SPECIAL REPORT ON DISEASES OF CATTLE
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ny ways. The channel and method of administration depend on whether a general or local effect is desired, the condition of the animal, and the nature of the medicine that is to be given.
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gestion and cause local injury to the digestive organs, but may cause general poisoning of a severe and fatal type. The following molds have been shown (Dammann) to be dangerous in respe
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robang to push down any soft material, such as oats or chaff, as this generally condenses and renders firmer the obstructing substance by pressing its particles or elements together, so t
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e._--From the fact that this disease is largely one of regions, it is generally believed that some condition of the soil and water and of the local vegetation is responsible for it. It is
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aults in feeding than as a disease in itself. It occurs in almost all general fevers unless the bowels are involved in local disease, in obstructions of all kinds, from feeding on dry, bu
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he contents of the sac can not be returned into the abdomen, and this generally arises from the fact that some part of the contents of the sac has grown to or become adherent to the edges
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ote action may be exerted by the same drug. Poisons which act locally generally either destroy by corrosion the tissues with which they come in contact or by inhalation set up acute infla
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of chronic gastrointestinal catarrh, with indigestion, diarrhea, and general weakness and loss of condition. _Treatment._--The antidote for arsenic is a solution of hydrated oxid of iro
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onite is given whether indicated or not. Fortunately the dose used is generally small, and for this reason the damage done is much less than it would otherwise be. Aconite is one of the m
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the growth of bacteria, and bacteria may produce poisons in feeds. In general it may be said that any feed that is moldy, musty, or putrid is possibly dangerous. Silage, properly cured, d
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d often irregular. Respiration is difficult and rapid. There is great general weakness and depression. Death comes suddenly. _Treatment._--Treatment consists in supporting the animal by
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t of the diseases under consideration in this chapter. _Attitude and general condition._--The feeling of pain in animals suffering from serious affections of the organs of respiration is
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mucous membrane of the bronchial tubes. When a primary disease, it is generally the result of what is commonly known as "catching cold." It may be secondary to or complicated with many of
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without much uncertainty. The first signs may be those of frenzy, but generally at the start the animal is dull and sleepy, with little or no inclination to move about; the head may be pr
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and up on account of the paralysis of the hind quarters. This form is generally attributed to feeding on feeds containing insufficient protein and ash. It is most likely to occur in cows
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passing of a catheter is an operation which demands special skill. _General symptoms of urinary disorders._--These are not so prominent in cattle as in horses, yet they are of a similar
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his advanced stage to relieve dropsy and give tone to the kidneys and general system (oil of turpentine, 2 teaspoonfuls; bicarbonate of soda, 1 teaspoonful, repeated twice a day). Pure wa
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ere are exceptions, they are so rare that they do not invalidate this general rule. It is true that stone in the kidney or bladder is often found in the summer or in animals feeding at th
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sting the special cause of each as found in the feed, water, soil, or general conditions of health. This classification affords no guide to their location or symptoms, as calculi of the s
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c., in Cornell University._ [Revised by Adolph Eichhorn, D. V. S.] GENERAL DISCUSSION. Diseases of the generative organs are practically confined to animals which are kept for reprodu
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and general obstacles to conception should be carefully investigated and removed. The vigorous health which comes from a
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will refuse the male persistently, but these in no way invalidate the general rule. The bull, no matter how vigorous or how ardent his sexual instinct, can not be made to pay any attenti
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med these findings. _Cause._--The _Bacterium abortus_ of Bang is now generally recognized as the causative agent of the disease of cattle. Formerly it was thought that abortion was due t
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w, however, is not substantiated by other investigators, it being now generally accepted that the disease is only rarely responsible for abortion, and further, that it exerts no apparent
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either in the flank or with a trocar and cannula through the anus. GENERAL DROPSY OF THE CALF. This occurs from watery blood or disease of some internal organ, like the liver or kidne
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re beset with similar drawbacks, and are to be dealt with on the same general principles. (Pl. XVII, fig. 4.) With the back turned to one side the body should be rotated until the back tu
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se. No part is wedged into the pelvic passages as a complication. The general principles are the same as in faulty presentation fore and hind, and no time should be lost in making the man
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eet engaged in pelvis. A very serious malpresentation, in which it is generally impossible to save the fetus if delivery is far advanced. The indications are to force back the hind feet.
