A study of the treatment of the intestinal parasites of swine

Abstract

Parasitic infestation of the intestines is one of the most serious and wide spread diseases of swine. With the exception of cholera there is probably no other one disease causing greater loss to hog owners. Parasitism, being very slow in its progress, gains a firm foot-hold on the affected animal before its presence is suspected and is especially injurious to young, poorly fed shoats. Older hogs when properly fed are able to withstand its attacks for some time before any noticeable symptoms of parasitic invasion may be observed. Increased value of market pork has stimulated an added interest in this disease by the veterinary profession as well as by the owners of swine. For a matter of such general interest there seems to have been very little exact experimental work done upon the subject. This is probably due in part to the small value previously placed upon young shoats showing marked symptoms of infestation; and in part to the fact that parasitic infestation is often not recognized until the affected hogs show marked symptoms of ill health, and in this condition many succumb to some other infection, as pneumonia or cholera, and the true cause of the disease is lost sight of. Seeing the economic bearing of the subject, what then is the most efficient treatment of the intestinal parasites of swine?