T.B. IN RABBITS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 690, 15 June 1929, Page 29

T.B. IN RABBITS

CASE LOCATED IN POVERTY BAY “NO REASON FOR ALARM” The discovery of a case of tuberculosis in an imported Angora rabbit was reported to a recent meeting of the East Coast Rabbit Board. Correspondence between the Live Stock Division of the Department of Agriculture and Mr. D. M. Ross, senior stock inspector, Gisborne, was submitted to the board, when it was revealed that the case mentioned was the only one known among Angora labbit sin this country. A letter from the district superintendent, Wellington, to the inspector at Gisborne, read: “Advice lias been received from Massey College, Palmerston North, to the effect that an imported Angora rabbit, which had been sent there for advice and treatment, died, and on post-mortem examination was found to be extensively affected with tuberculosis. This is rather a serious matter in view of the number of rabbits that are beingimported from Great Britain, and 1 shall be glad if you will advise me whether any similar cases of this sort have come under your notice. It will be well to keep a look-out for any such cases in yoilr district, and when rabbits are reported to be ailing the matter should be reported.” To this, Mr. D. M. Ross had replied: “No similar case to that reported has occurred here. In view of these rabbits being in close association with adults and young persons as household pets, the position is very ! grave indeed. I trust some necessary precaution may be taken before there j are more importations to this disi trict.” ; In response to this, the following | letter had come from the department: “Inquiries have been made by all inspectors and no other case of tuberculosis in rabbits has come to light, though some hundreds of these rabbits are now in the Dominion. It would appear, that, so far, there is no more danger to humans from these rabbits than from the ordinary domestic cat or dog. There is no occasion for any scare in respect to the matter.” WARTS ON TEATS Warts are carried round by milker’s hands, a few cells from one bleeding . wart setting up infection on other | teats. Prevention lies in making sure that warts are not made to bleed and ! in getting rid of them where present. One way to get rid of warts on teats lis to smear the teats with olive oil directly after milking.