grain each of Chlorate of Potash and Boracic Acid to a tablespoonful of water and give three or four times a day or oftener if they will drink it. A good disinfectant must be used to prevent the disease from spreading and I would recommend the use of undiluted Crude Carbolic Acid about the coops and poultry runs.

TUBERCULOSIS.

CAUSE.—This dreaded disease is caused by the Bacillus of Tuberculosis. Damp, ill-ventilated, and poorly-lighted coops are favorable to the development of the disease.

SYMPTOMS.—Except in advanced stages, this disease is not easily detected as it affects various organs, and considerable experience in post-mortems and a skillful use of the microscope is required to successfully diagnose a case.

TREATMENT.—Preventive measures should be practiced as the disease is incurable. Do not expose the fowls to cold wet weather. See that the coops are well ventilated and lighted and feed no contaminated food.

VENT GLEET.

CAUSE.—Constipation is perhaps the most common cause, the hard droppings causing irritation of the vent which is followed by inflammation and suppuration of the membranes lining the rectum and oviduct.

SYMPTOMS.—Frequent straining due to irritation. As the disease progresses a pus-like discharge is noticed. The disease may extend into the rectum or oviduct. The bird appears stupid, the plumage rough, the comb pale, and if not properly treated, dies a lingering death.

TREATMENT.—Preventive treatment is the best. Feed green food occasionally and warm bran mashes. This prevents constipation. When the bird strains frequently and a discharge is present the following solution should be injected: Sugar of Lead, two drams; Zinc Sulphate, one dram. Mix with two quarts of water. Inject about one ounce with a syringe twice daily until the discharge has ceased.

WHITE DIARRHOEA.

(_Fowl Cholera_)

CAUSE.—Germ (Bacilli of Fowl Cholera) gaining entrance to the body through the bowels, lungs or wounds of the skin. Death results from toxic material produced while the germs are multiplying.

SYMPTOMS.—All poultry, cage or wild birds are subject to this disease. The first symptoms are loss of appetite; diarrhoea is present and the discharge is almost white in color and tinged with transparent mucus. The affected bird becomes separated from the flock, seems weak and stupid and appears to be asleep; feathers are rough, the wings droop and the head is drawn in toward the body; crop is generally full, owing to improper digestion. The comb is pale and bloodless, the temperature raised from three to five degrees above normal and the bird loses weight rapidly; it may die with convulsions and cries, or without a sound or struggle.

TREATMENT.—To grown fowls, give Zinc Sulphocarbolates in one-half grain doses three times a day in their food or drinking water. To chicks, dissolve thirty grains of Zinc Sulphocarbolates in two quarts of water. Saturate feed, as stale bread, etc., and give three times a day. Zinc Sulphocarbolates is an antiseptic especially prepared for septic conditions of the intestines, and very useful in treatment of White Diarrhoea and Fowl Cholera. In severe cases of diarrhoea, give Bismuth Salicylate, one grain, three times daily in feed or make into a pill with dough. When the fowls will eat, feed them clean, nitrogenous food that they can digest easily, as oatmeal mashes. It is also necessary to give them pure water to drink at all times. Disinfection of the premises is another essential factor in the treatment of this disease, and undiluted Crude Carbolic Acid is a disinfectant that we can rely upon at all times.

I cannot recommend vaccination as the serum is very difficult and expensive to produce and different breeds of birds require varying doses, therefore, vaccinating poultry for White Diarrhoea or Fowl Cholera is not attended with any great degree of success.

WORMS.

CAUSE.—Few fowls are entirely free from worms. The soil over which the chicks are permitted to run may be infected, or the food may contain the eggs or embryos of worms.

SYMPTOMS.—The presence of worms in fowls may not be at once detected, since only a close observer would notice them in the droppings. If the birds eat well but remain poor, and the feathers appear rough and the comb and wattles pale, there is reason to suspect the existence of worms.

TREATMENT.—Preventive treatment is the best. Sprinkle the runs and coops regularly with Crude Carbolic Acid, undiluted. Give two drops of Turpentine in twice this quantity of Sweet or Olive Oil. This dose should be repeated in from six to eight days so as to insure the expulsion of the newly hatched worms or those that may have survived the first treatment.

DISEASES OF THE DOG

CAUSE, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT

LOCATION OF PARTS OF DOG

1. Forehead. 2. Junction of nose and forehead. 3. Nose. 4. Nostrils. 5. Muzzle. 6. Temple. 7. Ears. 8. Occiput. 9. Posterior angle of jaw. 10. Neck. 11. Withers. 12. Saddle. 13. Loins. 14. Croup. 15. Dewlap. 16. Brisket. 17. Arm. 18. Shoulder. 19. Point of elbow. 20. Ribs. 21. Flank. 22. Forearm. 23. Knee or wrist. 24. Pastern. 25. Toes. 26. Buttock. 27. First thigh. 28. Stifle. 29. Second Thigh. 30. Point of hock. 31. Front of hock. 32. Pastern. 33. Toes. 34. Cheeks. 35. Tail or stern. 36. Sheath.

PREFACE

In offering this chapter for the consideration of the Students as well as to the Veterinary Profession and others who are interested in the study of diseases of the dog I feel it will suffice to say that I have endeavored to the best of my ability to render the matter contained in the following chapter of as great practical value as possible, to present in the most plain and yet concise manner the nature, causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of each disease in the form in which it most frequently occurs.

I wish to express a hope that this chapter will be favorably received by all Students of Veterinary Science and the Veterinary Profession.

CHARLES J. KORINEK, V. S.