Symptoms And Treatment Of Cattle Diseases - Part 6
( Originally Published 1912 )
HAIR BALLS IN CATTLE
This habit is formed without any apparent cause and animals thus afflicted lick themselves, or lick one another, and by so doing the loose hair which is gathered by the tongue passes down the gullet into the digestive organs where it at first forms a small ball, which becomes enlarged by the gradual collection of hair which is swallowed by the animal.
These balls differ in size from that of a small marble to that of an orange, and they may be retained in the digestive organs without causing any noticeable inconvenience or disturbance unless perchance they enter into the outlet of the organ and prevent the passing of the contents into the next stomach, which soon results in a disturbed condition of the digestive organs and prompts the animal to act as if afflicted with colic or acute indigestion.
A desire for salt will cause cattle to lick one another to excess.
See Prescription No. 208, page 175.
This trouble is due to an abnormal contraction of the sphincter muscles at the point of the teat, an affection which often greatly reduces the value of a previously valuable cow, because nobody wishes to purchase or own one that is known as a hard milker ; but if the stock-owners knew how easily this trouble can be overcome, they would never think of disposing of a hard milker at a sacrifice, as so many do.
The mere fact that a cow is a hard milker is no indication that her yield of milk is deficient in quantity; but because she does not yield her milk readily, she is generally not milked thoroughly by the disgusted milker, who thereby leaves a quantity of milk in her udder, that should have been drawn out.
Stockmen who know how to treat such cases often buy valuable cows at a greatly reduced price, because they are hard milkers ; but by the use of a Teat Plug and a few treatments for hard milking, they cause them to become splendid, easy milkers, thereby increasing their value many times the cost of the treatment. A Milking Tube should never be used in such cases, because of the danger of infection, and the results are not as good as from the Teat Plug.
Wash the ends of the teats thoroughly with Germ Killer solution, dip the Teat Plug into a clean solution of the same strength and insert it into a little Badger Balm, then introduce it into the teat as far as possible, so as to pass enlargement of the teat plug into the teat far enough to admit the bulb, which stretches the contracted muscles and retains the plug. The teat plugs should be allowed to remain in the teats from one milking to another, until milking is made easy, requiring from three to six days. Do not use the milking tube instead of teat plug, as it will admit the air and is liable to cause infection.
See Prescription No. 39, page 175.
It is pretty well understood by most stock owners that indigestion may be due to many causes, such as cold water, musty, bulky, fibrous food, and irregular feeding. This can be overcome by giving Cow Tonic according to directions, and the bowels should be kept open by giving Laxotonic internally and warm water injections (per rectum.)
See Prescription No. 40, page 175.
INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS.
Inflammation of the lungs may be known by the presence of hard breathing. The animal stops as though exhausted and extends the neck and head; dilates the nostrils and turns the limbs or elbows out on either side of the body, while at the same time she will appear to be very much distressed. The breathing may be rapid and short. The temperature should be taken and is usually found high.
Give the Fever Paste according to directions and apply the White Liniment to both sides of the chest. Give warm water injections (per rectum) twice daily, and the bowels may be kept open by giving Laxotonic according to directions. In severe cases apply the Antiseptic Poultice to the chest (both sides) and to the throat, if need be. Give bran mashes made of linseed tea.
See Prescription No. 41, page 175.
INFLAMMATION OF THE WOMB.
Inflammation of the womb is a very serious and obstinate disease.
The treatment is to give Fever Paste according to directions and warm water injections of Antisepto solution per vagina three times daily; introduce a half pound of lard after each injection. The bowels should be kept open by giving Laxotonic according to directions.
See Prescription No. 42, page 175.
INFLAMMATION OF THE UDDER.
Give Cow Tonic according to directions and wash the udder with a warm solution of Germ Killer twice daily, and apply Badger Balm or White Liniment well rubbed in; then apply Antiseptic Poultice. Keep the animal well bedded to protect the udder from coming in contact with any dampness. (See picture "How to Bandage a Cow.")
