DISEASES OP DOGS. 281 



dogs only have it. It however, generally attacks before the animal 

 arrives at eighteen months old. When it comes on very early, the 

 chances of recovery are very small. It is peculiarly fatal to grev 

 hounds, much more so than to any other kind of dog, generally 

 carrying- them off by excessive scouring. It is very contagious, bui 

 it is by no means necessary that there should be contagion present 

 to produce it ; on the contrary, the constitutional liability to it is 

 cuch, that any cold taken may bring it on ; and hence it is very com- 

 mon to date its commencement from dogs being thrown into water, 

 or shut out on a rainy day, &c. There is no disease which pre- 

 sents such varieties as this, either in its mode of attack, or during 

 its continuance. In some cases it commences by purging, in others 

 by fits. Some have cough only, some waste, and others have 

 moisture from the eyes and nose, without any other active symptom. 

 Moist eyes, dullness, wasting with slight cough, and sickness, are 

 the common symptoms that betoken its approach. Then purging 

 comes on, and the moisture from the eyes and nose from mere mucus, 

 becom.es pus or matter — there is also frequently sneezing, with a 

 weakness in the loins. When the disease in this latter case is not 

 speedily removed, universal palsy comes on — during the progress 

 of the complaint some dogs have fits. When one fit succeeds 

 another quickly, the recovery is extremely doubtful. Many dogs 

 are carried off rapidly by the fits or by purging ; other waste gradu- 

 ally from the running from the nose and eyes, and these cases are 

 always accompanied with great marks of putridity. 



253. The cure. In the early stages of the complaint give emetics ; 

 they are peculiarly useful. A large spoonful of common salt dis- 

 solved in three spoonfuls of warm water, has been recommended ; 

 the quantity of salt being increased according to the size of the dog, 

 and the difficulty of making him vomit. While a dog remains 

 strong, one every other day is not too much : the bowels should be 

 kept open, but active purging should be avoided. In case the com- 

 plaint should be accompanied with excessive looseness, it should be 

 immediately stopped- by balls made of equal parts of opium, gum 

 arable, prepared chalk, and conserve of roses with rice milk as food 

 Two or three grains of James' powder may be advantageosuly given 

 at night, in cases where the bowels are not affi3cted,*and in the cases 

 where the matter from the nose and ej^es betokens much putridity, 

 we have v/itnessed great benefits from balls made of v/hat is termea 

 Friar's balsam, gum guaiacum, and chamomile flowers in powder 

 Dogs in every stage of tlie disease should be particularly well fi;d 

 A seton we have not found so useful as is generally supposed . 

 ft'here the nose is much stopped rubbing tar on tlio upp<?r part :* 



