' ~ DISEASES 111 



and confined to the joints of the legs, over the eyes, the flaps of the ears, 

 etc.: and this may exist for some time without other damage than causing 

 the dog great uneasiness and injury to his appearance by partially destroy- 

 ing the hair and robbing it of its natural glossy appearance. 



The first thing to be done with a mangy dog is to wash him. Let him 

 have a good sousing and scrubbing with a good soap and water, "hottish 

 rather but not so boiling as to turn him red;" dry well with a soft cloth, 

 which mast immediately be boiled, and then dress him with one or the 

 other of the several well known mange cures. Whatever you use, see that 

 it is applied thoroughly; see that it reaches the skin where the mites are, 

 and is not merely left on the hair. Chronic cases of mange often take a 

 month or two to cure. Sulphur is given as an internal remedy for mange, 

 but it is not of any use, in mange. 



Follicular Mango is due to another mite (Demodex folloculorum), very 

 different in appearance from the other (Saroptes), which are short and 

 thick, whereas this, the Demodex, is elongated, and with a long, obtuse 

 tail. These parasites differ in their habits, the Demodex living in the 

 hair-follicles, and burrowing deep under the skin in the sebaceous gland 

 that supplies the unctous matter to protect the skin and keep it soft. 

 The depth to which the Demodex burrows renders Follicular Mange much 

 lets easy of transmission between dogs; but it also makes a cure much 

 more difficult, as the parasites are hard to reach. This mite is identical 

 with a parasite found in the human skin causing some disfiguration of 

 the face, but further than that it does no harm until transferred to the 

 dog, when it causes a most repulsive disease, and one very difficult to 

 •radicate. 



Some few yean ago Mr. Wm. Hunting, F.R.S.V.S., in conjunction with 

 Profes»or Duguid, made a series of investigations and experiments in eluci- 

 dation of this disease, and the following description of symptoms and 

 the diagnosis are from an article by the former gentleman, which appeared 

 in the Veterinary Journal, and afterward in pamphlet form: 



"The symptoms of the disease are seldom seen in the first stages; they 

 consist merely of circumscribed spots from which the hair fallsy and upon 

 which are noticeable a few small pimples. These patches extend rapidly, and 

 fresh ones appear on other parts. Any portion of the skin may be affected, 

 but the head, legs, belly, and sides, are usually the seat of the disease. 

 The affected places are almost hairless, and what hair remains is easily 

 pulled out; small pimples and pustules stud the surface, the latter varying 

 in size from a pin's head to that of a pea. The confluence of the pustules, 

 and the discharge of their contents, give rise to scabs; these crack and 

 bleed, and so produce a most repulsive appearance. In white-haired dogs 

 Ihe skin is red; in all it is extremely hot, and emits an unpleasant odor. 

 The irritation does not excite much scratching, but the dog frequently 

 shakes himself. More pain than itshing seems to accompany the disease. 

 In cases where the whole body is affected loss of condition is most marked; 

 and in cold weather the almost total loss of hair may cause death, if the 

 animal be not kept in a warm place. This stage, too, is always accom- 

 panied by ravenous appetite, due, probably, to the rapid loss of animal 

 heat. 