See Prescription No. 43, page 175.
INFLAMMATION OF THE TESTICLES.
This may be due to an infection or an injury. In either case the testicles should be washed with a warm solution of Germ Killer and then thoroughly anointed with Badger Balm; then apply Antiseptic Poultice. The animal should receive Cow Tonic according to directions to purify the blood and tone up the system. The animal should not be used for breeding purposes during the treatment.
See Prescription No. 44, page 175.
INFLAMMATION OF THE TONGUE.
This will be known by a swelling of the tongue, slobbering from the mouth, and inability to swallow naturally.
Fever Paste in small and repeated doses should be given. Give bran mashes made from linseed tea and apply Antiseptic Poultice to the throat. See Prescription No. 45, page 175.
INFLAMMATION OF THE JOINTS.
This is very common in all joints, but is more so in the joints of the feet, and the treatment is to wash the affected joints with a solution of Germ Killer; thoroughly rub in Badger Balm and apply Antiseptic Poultice once, daily.
See Prescription No. 46, page 175.
Itch is a disease of the skin and may be due to parasites or other causes. The treatment is to wash the parts thoroughly with a solution of Germ Killer, and apply Skin Ointment according to directions, thoroughly rubbed in. The animal should receive Cow Tonic according to directions to purify the blood and tone up the system.
See Prescription No. 47, page 175.
JOHNE'S DISEASE OR BACTERIAL DYSENTERY.
Bacterial Dysentery is a slow, contagious cattle disease existing in the United States for a number of years. The first case noticed by the writer came to his attention some years ago.
There is perhaps no disease whose outward appearance resembles tuberculosis more than Bacterial Dysentery. There is the same continual and gradual wasting away of the tissues until an animal, which was once in a healthy condition, becomes a walking skeleton.
There is always a looseness of the bowels, as the name of the disease would indicate, and an animal is more apt to show rapid emaciation immediately after calving than at any other time. In fact, the period of calving is usually the starting of Bacterial Dysentery.
Past records show that this disease is more apt to afflict imported animals than our own native cattle; and the fact that a great many of the imported cattle are afflicted shortly after being imported, would indicate that they were affected before arriving in the United States, the disease developing after their arrival.
If an animal is bred while in an advanced stage of this disease, conception is not likely to occur ; but if she does conceive, in rare cases the foetus may be carried a few months, when it is liable to die (owing to the low vitality of the mother), become mummified and be carried as long as the animal lives. The author has witnessed a number of such cases.
Owing to the fact that this is a contagious disease, it is advisable to remove animals thus afflicted from the balance of the herd and thoroughly disinfect the stables with Disinfectall. At the present writing there is no treatment known that has proved successful in overcoming Bacterial Dysentery.
This disease is not common, but does exist in the United States at the present time.
LEUCORRHOEA OR WHITES.
Leucorrhoea or whites in cows is a catarrhal disease of the genital organs and is usually brought on by infectious abortion or retention of the afterbirth. They will be noticed to have a white or dirty discharge from the vulva, usually of an infectious nature.
The animal should receive Breeding Tonic internally and the vagina should be washed out with a solution of Antisepto until all discharges cease. See Prescription No. 48, page 176.
LEAD POISONING OF CATTLE.
Lead poisoning of cattle is oftentimes mistaken for rabies or vice versa. It usually comes from their having licked freshly painted mangers or buildings, and thus swallowing compounds containing white lead.
In several instances cattle have been poisoned by eating silage from a silo painted inside with lead paint shortly before filling.
Water drank from lead pipes or held in lead lined tanks may cause poisoning. Old paint cans thrown into the pasture after a barn or house has been painted sometimes produce lead poisoning in cattle, as cattle usually have a mania for licking paint.
