Chapter X · Diseases of Farm Animals (continued 4)

WHITE SCOURS OF CALVES.

—Calves of several days or weeks old suffer from indigestion, which is indicated by thriftlessness, and then scouring. The discharges are white, sour, curdled and frequent at first and then become watery, greenish and offensive, passing in stream often. Calves live some days and fast lose flesh, showing all the symptoms of ill health.

One of the commonest causes is feeding dirty, souring or decomposing factory skim milk in large quantities at long intervals; even sweet skim milk so fed may produce the trouble. To prevent scours give calves a perfectly clean, airy, sunny pen and yard attached. Separate any calf that scours. Avoid dirty, dark, damp, poorly ventilated pens in which scouring calves have been. Give all food from clean, scalded, sun-dried vessels. Feed small quantities of food often; and in milk mix lime water freely two or three times a week as a preventive; and daily when scouring has been experienced. Also see that the udders of cows nursing calves do not become contaminated with manure or other filth.

Wash udders with a two per cent solution of coal tar disinfectant before any calf is allowed to suck for the first time, and then repeat to keep the udders clean. Also disinfect the navel of each calf at birth with a ¹⁄₅₀₀ solution of corrosive sublimate and repeat the application twice a day until the navel is perfectly healed over. At the first sign of scours give castor oil shaken up in milk. Two to 6 tablespoonfuls is the dose according to the size and age of the calf. Follow two or three times daily with a 1 to 2-teaspoonful dose of a mixture of one part of salol and two parts of subnitrate of bismuth in milk or water. For calves scouring on skim milk mix in each pint of milk 1 teaspoonful of a mixture of half an ounce of formaldehyde in 15¹⁄₂ ounces of distilled water, to be kept in an amber-colored bottle.

WIND COLIC.

—See Colic.

WIND PUFFS.

—An accumulation of synovia in the cavities between the tendons of the legs, especially between the back tendons and the bone just above the fetlock joint. The bulging out is on each side of the tendon. Horses subjected to severe exertions, like hard work on the roads, are most frequently affected. The puffs or galls seldom cause lameness or interfere with the usual work. Unless treated the puffs will become thicker and harder and sometimes solidified. When this happens lameness occurs. In the early stages, pads and bandages, if applied so as to cause pressure, will tend to remove the galls. If this treatment is not sufficient, then use a teaspoonful of biniodide of mercury, and 4 tablespoonfuls of lard. When mixed, these should be rubbed on with the fingers. After 24 hours remove with water and soap and repeat every other week until the puffs disappear.

WIND SUCKING.

—See Cribbing.

WORMS.

—See Intestinal Worms in Horses and Sheep; and Stomach Worms.

WORMS IN HOGS.

—Hogs with worms in the intestines run down in condition, become very thin and lank, back is arched, eyes dull, refuse feed, walk stiffly, and appear lifeless. The worms may be very numerous, in bad cases completely filling the intestines. The pigs die if not treated. To secure the best results, affected hogs should receive individual treatment. Twenty-four hours before administering treatment very little feed should be given them. Then give the following medicine as a drench to each 100-pound hog; larger or smaller hogs should receive a dose in proportion: 4 tablespoonfuls of oil of turpentine, one-half teaspoonful of liquor ferri dialysatus and 6 ounces of raw linseed oil. If necessary, repeat the dose in four days.