272 CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. 



ejected by vomiting, or passes through tlie intestinal canal in 

 a foetid, ill-digested condition. At the end of about a fortnight 

 these symptoms may abate in intensity, and the dog slowly 

 regain its strength. Very commonly, however, complications 

 occur which tend towards a fatal termination. The complica- 

 tions are as follows : — 



Is^. Fneumonia. — The breathing becomes laboured, rapid, and 

 panting; the prostration of strength is very great; the dog 

 is unconscious of surrounding objects ; the pulse is frequent, 

 feeble, and intermitting, and the feet, nose, and ears are icy cold. 

 If the ear be applied to the chest the crepitating sounds of 

 pneumonia will be detected. 



2d. Jaundice. — This occurs from the presence of a blood 

 poison, interfering with the normal metamorphosis of bile, from 

 congestion of the liver, or most commonly from catarrhal inflam- 

 mation of the mucous membrane of the biliary ducts; the 

 swollen mucous membrane mechanically blocking up the tubes, 

 and thus impeding the flow of bile. — (See Liver Diseases.) 



od. Intestinal co^njjlications. — Vomiting and purging are 

 prominent symptoms, Sometimes there is true dysentery, the 

 fceces being tinged with blood ; tympanitis and abdominal pain. 



4:th. Epileptic fits. — Spasmodic convulsions of varying inten- 

 sity, coma and paralysis, more or less complete, occur as primary 

 symptoms. These are to be separated from those signs of 

 nervous alterations which occur as secondary affections in dis- 

 temper. In the first case tlie brain and nervous symptoms are 

 concomitant with or shortly succeed the attack ; whilst in 

 the latter, chorea, paralysis, or complete coma appear after the 

 febrile condition has more or less abated, and when the dog 

 seems in a fair way to recover. 



Conjunctivitis is not at all an uncommon complication, and 

 ulceration of the cornea, perhaps unpreceded by any inflammatory 

 signs, may occur from mal-nutrition. 



In other cases cellulitis or an erysipelatous inflammation of 

 the extremities occurs, the inflammation sometimes suppurating 

 in various parts : the suppuration, being of a diffuse or in- 

 filtrating character, causes much pain and rapid exhaustion. 



In most instances some cutaneous eruptions are seen on the 

 inner surfaces of the thighs and other j)arts, where the hair is 

 thin and downy ; the eruptions at first resemble flea-bites, but 



