CAUSE.—As a rule, in Garget or Congestion of the Udder in heavy milking
ewes, just before and after lambing, the glands of the udder enlarge,
become hot, tense and tender and a slight pasty swelling extends forward
from the glands on the lower surface of the abdomen. This physiological
condition is looked upon as a matter of course and disposed of in two
or three days when the secretions of milk have been fully established.
General breaking up of the udder may be greatly hastened by the sucking
of a hungry lamb and the kneading it gives the udder with its nose is
beneficial. The above mentioned congestion or Garget may emerge into
active inflammation resulting from continued exposure to cold weather,
standing in cold drafts or injury to the udder from stone, clubs, feet
of other animals, overfeeding or rich food, like cotton seed or soy
bean, sore teats or a ewe losing her lamb in the period of full milking;
serious disturbances of the animal’s health is liable to fall upon the
udder.
SYMPTOMS.—The symptoms and mode of attack vary in different cases.
Following exposure to cold drafts or cold, wet weather, there is usually
severe chilling with cold ears and limbs and general dryness and
brittleness of the wool. This is followed by a flush of heat, the ears
and limbs become unnaturally warm and the glands swell up and become
firm and solid in one or both sides of the udder. The muzzle is hot
and dry, temperature elevated two or three degrees above normal, pulse
firm and quick, excited breathing, appetite and rumination suspended,
bowels constipated, urine scanty and the yield of milk may be entirely
suppressed in the affected side.
TREATMENT.—Determine the cause and remove it if possible. Move the
affected animals to comfortable quarters, supply liberal quantities of
bedding for the animal to lie upon. Give two to six ounces of Glauber
Salts dissolved in a pint of hot water. Permit it to cool. Place the ewe
on her haunches and drench carefully. Feed laxative foods as hot bran
mashes, steamed rolled oats and vegetables, supplying the animal with
pure water to drink, to which add two drams of Hyposulphite of Soda, two
or three times a day. In some cases it is advisable to apply Camphorated
Ointment to the udder once or twice a day.
GID.
(_Sturdy_)
CAUSE.—Gid is produced by a bladder worm, a larva or an egg of the
tapeworm infesting the intestines of dogs, wolves and coyotes. The eggs
of these tapeworms are scattered over the range or pastures in the
droppings of infested dogs, wolves or coyotes, and these when swallowed
in the food or water by the sheep, hatch out and the embryos migrate to
the brain, spinal cord, etc., where they develop into cysts, bladder
worms or water bags, etc. When the organs of sheep, thus infested, are
eaten by dogs, wolves or coyotes, the cyst worms are also likely to be
swallowed and then develop into mature tapeworms.
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