PREVENTIVE TREATMENT.—Avoid grazing your sheep on low marshy soil,
especially during warm wet weather. Young lambs and weak ones are
especially susceptible to this disease.
MEDICAL TREATMENT.—The writer has tried various treatments as fumigation
with different substances and injection of remedies into the windpipe
by the use of a hypodermic syringe, etc., but none have proven very
successful, from a practical standpoint. I would recommend placing the
affected animals in a tightly closed barn or shed, in the center of which
place a pan of red hot coals and cover with Sulphur.
A person should remain in the barn or shed as long as he possibly can
and after the fumes become so irritating that he cannot endure them
any longer, he should immediately make his exit. The sheep should be
compelled to stay a minute or two longer and then quickly open the
doors and windows. Repeat this treatment once or twice a week. Feed
affected animals well. Give them fresh water to drink and protect them
from exposure. This treatment, as above described, has given very good
results, providing the parasites were not too numerous.
SCAB.
(_Mange_)
CAUSE.—The mange mite (Psoroptes Communis). This parasite is equipped
with stylets which pierce the skin at the seat where the mange mite
penetrates the skin, and produces small red spots followed by a blister
filled with serum, which ruptures, the serum drying and forming a small
scab. It is in this way that innumerable mange mites cause the piling
up of scabs thus producing a very scaly condition. As Mange advances,
the scaly patches eventually pile up until they attain the thickness of
one-half inch, unless these scabs have been severely rubbed.
SYMPTOMS.—Very easily detected, as a bunch of sheep that have been
recently infected will be uneasy or restless, rubbing against fences,
posts, brush, etc., causing bunches of wool to loosen. The itching seems
to be more intense at night and during warm weather. The affected animals
will even make attempts to bite themselves, due to the agony produced by
the mange mite. If the skin is examined by the aid of a magnifying glass,
the mange mite can be easily noticed, or by scraping the skin with a
knife and placing the scabs on a dark paper and exposed to the warmth of
the sun, the mange mite moving about can readily be seen with the naked
eye. Mangy sheep become very poor and eventually die.
PREVENTION.—This is important, for although the disease is treated with
very good results, the mange mite annoy the sheep until they become very
weak and emaciated and the loss of wool is enormous due to the affected
animal continually rubbing against fences, brush, etc.
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