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even gangrene are shown in the mass. At the moment of protrusion the general health is not altered, but soon the inflammation and fever with the violent and continued straining induce ex
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nt, simple or associated with putrefaction of its liquid contents and general poisoning, or it may extend so that the inflammation affects the lining membrane of the whole abdominal cavit
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s, dullness, drowsiness, suspension of rumination and appetite, and a general indifference to surrounding objects. Soon the cow lies down, or falls and is unable to rise, but for one or t
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tained with such offensive products should be thoroughly washed. The general treatment of contagious mammitis does not differ from that of the simple form, except that antiseptics should
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septic germ and is associated with fetid discharge from the navel and general putrid blood poisoning. In estimating the causes of the disease we must not omit debility of the calf when th
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t the presence of some of the septic bacteria, and the results on the general system are a high fever and softening of the liver and spleen and no tendency to abscesses of the internal or
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n this way. The same may come from disease in the cow's udder, or any general disease of the cow with attendant fever, and in all such cases the tendency is to rapid change and unwholesom
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appears desirable to describe some of the characteristics of forms in general and of a few classes into which they may be divided, leaving the special study of individual bones to the ill
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is one in which other structures surrounding the bones are injured. GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF FRACTURE.--When a fracture of one or more of the large bones of a limb occurs, symptoms are sure
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side will be less prominent than the other. Careful manipulation will generally move the parts so that crepitus may be recognized. If the fracture is through the posterior part of the bon
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ed three or four times at intervals of three weeks. The lameness will generally begin to disappear about the third or fourth month if the above-described treatment proves beneficial. Shou
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ack may be used. Various types of dehorning shears or clippers are in general use. One type of dehorner has a stationary knife edge with its cutting edge shaped like a very wide V, and op
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fully dealt with under another heading. We would add, however, that, generally speaking, the animal, after being castrated, should either be regularly exercised or be allowed freedom so
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ions of the tumor by a pathologist will be found most satisfactory. GENERAL TREATMENT OF TUMORS. For benign tumors treatment is required only when it damages the animal's value or when
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By M. R. TRUMBOWER, D. V. S. [Revised by John R. Mohler, V. M. D.] GENERAL DISCUSSION. The skin consists of two parts--a superficial layer, the epidermis, or cuticle, and the deep, or
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lved. We must endeavor to remove the cause by giving attention to the general health of the animal and to its environment. Feeding should be moderate in quantity and not too stimulating i
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e spontaneously or follow a scar after an injury. _Symptoms._--Kelis generally appears below the knee or hock, and may occur singly or in numbers. There are no constitutional symptoms. I
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d for a little distance forward on its outward surface, the cornea is generally said to be fitted into the sclerotic like a watch glass into its rim. The venous canal of Schlemm runs circ
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r of refraction is lost--the animal can not see. _Causes._--Cataract generally arises from a diminution (atrophy) or other change in the nutrition of the lens; it may occur as a result o
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RFY EARS. Cattle are subject to scurfy ears, which may be owing to a generally morbid condition of the skin, or may be confined to the ears alone. The affected animal shows an inclinatio
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he usual manner, by an inflammation of the lungs and pleurÊ, which is generally extensive, and which has a tendency to invade portions of these organs not primarily affected and to cause
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ay bloat and later be affected with a severe diarrhea. Such cases are generally fatal in 7 to 20 days. Very often the attack comes on slowly and the symptoms are much less clear. In the
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. It is then a difficult undertaking, simply because the contagion is generally widely disseminated before any measures are adopted, and because a great majority of cattle owners will nev
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ot or ground itch of cattle, the inflammation of the skin and toes is general and not in certain spots, as in foot-and-mouth disease. The mouth remains unaffected, and the presence of the
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gives off the odor of rancid butter. The internal hemorrhages are not general, although they may occur. A microscopic examination of the juices from the tumefaction will show the blackleg
