The Yale expositor., 1903-09-18
Sore Mouths g,
of Cattle

About this time OF the year annual
ly we sec reports OF sore mouths and
feet in cattle and find that as n rule
much ignorance regarding the nature
OF this ,.ssase. which Il is often fear
ed by local veterinarians and stock
men may turn out Co be the dreaded
contagious foot and mouth disease
which recently caused so much
trouble and led 10 so much expense
In the New England states. The lat
ter outbreak OF disease has been alb
solutely stamped out by the Bureau
OF Animal Industry OF the Department
OF Agriculture and there should not
be the slightest ground for fearing
that ordinary sore mouth OF cattle
could possibly develop into the ser
iously contagious disease. That dis
ease comes from contagion carried
by affected or exposed cattle or skins.
pelts. etc, from countries where the
disease exists and the disease does
not originate sporadically In an In
voluntary manner. II requires each
time the specific germ OF the disease
and this does not exist In our coun-
try and Is now far less prevalent than
formerly In most foreign countries.
In the simple disease which Is not
uncommon with US cattle are found to
have been pasturing low. wet. malar-
lal ground and 90 have been wading
In hlth. so that the disease OF the
mouth due in such cases 10 irritating
-, ~ a.
the same time as foul OF the foot"
may not be one and the same disease
but two diseases due 20 like conditions
In the environment. In other words
the affected cattle get foul in the foot
from wading in ilth and standing in
stagnant water and the mouths at
the same time may become sore from
harsh. dry or irritating matters in the
food. There Is. however. a common
form Of stomatitis causing both foot
trouble and sores IN the mouth at
the same time. and in such cases we
hnd the animal feyerish at first aud IL
giving milk suddenly shrinking in
milk flow as n result OF the disease.
In other cases which are less common
We find n serious condition due % the
eating OF large quantities OF the fun
gus known "a efgot. which is some
times found IN blue grass and other
grasses of the pasture In this form
of the disease there Is gangronous
sloughing Of the skin about the ankles,
feet are sore and mouth may be sim
| Harry affected. while n Is not uncom-
mon Tor the end OF the tail. the horns
! or the hoofs 90 slough of. This dis
| ease occurs mostly in winter and
spring when cattle nave been eating
affected hay FOR a long time and tho
cure Is TO stop the feeding OF such
hay and give attention 90 the clean
iIncss and disinfection OF affected
parts. Bad cases prove incurable In
| the simple form OF stomatitls the dis
/ ease soon runs ont and Is easily treat
/ ed First the cattle should be separ-
ated one from another on general prin-
| clplas and all OF them should be kept
away from low pastures, stagnant
water and grasses grown on wild
/ land" Actual treatment consists in
giving at the outset OF an attack n
pound dose Of EPSON salts To- each
adult animal and smaller doses TO
younger animals according 20 age and
size. This may be followed by small
doses OF hyposulphite of soda two
ounces twice daily for adult cattleD
In drinking water and n change OF
food from grass 10 cut corn fodder
| (grcen) roots, soft mashes or
bran. naxseed meal. etc. For sores
In the mouth which take the
| form OF small ulcers about tho
| lips. gums and tongue II has been
found that a solution OF borax or
alum. usually proves effective or
boraI may be mixed with strained
honey or molasses to the consistency
Of a paste and smeared upon the
tongue or back teeth three times
daily. An adult animal may take as
much as four ounces OF bOrax per
| day In drinking water with good
effect when local treatment cannot
be given but II Is better TO syringe
into the mouth a saturated solution
, u borax or use a similar solution with
which To swab out the mouth twice
daily. A per cent solution OF per
manganate OF potash will also be
found excellent while local treatment
of sore feet consists In soaking n
pledget OF oakum In creolin or tar
product disinfectant and binding Il be-
tween the toes by means OF n narrow
bandage. The full strength may be
used for two or three days. after
which a weaker solution may be used.
Farmers Review.
A,,omohiles uade for the German