sy DISEASES 



streaked with blood and matter. The treatment should be left to the 

 veterinary surgeon, who will lay the sinug open and apply remedies to 

 set up healthy action and close it up. 



Flatulency. — Is not very common in adult dogs, but oftener met with 

 in puppies. It is unmistakable evidence of indigestion. For immediate 

 relief the treatment should consist in giving to a 20 lb. dog half a tea- 

 spoonful of carbonate of magnesia, large dogs a teaspoonful, in a little 

 milk; or give a dose of castor oil, and follow with 5 gr. to 15 gr. of 

 carbonate of bismuth three times a day dry upon the tongue. For per- 

 manent cure, correct the indigestion. See Indigestion. 



Foreign Bodies in the Intestines. — This is another cause of obstruc- 

 tion in the bowels to which dogs are peculiarly liable. Pieces of bone "are 

 swallowed of such size and substance that they pass through the diges- 

 tive organs very slightly diminished, and getting into the smaller intestines, 

 cannot pass farther, so that feces accumulate and harden until, if not re- 

 lieved, inflammation is set up. Sometimes stones are swallowed and cause 

 obstruction, and this will at once demonstrate the danger of throwing 

 stones for dogs to retrieve, for, in their eagerness, they are apt to swallow 

 them, especially if small. Wool or rabbit fur swallowed is likely to ball 

 together with other matter. See Obstruction of Bowels. 



False Joint. — Is found where limb was improperly set, or the dog in 

 unhealthy condition. It is the non-union of the bone by the usual osseous 

 deposits, instead of which there is a fibrous connection, the union of the 

 bones, or portions of them, is much like they had been united by a pi«ce 

 of India rubber; the two pieces of bone can be readiiy moved, while the 

 limb cannot support any weight. An operation is often attempted to 

 set up inflammation of the parts, and induce osserous or bony deposits, but 

 experience has proven such operations not very successful. 



Fatty Degeneration of the Heart. — Previous to making a brief refer- 

 ence to this diseased state, it is necessary to tell the reader a few points 

 of importance in connection with the healthy heart of the dog. It is a 

 hollow, muscular organ, with a right and left compartment (the ventricles). 

 In shape it is like a cone, th apex of the cone pointing downwards and 

 backwards. The base is made up of two compartments of the body. These 

 large vessels serve to suspend the heart in the chest cavity, says Frank 

 Townsend Barton in British Fancier. 



"The blood coming from these vessels first of all passes into the two 

 compartments at the base (auricles), and from these through valves into 

 the compartments first mentioned, and called the ventricles. 



"The weight of the heart varies according to breed and age, but it 

 has been estimated that it runs from -3 to 7 per cent of the weight of the 

 animal. It is enclosed in a bag ,pericardium). When perfectly healthy 

 it should be dark red in color, firm to the touch of the finger, and the traces 

 of fat running down the various grooves upon its surface are a sign of a 

 well-nourished orgaa. 