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animals or to damage the surroundings. The cow remains quiet and the general muscular contraction gives her a rigid appearance. There is an absence of paralysis which marks the advanced
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imals together, drafts of air which cause colds and catarrhs, and, in general, everything which prevents the animals from developing and maintaining the highest condition of health. None
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nd when the disease had yet made but little progress. It is now quite generally employed. The tuberculin test came into existence through the most careful and thorough scientific experim
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reameries, with the offal of the abattoirs, with the household refuse generally, and behind tuberculous cattle. If tuberculosis is common among cattle, it is likely to be transmitted to h
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tely fatal in cattle after eight to nine weeks; 4 likewise produced a generalized tuberculosis, but which certainly had a more chronic course, while 1 of the cultures caused only an infil
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fresh condition under a microscope magnifying up to 250 diameters the general structure is made out without much difficulty. These grains consist of collections of minute, roundish masses
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se. Actinomycosis is not infrequent in cattle in the Southwest and is generally supposed to be the result of eating the prickly fruit of the cactus plant, causing wounds of the mucous mem
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ys already described. If the disease begins in the skin, it agrees in general with the subacute form in prolonged duration, and it may occasionally terminate in recovery if the swellings
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_Symptoms and lesions._--The symptoms of blackleg may be either of a general or of a local nature, though more frequently of the latter. The general symptoms are very much like those bel
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of the multiplication of the bacilli at the point of inoculation. The general affection is an intoxication, or poisoning, of the whole system produced by a soluble toxin elaborated by the
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death, can be removed without pain to the animal. The intestines are generally normal, but, together with the peritoneum, they may be inflamed, and the lungs are usually the seat of an e
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d show very plainly. (Pl. XLVI, figs. 6 and 7.) _Prevention._--It is generally accepted that if southern cattle are entirely free from that species of tick known as _Margaropus annulatus
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apsed to leave no doubt that eradication has been accomplished. As a general rule it has been found that if dipping is begun in March and systematically and thoroughly done, all cattle b
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thereby retard the final recovery. Medical treatment of the sick has generally been unsatisfactory, although in chronic cases and those occurring late in the fall beneficial results have
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t damage the horn, and congregate there only to rest. In view of the general practice of dehorning cattle, the name hornfly is less distinctive than it once was. Moreover, hornflies rest
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sed that the ox warbles of this country were all of the one kind. The general appearance, life history, and effects of the European species are much the same as those of the American form
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gh this parasite has been accused of producing serious effects, it is generally considered harmless. Several species of roundworms may occur in the fourth stomach. Two of these are of sp
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of the animal may be comparatively good. It is rare that one sees a generalized edema in slaughtered cattle as a result of fluke invasion, and even in the heaviest infections of you
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iption, symptoms, and treatment, 464-469 dropsy-- general, cause and treatment, 180 of abdomen, description and treatment,
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bones, description and treatment, 277 general symptoms and treatment, 272, 273 hip point, causes and treatment,
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id, description and treatment, 350 general treatment, 309 kidney, description,
affected, but later the cancer nodules spread to important organs and give
rise to marasmus and progressive emaciation. Cancer is not a frequent tumor
of cows. Frˆhner states that of 75 cases of tumors in cattle which came
under his observation 2, or 2.6 per cent, were found to be cancers, while
20, or 26.6 per cent, were sarcomas.
_Treatment._--Treatment consists in the early and complete removal of the
tumor, taking care to include a wide border of healthy tissue. This has
been most successful in such superficial cancers as those of the eye,
penis, anus, testicle, vulva, and sheath. If the disease has advanced too
far, this treatment may not prove efficacious, owing to the great
malignancy of the cancer and its tendency to recur. In such cases the
animal may be slaughtered, but the flesh should be used for food only after
inspection by a competent veterinarian.
CYSTS.
Cysts may be true or false tumors and consist of a capsule containing a
fluid or semisolid content. Among the most important cysts, which have been
briefly referred to in a previous table, the following are probably the
most noteworthy, owing to the frequency with which they are found in
bovines:
SOFTENING CYSTS.
