Treatment.—This disease is recognized as being incurable, and generally fatal. In suspected cases, give A.A., every two hours, until the animal improves, or the disease becomes thoroughly developed in which latter case the animal should be killed at once, the body burned, and the premises disinfected as given under contagious abortion, page [122].
Big Jaw—Actinomycosis
This disease is caused by the Ray fungus which is sometimes found on barley, oats, cactus, dried grass, etc., and which enters the body of the animal through cuts or wounds on the tongue, gums, etc., and particularly with young animals at teething time.
Symptoms.—These of course vary with the position of the wound, through which the fungus entered the body. If on the tongue, the tongue becomes swollen and very painful “wooden tongue.” If around the teeth, the jaw becomes swollen and finally the growth breaks through the skin or into the mouth. If through the skin of the head or neck, large nodules appear, varying in size from a hazel nut to a man’s fist.
Treatment.—The most successful treatment is by cutting out the nodules; this of course should be done by a Veterinary Surgeon.
We advise calling a Veterinary Surgeon and having him perform the operation as soon as possible, as the disease is usually curable if properly handled and it cannot be transmitted to man or to the other animals.
Texas Fever—Red Water—Black Water—Hemoglobinuria
This disease is an infection of the blood by small animals called protozoa which are transmitted by the cattle tick. Only cattle get this disease although other animals may have plenty of ticks.
The cattle tick spends part of its life on the animal and part on the ground. The females after having become pregnant, while on the cattle, drop to the ground and lay their eggs; when the eggs hatch, the young ticks crawl to the top of the blades of grass and attach themselves to the cattle.
There are two types of this disease, the acute and the chronic, the acute form usually attacks cattle in hot weather, while the chronic or mild form is more apt to be found in the fall.