SWINE FEVER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 558, 15 June 1933, Page 2

SWINE FEVER

SYMPTOMS • VARY ACG5RDIN G TO SEVERITY OF ATTACK. MUST BE REPfO'RTED. > This disease iis of a very highl^ inf ectious and contagious character, typhoid.in nature, and accompanied hy an eruptive f eVer and is peculiar only to the pig. The incubation period of the disease is from five to 10 days;.a rise in temperature will generally he' found about the fifth day and yisible signs of- illness about th'e eighth day after. infection. . ■ • The symptoms vary accordirig to •which form( the disease sh'ow;s itself,' ! whether it is the acute,. suhacute1, or chronic form. An outbreak may * jbe ushere'd in with cases of the acute type,- kiRing offi the most -susceptible; animals and follow:ed hylthe subacute1 or chronic forms of the disease wlthja fair proportion of' recpveries. On the' other hand you may find an outbreak hegins and ends with acute cases and a high death-rate. i > ^ Jt.is -to be. rememhered -that vyoung svAne . are. more severely and rapidly attacke.d' thq,n older op.qs."'.. | 1 fIf^ acute c^§es the animals" refuse all; ' f opd and hury .themselyes, pu.the litferj and He huddled dp in a.corner. Ther,e .may he patarrhal dischargie t from the' eyes „and swelling pf thp eyelidS andi •the' '' anixhals appejar tq .he.ruhn!;ng.a? temp eratuf e, ' .which may . rise .to ;lt)6' ■ or ;even 108. •--Gonstipation. i^at-..fir^t. us'ually present," fpllo^d ihj an offen-i ' siv-e, diarrh'oak if tthe apiipal liyeg .loq.gt enough. T.here|i is great iprostratio^i. and the appearance of a rash on th'e

of thighs an^.fopearms, and along the,' belly. The animals gradually.become comatose and;;.die after an illness of two to four days. In the subacute cases more- typical. symptoms arai seen, only one or two of th'e herd may be affected at any time and the period- of illness is much longer. Complete lpss ,of appetite, shivering and prostration is shown. Sometimes - the -lungs are affected and symptoms of pneurponia are shown, accelerated breathing, etc., and a cough with sometimes a discharge from the nostjpjs, and sticky_ discharge from th'e eyes. " There as great thirst, affected animals .drinking everything available of.a fiuid nature.' Diarrhoea of an offensiv.e nature usually follows the constipation and the faeces (which are very inf ectious)' are thick and viscid at first, hut later; on beeome thin and watery. ; The gait becomes unsteady from loss of onuscular power which' sometimes ends in partial or complete paralysis. A short, husky cough is usually present and . may" easily .be detected by waking up, affected . animals. ...Skin lesions'.may be present or absent, but it is, ■ .however,- very . common to .find: a pjnhead -rash, .upon . which. small brpwn'. .orr'hlack scales or .even ulcers may ultimately appear4 * . { Chronic cases -have a hard, stunted, unthrifty look, the skin a .pale, ashycplour,..appe,t)it,e capricious, and' th.ere may be intermittent diarrhoea;, husky cough often present, and eyelids a> sticky" discharge. .. . - . ? , Any .farmer finding .any .pf. the^e symptoms appearing' amongst' his swine should -immediately 'report the matter to th'e .Inspector of .Stock for •the District, when.th'e case will be immediately investigated: -----