Softening cysts, which result from the degenerative liquefaction of normal
or diseased tissues, especially of tumors of different kinds, followed by
the encapsulation of the fluid.
PARASITIC CYSTS.
Parasitic or foreign-body cysts, from the inflammatory reaction induced by
such parasites as the echinococcus (hydatid cyst) or by the presence of
various kinds of foreign bodies.
EXTRAVASATION CYSTS.
Extravasation cysts, caused by injuries which rupture blood vessels,
followed by an increase of fibrous tissue which forms a capsule about the
fluid. The hygromata in front of the knee in cattle, so-called tumor of the
knee, and serous cysts belong to this variety.
HYGROMATA, OR TUMORS OF THE KNEE.--These consist in the simplest form of a
collection of serous fluid mixed with fibrin within a distended bursa. The
walls surrounding the fluid become firm, smooth, and dense.
Outwardly the tumor appears fluctuating, though tense, while the skin which
covers it may be normal, denuded of hair, or covered with hard epidermal
scales, possibly half an inch in thickness, forming a hard, horny plate.
The cavity which contains the fluid may have the dimensions of a hen's egg,
an apple, or a child's head. Its walls are formed by the diseased secreting
membrane of the bursal sac, and are readily detachable from the subcutis of
the skin. Their internal surfaces are often uneven or supplied with
projections or tufted growths which support a fibrous network within the
tumor.
Tumors of the knee may also assume a granular type, as the result of
chronic inflammation or following operative or spontaneous evacuation of
pus from the part. They are either firmly connected with the skin or are
detachable from it, and when laid open disclose a whitish-red, porklike
tissue surrounding a central nucleus of pus, or a fistulous tract leading
to the outer surface. They are caused by the chronic inflammation which
follows the bruises received by cattle in lying down and in rising, or they
may be due to falls on uneven, hard ground.
_Treatment for hygromata._--When the swelling first appears cold water
should be applied, followed later by bandaging with cloths wrung out of
warm water. If the swelling is soft, it should be punctured at the lowest
point, and afterwards the cavity should be syringed with Lugol's solution.
If the tumor is hard and nonfluctuating, a mercurial blister may cause
absorption and at the same time prevent further injury to the part by
making it more painful, thus sparing it.
SEROUS CYSTS.--These swellings are another variety of extravasation cysts,
and are caused by such injuries as butting, running against hard objects,
and shipping bruises, which are followed by an outpouring of blood and
lymph into the tissue spaces. These cysts develop rapidly and may reach the
size of a man's head or even larger. They are soft, edematous, and hot at
first and contain a serous or blood-tinged fluid. Later, partially
organized clots and shreds of a fibrinous nature and of a gelatinous
consistence are formed within, and the temperature of the swelling is
reduced. They appear on the surface of the body, especially on the belly
and flank of cattle.
_Treatment of serous cysts._--Treatment consists in opening the cyst at the
most dependent point with a sharp knife. The cavity should be washed out
twice daily with a 5 per cent solution of carbolic acid, and drainage
encouraged by keeping the incision open.
DERMOID CYSTS.
These cysts have a wall which is almost an exact duplicate of the structure
of the skin, and frequently contain epidermal structures, such as hair and
teeth, which, in the development of the embryo, have been misplaced. Thus
we may find in an ovary or testicle a dermoid cyst, containing a tooth or a
ball of hair. Dental cysts are included in the class above.
DENTAL CYSTS.--It happens occasionally that the teeth of cattle, instead of
developing normally within strong supporting alveolÊ, remain inclosed
within a cystic membrane, which assumes a tumorlike character. One tooth
may be included alone in the cyst or a number may be inclosed together.
However this may be, the malformation progresses, especially if confined to
the incisor teeth, until the remaining teeth that began to develop normally
are crowded out of position and rendered useless. The tumor may reach the
size of a man's fist. It appears to be fleshy and dents upon pressure, but
it may also appear on closer examination as though it contained irregular
sections of thin bone. The outer surface is always smooth, and no
indication of purulence, softening, or scab formation is ever exhibited.
