COW POX

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3309, 1 April 1926, Page 13

COW POX

ITS CAUSE, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT. Practically all domestic animals, as well as man, ai - c subject to the affection known as pox. This is a contagious disease characterised by the peculiar formation of vesicles ,nd pustules on the skin. In soml animals the disease may affect the entire surface of the body, while in others only certain parts are attacked. In the first form the disease occurs in man, sheep and more rarely in goats and hogs; in cattle and horses it almost invariably occurs as a mild local affection. However, because of the fact that it Is largely confined to the udder and teats in dairy cows, it is a source of considerable annoyance when it is introduced into a herd. Cause anil Methods of Spread.

It has been quite definitely proven that cow pox is an infection, that is, it ia due to living germs. No difficulty is experienced in transferring the disease from animal to animal. However, no one has been able to actually see the germs even with our present high-power micrbscopos. It is, therefore, believed that pox, like any other infections, among which may be mentioned hog cholera and foot and mouth disease, is caused by an ultra-visible germ; that is, germs which are so small that they are invisible to even microscopic vision. Symptoms. Cow pox usually develops four to seven days after an animal has been exposed to this infection. There is, as a rule, a slight fever, a loss of appetite and possibly the cow may stop chewing her cud. These symptoms, however, may bo so mild that they will be overlooked and the first observable sign will be tenderness of the udder when milking. The milk becomes thinner and readily clots. On the second or third day there will appear on the swollen teats and adjoining parts of the udder, small hard nodules up Jo the size of a pea, , In a day or two these will enlarge somewhat into definite vesicles or blisters containing a watery serum or lympth. These blisters are reddish, bluish or yellowish white, depending upon the thickness of the skin and on its colour. These visicles which are on the udder are round, while those on the teats are oval in the direction of the long axis of the teat, and they arc surrounded by a red or pink circle. After eight to eleven days the vesicles become ripe and show in their centre' a well-defined depression (navel) which, however, is sometimes absent. After this the contents of the vesicles change to pus of a white or yellowish colour and they scab over. If the scabs are rubbed off there is an ulcer exposed. In any case when a healing occurs there remains a slightly depressed scar. Treatment.

Whenever possible milking of, affected cows should he discontinued; if this is not advisable great care should be used in milking or the milk should be drawn with the aid of teat tubes carefully sterilised. The udder should be kept clean and dry. If ulceration has occurred the parts should be kept annointed with zinc ointment or carbolised vaseline. As a means of prevention some report excellent results by the use of vaccine the same as is practised against smallpox in the human family.