The Coconino sun., 1921-12-23
VETERINARY HINTS
Written Expressly for The Sun
by c. w. Scott, M. D. v. s.
Contagious Diseases.
Joint Ill: Navel III.

Cause - This disease is most COM
mon to foals and calves. 1t affects
them usually when less than thirty
days old, and is caused from a navel
infection that is followed by joint
troubles and form of blood poison
ing. The injecting germ enters the
body, of the young animal through
the navel cord, which has not yet be-
come. shriveled and dried. Excretions
coming from the infected navel drop
onto the ground, bedding, or floors,
and other young stock coming in con-
tact with this contamination, are in
turn infected, thus giving the disease
rapid spread. In many cases, where
colts or calves are born with this dis
ease, the symptoms manifest them
selves at birth. When such cases &C.
cur, the infection, according to late
medical reports, may be traced back
to hereditary dourine.
Symptoms: In acute cases the
navel is usually swollen and hard, and
the navel ring is also open. Fluid may
frequently be pressed out, or an alb
scess may form, from which, when
opened, fetid fluid escapes. These abb
scesses may also form in the lungs,
limbs, or lympth glands. The disease
may appear as a general blood poison
ing, the animal manifesting signs of
sickness, when only day or so old.
1t will refuse nourishment, be in a
state of great weakness, act dull, show
presence of fever and have a very
quick heart action. Death will nearly
always result.
Another common form is the swell
ing of the joints, occurring when the
animal is but few days old, and If
many of its joints are swollen it will
be unable to stand. 1t will suffer in
tense pain and may be left permanent
ly blemished. The navel usually in
flames and soon discharges pus. The
symptoms may abate but if septic in
lection sets in death will surely fol-
low.
The lungs, stomach, bowels, spinal
cord and brain are subject to this dis
ease. If diarrhoea is present it is
quite difficult to judge whether it is
case of Joint III or Dysentery. If
the infection remains local the animal
will under skilled care often recover
in fifteen or twenty days.
Treatment: Drugs given to colts
and calves seldom do them any good
and if there is general spread of
blood poisoning the case is practically
hopeless. Prompt surgical work in
the navel, opening the abscess, remov-
ing all diseased tissue, and painting
the infected parts with tincture OF
iodine, will usually produce successful
results where the infection is local.
In treating it is extremely important
to allow any pus that forms free
drainage.
In joint swellings, paint the parts
with tincture of iodine every day or
two. The treatment that has been
the most successful in arresting the
of this disease is the proper
and prompt application of autogenic
bacterins.
Precaution: Many cases may be
prevented by taking careful precau-
tionary measures before the calf or
colt is born.
Thoroughly groom and disinfect
the mare or cow and place in clean,
light quarters, the floor of which
should be well sprinkled with nom
poisonous disinfectant. After the calf |
DR. colt is born strip the navel cord
and then apply equal parts of dried
powdered alum, camphor and starch
until the cord shrivels.
never tie the cord. Some consider it
4 good plan to paint the cord with
incture Of Iodine.
First Aid Hints
Choking: If the obstruction can be
'elt from the outside, try to dislodge
With the hands, first putting a little
inseed or other oil down the throat.
f this fails take a four foot length of
garden hose, raise the animals nose
o level with the body, place hose
lown the throat until the obstruction
S reached and then gently force the
object into the stomach.
Lock-jaw: Bleed the horse in the
bird bar of the mouth, and drench
With strong salt water.
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