Cause; infected dust on susceptible subject; inoculation. Symptoms;
movement of jaws; frothy lips; salivation; viscid nasal discharge;
difficult swallowing and breathing; swollen tender throat; extended
head; anorexia; cyanosis; open mouth; cough expels shreds of false
membrane; asphyxia. Lesions. Treatment; Glauber salts or muriatic acid
in water; antiseptic fumigation and drinking water; antisepsis of the
pharynx.
Roche-Lubin speaks of this disease as common in flocks, as the result of
moving them around for twenty-four hours in a narrow enclosure covered
with dust which is raised in a cloud and settles in the fleece so as to
increase its weight. The fever and excitement caused by the constant
driving and the local action of the infected dust on the respiratory
mucous membrane is said to bring about the intense exudative
inflammation. It has been seen especially in the spring in young lambs
shortly after weaning. Damman claims that he transmitted the disease to
sheep by inoculating the diphtheritic exudate of the calf.
_Symptoms._ There were constant movements of the jaws, with the
accumulation of frothy saliva round the lips or the drivelling of this
secretion from the mouth, the discharge of a viscid white material from
the nose, difficulty of deglutition, hurried, panting, snuffling
breathing, swelling and tenderness of the throat, and the occurrence of
cough and the discharge of mucopurulent matter whenever it was pressed.
The head and neck are held rigidly extended, the eyes are dull or
glazed, the appetite is completely lost, the mucosæ red and cyanotic and
the animal weak and unsteady upon its limbs. By the third or fourth day
respiration has become so difficult that the mouth is held constantly
open, the tongue protruded and the painful convulsive cough leads to the
expulsion by the nose and mouth of shreds of false membrane. Careful
examination of the nose or of the fauces may detect the grayish or
yellowish patches of false membrane at an earlier stage. Death by
asphyxia is common.
_Lesions_ do not differ materially from those seen in the calf. The
inflammation and pseudomembranous exudate may extend as far as the
trachea and bronchia in which case the indications of death by asphyxia
are clearly marked.
_Treatment_ is the same as for the calf. Tepid drinks slightly acidified
with muriatic acid, or the addition to the drinking water of one pound
of sulphate of soda to every fifty sheep has been especially
recommended. Fumigation with sulphurous acid or chlorine is easy of
application in flocks. As alternatives for addition to the water may be
named hyposulphite or bisulphite of soda, borax, carbolic acid, or
spirits of turpentine. For treatment individually swabbing the throat
with antiseptics and dilute caustics, electuaries, and hot poultices to
the throat may be tried.