The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-09
Garget-Congestion of inc uad.r

Garget is a disease of the udder usually affecting heavy milkers. It may occur at any time of the year, is not confined to any particular locality, and is not contagious. The udder being very highly organized gland, any condition which affects the gen eral health of the COW is very apt to involve this structure and show it. self in the form of gargety milk. It frequently happens that a cow is af- fected With garget or gives bloody milk at more or less irregular inter- vals. Such animals should be exam med by competent veterinarian, as 1t is quite likely that the animal has some special disease of the udder such as tuberculosis or actinomycosis. In that event the milk would be con- sidered unfit for food. even during the apparently normal condition of the animal. though it may look perfectly healthy The germs might be present in the milk and transmit the disease to other animals using it. The pres- ence of these germs in the milk could De demonstrated only with the micro scope.
 Causes.-Injuries (blows on the ud- ger with stones, clubs. feet, or horns, from projecting nails, or edge of boards, sharp or cold stones); expos ure to sudden and extreme changes of weather; over-feeding on rich food, such as cottonseed, peas, or beans; in digestion; sores on teats, or insufficient stripping of the udder it also fre- quently happens that a newly-born calf can not drain the udder completely; overstocking of udder for an entire day or more with a view to making show of this organ for sale purposes Symptoms.-Usually the first that is noticed is the condition of the milk, which is watery, colored with more or less blood, and containing a clotted, stringy substance (easein). This is frequently followed by white pus- like fluid, and. in many cases, very offensive odor.
 In severe cases the first symptoms to be noticed are first a chill, with horns ears and limbs cold. This stage which lasts from a few minutes to hours is followed by a period of fever in which the horns. ears and limbs become unnaturally warm and the ud- der is hot, swells. and becomes more or less solid in one or more quarters. The muzzle is dry and hot; the tenn. perature of the animals is raised the pulse Is full and rapid: the breathing is quickened. The cow has little or no appetite, and she does not chew her cud. The bowels are more or less costive The amount of milk is less
 
 absent in the affected portion of the udder.
 In mild cases many of these symp- toms cannot be recognized and the first ones noticed are the swelling. heat and tenderness of the udder. If the trouble grows worse the tender ness causes the animal to straddle with her hind legs. If the COW lies down she will lie on the well side. The above troubles may disappear in few days and the udder resume it's normal condition. If not, 1t changes into a chronic form In which the symptomc partially subside. The result is. the udder. or the affected part of it. be- comes dry or forms abscesses. In the case of drying up the parts may be- come hard and remain so permanently or only until the next time Of calving. It abscesses are formed they should be opened by a competent person and properly treated. Should infection take place at any time (the entrance of disease germs into the affected parD the result may be serious apd may even cause the death of the COW.
 Treatment-The treatment will de- pend upon the severity of the case and the stage in which the disease is discovered. If the animal is cold