The Coconino sun., 1922-01-06
VETERINARY HINTS Written Expressly for The Sun
 by C. w. Scott, M. D. V. s.
TEXAS FEVER, SPANISH OR
 SPI ENIC FEVER

Cause - This disease Is found in all cattle countries and is commonly know as "tick fever" or "redwater" the latter term being applied on ac- count of the urine discoloration.
 The permanently infected regions are: The lower California; the cen tral part of southern Virginia and Tennessee; the eastern part of cen- tral Indian territory, and Texas.
 The cattle coming from these re- gions have the parasites in their blood but they do not suffer from them because the animals possess inn munity contracted when small calves.
 Tick fever is caused from micro- scopic parasite which attacks and des- troys the red blood corpuscles, it is transmitted from southern cattle to susceptible northern ones by means of the southern cattle tick. During warm weather when the southern cat tie are brought north the mature fe- male ticks drop to the ground, laying a great number of eggs which hatch in from two to six weeks. The young ticks are very active and when the northern cattle pass over the ground, the ticks, possessing a great climbing tendency, get onto the legs of the cattle and soon crawl up to their bodies, burying their mouth parts into the skin of the belly, on the inside of the thighs and also under the V of the jaws. In about ten days the susceptible cattle will manifest signs of the disease. Ordinarily, thirty to forty days will elapse after the south ern cattle pass over and infect the ground, thugh it may be longer, all depending on the weather conditions and the length of time it takes the eggs to hatch.
 If northern cattle are taken into infected southern districts, fever sym toms will appear in from ten to iii. teen days, as the ticks are matched and ready for action. Litters cleaned from cars, in which southern cattle are being shipped, may be the means of contagion to cattle running at large.
 Symptoms: - There is loss of appetite and suspended rumination, preceded by a high fever which is not generally noticed. The animal keeps by itself. AS the disease advances there is a great weakness, with trem- bling and difficulty in rising; the head droops; ears lop; the Hanks are tuck ed up"
 There is constipation, though there may be diarrhoea, the latter of which is regarded as a favorable symptom.
 Milch cows suffer loss of milk and when the symptoms recah the acute stage the urine becomes dark cherry red in color. The young ticks are found on the belly, inside of thighs, on the forelegs and brisket They are very minute and it is often neces- sary to make close examination to reveal them. The disease develops before the ticks reach maturity. Post mortem examinations show the blood to be thin and that it will not clot readily. The gall-bladder is distended, with dark thinck granular bile. The spleen is greatly swollen and of tar like consistency, thus the name, splen- ic fever. The liver is also enlarged and is a deeper yellow than under normal conditions. Congestion shows up in the kidneys and the urine in the bladder is deep red in color.
 Immunity may be produced by vac cination either in late fall or winter. Mild cases under skilled care and treatment will nearly always recover, but severt attacks are coDAidered hopeless.
 Helpful Hints
 Caked Udder - First give one and one-half pounds Epson salts; then hand rub and bathe the udder with hot soap suds; dry, and rub we'll with faxseed oil or lard.
 Sprains = Bandage tightly as pos sible; then saturate bandage with a strong solution of salt and vinegar, as warm as can be borne by the animal; apply the above solution to the band aged sprain for 15 or 20 minutes; leave the bandage on until the swell ing subsidies.