Upon being laid open with the knife the tumor is seen to be surrounded by a
firm, smooth membrane which limits it completely from the adjoining
tissues. It is filled with material which possesses partly edematous,
partly fleshy, and partly bony properties. It is supposed that this mass is
composed of rudiments of the jawbone or of the alveolar walls which,
becoming spongy, lose themselves in the soft, fleshy mass contained within
the capsule of the tumor. It occasionally happens that the tumor is hollow
and that the cavity extends back into the body of the lower jaw for a
considerable distance.
Tumors of this kind, being of congenital origin, are very naturally
observed most frequently in young cattle, but they may continue to expand
for a period of several months after the birth of the calf, even until they
become troublesome and unsightly.
_Treatment for dental cysts._--Treatment consists in the complete
extirpation of the cyst and the destruction of the lining pouch by
curetting.
RETENTION CYSTS.
Retention cysts arise from the retention of normal secretions, owing to
obstruction of a duct leading from a gland. The mucous cysts found in the
mouth, udder, and vestibule of cows are samples of this form.
MUCOUS CYSTS.--Saclike dependent tumors, caused by retention of the
secretions from the mucous glands, sometimes develop in the mouth, nose,
pharynx, and vulva of cattle. They are called "mucous cysts." These are of
sizes varying from peas to pigeon eggs, are roundish and translucent, and
surrounded by a delicate, vascular membrane. They contain a siruplike
substance more or less thick and transparent and whitish yellow in color.
Treatment consists in the puncturing of the swelling, if accessible, and
the destruction of the cyst walls by the injection of Lugol's solution.
PROLIFERATION CYSTS.
These are found especially in the ovaries of cows, called "cystic ovaries,"
and may produce nymphomania (chronic bulling).
The treatment indicated in this case is the removal of the diseased
ovaries.
FOOTNOTES:
[3] The term "tumor" literally means a swelling, and thus has been applied
to the prominence caused by an overdistended bladder, to the enlargement of
pregnancy, to the swelling produced by an abscess, to the overgrowth of
tissue (hyperplasia) associated with injury and consequent inflammation,
and to numerous other phases of tissue enlargement directly connected with
recognized disease processes. For this reason it is becoming more common
for scientists to apply the word "neoplasm" to the new growths described in
this chapter. Because of the still popular use of the word "tumor," it is
retained in this chapter for the designation of those new growths to which
the sevenfold characterization of our descriptive definition applies.
DISEASES OF THE SKIN.
By M. R. TRUMBOWER, D. V. S.
[Revised by John R. Mohler, V. M. D.]
GENERAL DISCUSSION.
The skin consists of two parts--a superficial layer, the epidermis, or
cuticle, and the deep, or true, skin, the dermis, cutis vera, or corium.
The epidermis, cuticle, or scarf skin, is an epithelial structure, forming
a protective covering to the corium. It varies in thickness, is quite
insensible and nonvascular, and consists of a sheet of cells.
The epidermis is divided into a firm and transparent superficial and a
deep, soft layer. The latter is the rete mucosum, whose cells contain the
pigment which gives color to the skin. The deep surface of the epidermis is
accurately molded on the papillary layer of the true skin, and, when
removed by maceration, presents depressions which correspond to the
elevations on the dermis. From the cuticle tubular prolongations pass into
the sebaceous and sudorific glands; thus the entire surface of the body is
inclosed by the cuticle.
The dermis, or true skin, is vascular and highly sensitive, containing the
tactile ends of the nerves of touch. It is covered by epidermis and
attached to the underlying parts by a layer of areolar tissue, which
usually contains fat. The cutis consists of a fibro-areolar tissue and
vessels of supply. It is divided into two layers, the deep, or true, corium
and the upper, or papillary. The corium consists of strong interlacing
fibrous bands, chiefly white; its meshes are larger and more open toward
the attached surface, giving lodgment to the sweat glands and fat. The
papillary, or superficial, layer is formed of a series of small conical
eminences or papillÊ, which are highly sensitive, and consists of a
homogenous, transparent tissue. The blood vessels form dense capillary
plexuses in the corium, terminating by loops in the papillÊ. The papillary
nerves run in a waving manner, usually terminating in loops.