The symptoms of cattle afflicted with lead poisoning are generally dullness and if standing up, they usually go around in a circle, always going in the same direction, indicating that only one-half of the brain is affected.
While lying down they keep the head turned toward the flank. There is usually a rumbling in the abdomen, indicating a disturbed condition of the alimentary canal, loss of control of the limbs when walking, twitching of the jaws, moving in a circle, convulsions, delirium, violent bellowing, followed by stupor and death.
The symptoms generally extend over considerable time, but may end in death after twenty-four hours.
See Prescription No. 209, page 176.
This is a term usually applied to a cow's teat having too large to orifice or sphincter at the point, or on the side of the teat, allowing the milk to escape nearly as rapidly as it is secreted into the milk channels.
The same term may be applied to a teat that has a false opening on the side of the teat, sometimes caused by barb wire injuries. This opening allows the milk to escape as rapidly as it is secreted by the glands, or, at milking time the milk is forced out through the side instead of the end opening, which .makes it very disagreeable and unsanitary.
A cow thus afflicted is not a very salable animal; in fact one familiar with cattle would not consider the purchase of such an animal at any price.
The proper time to apply treatment to this ailment is not during the period of lactation, but on the contrary during the time of rest, after a cow has been dried up.
The most practical method for treating such cases is to cauterize the opening with either caustic potash, or a hot knitting needle, then wash the teat with a solution of Germ Killer and apply Healing Oil.
See Prescription No. 67, page 176. —or temporary relief of a leaky teat, apply collodion after milking.
(See Inflammation of the Lungs, page 75.) See Prescription No. 41, page 176.
LUMP JAW, OR ACTINOMYCOSIS.
The first appearance of Lump Jaw is either an enlargement of the jaw bone or an enlargement of the glands of the throat, which are just back of the angle of the jaw and at first they may be loose from the jaw, but later on become adhered.
These swellings on the jaw or of the glands when broken will discharge a yellowish sticky pus which sometimes contains hard yellow granules or fragments of bone. As a result of the swelling, the teeth may be pushed out of their natural position and consequently an animal cannot masticate its food properly, and will soon run down in flesh; the decaying of the bone oftentimes results in the destruction of the tooth sockets so the teeth will often fall out.
Every swelling on the jaws of cattle should be regarded as possibly Lumpy Jaw, if the definite cause for it is not known. The swellings are sometimes noticed to remain for some time of the same size, but sooner or later the inflammation will cause the swellings to increase.
This disease is due to a germ, and when pus discharged from any of these enlargements falls on the grass or feed of other stock, such animals are liable to contract the disease. In this manner a whole herd may be ruined if the treatment is neglected.
When there is no external opening apply Absorbent until the enlargements are all absorbed or an opening produced.
When there is an external opening on the surface of the swelling Absorbent should be injected into the cavity, or a small strip of white cloth may be dipped into the Absorbent and stuffed into the cavity, leaving only the end of it hanging out.
On account of the run-down condition of the animal. because of the inability to masticate the food, the Cow Tonic should be given to aid digestion, increase the appetite and hasten recovery.
In extremely bad and stubborn cases a drachm of Iodide of Potash may be given in the drinking water twice daily, but never drench .
See Prescription No. 49, page 176.
(See article on Garget or Caked Udder, page 72.) See Prescription No. 34, page 176.
Blue milk is due to an impoverished condition of the blood, and the treatment consists of giving plenty of nutritious food, to which should be added the Cow Tonic. See Prescription No. 50, page 176.
MILK FEVER, OR PARTURIENT PARESIS.
