DISEASES 143 



— give him a home, even if you could not tell what breed he is. He or she 

 would fully repay you for this kind act, and the Good Master above will 

 reward you for it. Every dog you see or meet deserves all of this. My 

 finally dragging his hind legs. When placed upon their legs they drop 

 motto is, "You can't do too much for a dog." I have wandered from my 

 subject — Sunstroke. Treat it as you would a person. Remove the dog 

 quickly to some retired place, as cool as possible, where he can get plenty 

 of air, and apply ice to the head. If ice is not obtainable, cold water 

 plentifully applied is the next best thing to do. Also give a little whisky. 



Spinal Meningitis. — The cause of this disease may be traced to injur- 

 ies to the spine, violent blows, shocks, falls from windows, etc. 



Occasionally we see this symptom in distemper. 



The symptoms appear slowly or quickly, according to the irritation 

 present. If the spinal cord is much involved by the exudation, we find 

 complete paralysis, posterior to that portion of the spine affected. 



Symptoms. — The patient is heavy and dull, with a staggering gait, 

 sideways on their hind quarters. If the paralysis is complete, we must look 

 for the injury in the cervical region (or region of the neck). If a pin be 

 used to the paralyzed members there is usually no sensitiveness. Coldness 

 is another symptom. There is often complete paralysis or loss of power 

 to control the urine, and there is a difficulty in the passage of faecal 

 matter. The paralyzed members become atrophied from want of use. 



Consciousness is not at all impaired, and the appetite remains fairly 

 good. 



The prognosis is usually unfavorable, and when recovery does take 

 place it is very slow. 



Treatment consists in counter-irritation to the spine as biniodide of 

 mercury or mustard oil, and strychnine in increasing doses, commencing 

 with 1-50 grain three times a day, increased gradually to 1-30. Iodide of 

 potash may be used in conjunction with the strychnine. Electricity may 

 be tried. 



Temperature and PuLse — As indications of health or departure from 

 the normal state the temperature and the moisture or dryness of the nose 

 — the integument forming the walls of the nostrils — are very delicate indi- 

 cators, but, if I may say so, they tell too much, and are too general, and 

 do not enable us to discriminate. When the nose is dry and hot we know 

 the dog is out of sorts, but we have to search for other symptoms to deter- 

 mine what is the matter. The pulse and general temperature are impor- 

 tant aids to diagnosis far too much neglected. Dalziel says: 



"The first thing a medical man does when he visits a patient is to feel 

 the pulse, and if there is a suspicion of fever of any kind, the temperature 

 of the body is carefully taken; this course, if followed with the dog, would 

 assist the owner in treating his animal in all inflammatory and febril cases, 

 such as distemper. 



"A dog's pulse varies from 90 to 100 beats per minute, the heart's 

 action being quicker in highly bred, nervous dogs, as, for instance, setters, 

 pointers and bulldogs, and some finely bred toys. The owner should, for 