Hair is an appendage of the skin and forms its external covering. It is a
special modification of epidermis, having the same essential structure, and
consists of a root, shaft, and point. The root has a bulbous extremity, is
lighter and softer than the stem, and is lodged in a recess or hair
follicle, which may either be in the corium or subcutaneous areolÊ. The
follicle is dilated at the bottom to correspond to the root bulb, and the
ducts of one or more sebaceous glands open into it. At the bottom of each
follicle is a conical, vascular papilla, similar in every respect to those
on the surface of the dermis; this papilla fits into a corresponding
depression in the root of the hair. The shaft consists of a center, or
medulla, a surrounding fibrous portion, and an external coating, or cortex.
The medulla consists of cells containing pigment or fat, is opaque, and
deeply colored. All kinds of hair do not have this medulla. The fibrous
portion occupies the bulk of the stem, and the cortex is merely a single
layer of thin, flat, imbricated (shinglelike) scales.
The sebaceous glands, lodged in the corium, are most abundant in parts
exposed to friction. They generally open into the hair follicles,
occasionally on the surface of the body. Each gland consists of a small
duct which terminates in a lobulated recess. These lobules vary, and are,
as is the duct, lined with epithelium. They are filled with sebaceous
matter which, as it is secreted, is detached into the sacs. They are very
plentiful between the claws of cattle.
The sudorific glands, or sweat glands, are situated in the subcutaneous
areolar tissue, surrounded by a quantity of fat. They are small, round,
reddish bodies, each of which consists of one or more fine tubes coiled
into a ball, the free end of the tube being continued up through the true
skin and cuticle, and opening on the surface. Each sweat gland is supplied
with a cluster of capillary blood vessels which vary in size, being very
large when perspiration is excessive. The contents of the smaller ones are
fluid, and of the larger, semifluid.
The skin may be regarded as an organ supplementary in its action to the
lungs and kidneys, since by its secretion it is capable of removing a
considerable quantity of water from the blood; it also removes small
quantities of carbon dioxid, salts, and in certain instances during
suppression of the renal secretions a small quantity of urea. The skin is
also the chief organ for the regulation of animal heat, by or through
conduction, radiation, and evaporation of water, permitting of loss of
heat, while it also, through other mechanisms, is able to regulate the heat
lost. The hair furnishes protection against extreme and sudden variations
of temperature by reason of the fact that hairs are poor conductors of
heat, and inclose between them a still layer of air, itself a nonconductor.
The hairs are also furnished with an apparatus by which the loss of heat
may be regulated; thus, in cold weather, through the contraction of
unstriped muscular fibers of the skin, the hairs become erect and the
external coat becomes thicker. Cold, too, acts as a stimulus to the growth
of hair, and we find, in consequence, a thicker coat in winter than in
summer. The hairs also furnish protection against wet, as they are always
more or less oily from the secretion of sebaceous glands, and thus shed
water. Through their elasticity they furnish mechanical protection, and
through the thickness of the coat, to a certain degree, resist the attacks
of insects. Finally, the hairs assist the sense of touch.
The sweat glands are constantly discharging a watery secretion in the form
of insensible perspiration, and by their influence act as regulators of the
temperature of the body; hence, in warm weather, the secretion of the skin
is increased, which tends to prevent overheating. Sweating, in addition to
regulating heat, is also an active agent in removing effete material from
the blood; therefore this secretion can not be checked without danger. If
the skin is covered with an impermeable coating of grease or tar, death
results from blood poisoning, owing to the retention of materials destined
to be excreted by the skin.
All secretion poured out by the skin is not only modified by the condition
of the atmosphere but also by the character and quantity of the food, by
the amount of exercise, and especially by the quantity of fluid taken.
The sebaceous secretion is intended to lubricate the skin and hairs. It
consists of soft, fatty material suspended in water, and is characterized
by an odor peculiar to the animal by which it is secreted.