The stall which a cow with milk fever occupies should be well drained and plenty of bedding should be placed under her. Unless the cow is standing, place her on her broadside and wash off her udder and teats with a solution of Germ Killer. Dissolve one tablespoonful of Milk Fever Remedy in two quarts of warm water which has been boiled and cooled to blood heat; then inject one-fourth of this solution in each of the four teats by the use of the Milk Fever Injector, which must be thoroughly washed in a solution of Germ Killer to prevent infection of the teats or udder. After injecting the solution into each teat, use a small air pump similar to a bicycle pump or place the lips to the end of the rubber tube and inflate the udder as much as possible by blowing forcibly into it until it is fully distended ; then tie a small piece of tape around the point of the teats to keep the air from escaping. Remove the tape as soon as the cow gets up on her feet. After the udder has been thus treated, raise the cow upon her shoulder and prop her up by the means of bales of hay or bags of grain. Never allow her to lie flat on her side, except while washing and treating the udder. Give her a teaspoonful of Laxotonic, dry on the tongue (never drench a cow), every three hours until the cow is up and the bowels move naturally; then continue with the Laxotonic every six hours until the contents of one box has been given her, following the Laxotonic with the Cow Tonic to bring her back to her natural flow of milk. Keep a blanket on her until she recovers.
The air should be stripped out of the teats a few hours after she is up, and she may be milked a little twice daily until she gives a natural flow of milk, when she should be milked thoroughly dry at each milking. The feed should be of a laxative and nutritious nature, the chill taken from the drinking water for several days and a reasonable amount of exercise should be given her.
See Prescription No. 51, page 176.
MILK BLOODY OR STRINGY.
Bloody or stringy milk are both due to a derangement of the system, and the treatment consists of giving Cow Tonic as directed, which will alter the condition of the blood to such an extent as to overcome this ailment. Give good, clean, nutritious feed—including bran mashes made of flaxseed tea.
See Prescription No. 52, page 176.
NAVEL DISEASE OF CALVES.
This is a germ disease which affects the navel cord, occurring often soon after birth, due to the parts becoming infected by germs, which not only produce soreness and inflammation of the navel, but also enter the body at this point, causing a swelling of the joints. This results in lameness and a gathering of matter, or pus, reducing the vitality of the animal, causing a lack of ambition, a dull sickly appearance, indigestion and scours. Unless proper treatment is promptly given the disease will cause a sloughing of the joints or death by scours.
Treatment of Navel Diseases of Calves.
It is better to prevent this disease than to treat it after it has appeared. This can be done by thoroughly. disinfecting the stall in which the cow calves, and when the calf is born the navel cord should be tied with a string dipped in Umbilicure, and Umbilicure should be applied to navel cord until it dries up and drops off, and the wound heals.
See Prescription No. 53, page 176.
PARALYSIS OF THE BOWELS.
Paralysis of the bowels in cattle is a very common but seldom recognized ailment, even by the most skilled persons, and is the result of an overloaded and over-worked condition of the bowels. It is generally mistaken for constipation, for the reason that its symptoms are very similar; therefore it is difficult for any one but an expert to recognize the difference. The treatments for the two diseases are entirely different. A remedy that will overcome constipation will not cure paralysis, but one that will overcome paralysis, will cure constipation.
As fully 75 per cent of the cases of stoppage of the bowels is due to paralysis and only about 25 per cent due to constipation, it would be advisable for all stock owners to be on the lookout for paralysis when stoppage of the bowels is met with.
If a physic be given a cow afflicted with paralysis of the bowels, they are liable to be irritated by the treatment and, unable to throw off their poisonous, irritating contents, inflammation often ensues, when death will soon follow. On the other hand, if a cow, afflicted with paralysis of the bowels, be given a laxative and tonic which loosen and tone the bowels without any irritation whatever, the results will be favorable. Should there be constipation without paralysis this treatment will also be beneficial, for the bowels will be loosened and toned thereby.
In all forms of stoppage of the bowels in cattle, whether due to constipation or paralysis, give Laxotonic according to directions; at the same time give from two to four quarts of luke-warm water per rectum once or twice daily to empty the small intestines.
Give the animal bran mashes made of flaxseed tea, feed sparingly, remove the chill from the drinking water and give moderate exercise when able. to take same. See Prescription No. 54, page 176.