I will not attempt to classify the various diseases of the skin, for in a
work of this kind it would serve only to confuse the reader.
We shall first consider a class of diseases which are of an inflammatory
type; next, those caused by faulty secretion and abnormal growth; then,
diseases of parasitic origin; lastly, local injuries of the skin.
PRURITIS (ITCHING).
We shall consider pruritis first as a distinct subject. It is not a
disease, only a sensation, and therefore a symptom. It is one of the
symptoms accompanying the majority of the diseases which we will consider
in this chapter. It is, then, a functional affection produced by slight
irritation from without or by an internal cause acting upon the sensory
nerves of the skin. Nothing characteristic is seen except the secondary
lesions, produced mechanically by scratching or rubbing.
There are various forms of itching, the result of specific skin diseases,
where the pruritis is a secondary symptom. In such cases it should not be
regarded as an independent affection.
_Causes._--Many causes may induce the condition which we recognize here as
pruritis. The most common one is dirt on the skin, resulting from
insufficient care. If the ceiling of the stable is open, so that dust and
straw may fall, the skin is irritated and pruritis results. It also occurs
in some forms of indigestion.
The parts of the body most exposed to this condition are the croup, the
back, the top of the neck, and the root of the tail.
Another cause is found in affections of the liver and of the kidneys, when
an increase of effete material has to be thrown off by the skin. Morbid
materials circulating in the blood may produce a tickling or smarting
sensation of the skin in their passage from the blood to the free surface
of the skin. Certain irritating substances when eaten may be excreted by
the skin, and coming thus in direct contact with the sensory nerves produce
itching, or may go further and cause distinct inflammation of the skin. In
another class of cases the pruritis may be ascribable to an atrophy,
contraction, or hardening of the skin, when the nerves become irritated by
the pressure. These conditions may be so slightly marked in a thick skin
like that of the ox that they can not be recognized. It is frequently
noticed that cattle rub themselves as soon as they pass from the stable
into the open air--changing from a warm to a cold atmosphere. Again, we may
find one that does all its rubbing in the stall. We may look for lice, but
fail to find them. These conditions are generally attributable to high
feeding and to too close confinement. They may be associated with
inflammatory irritation or not; certainly we fail to discover any morbid
changes in the skin. There is to some extent a delightful sensation
produced by rubbing, and it may partly become a habit of pleasure.
_Treatment._--We must place our chief reliance upon a change of food,
plenty of exercise, and in most cases the administration of an active
cathartic--1 to 1-1/2 pounds of Epsom salt, a handful of common salt, a
tablespoonful of ginger or pepper, mixed with 2 quarts of water, all of
which is to be given at one dose. Afterwards half an ounce of hyposulphite
of soda mixed with the feed may be given twice a day for a week. For an
external application, when the skin is abraded or thickened from rubbing, a
solution of borax, 4 ounces to the quart of water, may be used. Carbolic
acid, 1/2 ounce to a quart of water, will give relief in some cases.
INFLAMMATORY DISEASES OF THE SKIN.
ERYTHEMA.
This is the simplest form of inflammation of the skin. It consists of an
increased redness, which may occur in patches or involve considerable
surface. The red coloration disappears when pressed by the finger, but soon
returns after the pressure is removed. There is seldom much swelling of the
affected part, though often there is a glutinous discharge which dries and
mats the hair or forms a thin scale upon the skin. In simple erythema the
epidermis alone is affected; when it becomes chronic, fissures form and
extend into the corium, or true skin.
_Causes._--Simple erythema, consisting of an inflammatory irritation, is
seen in very young calves, in which the navels leak. The discharge being
urine, it causes an irritation of the surrounding skin. Chafing, which is
another form of erythema, is occasionally seen on the udders of cows from
rubbing by the legs; chafing between the legs is not uncommon among fat
steers. Chronic erythema is found in the form of chapped teats of cows and
chapped lips in sucking calves. It frequently occurs in cows when they are
turned out in winter directly after milking, and in others from chafing by
the sucking calf. Some cows are peculiarly subject to sore teats. The
SOURCES & PROVENANCE
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