CANINE DISTEMPER. 273 



may become vesicular or even pustular ; the skin is harsh, and 

 much epithelium is thrown off, causing the hair to be filled with 

 scales of scurf. 



There are various conditions of the body which predispose the 

 disease to attack the dog in the various ways above enumerated. 

 The presence of worms in the intestinal canal may excite the 

 intestinal form ; previous high feeding and obesity the bilious ; 

 and the eccentric irritation of the nervous system caused by 

 teething, worms, &c. predispose the dog to the nervous form. 



Distemper originates undoubtedly from contagion as well as 

 from atmospheric infection, and usually rages as an epizootic. 

 The majority of dogs in some districts suffer from the disease, 

 whilst in other parts of the country it is scarcely ever heard of, 

 unless brought there by a dog already diseased, and no class 

 of dog is exempt. During the author's residence in Australia 

 the disease was imported from Europe, and scarcely a dog in the 

 colony of Victoria was unattacked. Nor were the wild dogs 

 allowed to escape ; hundreds of these were to be seen lying dead 

 in the bush in various parts. It is also stated that it attacks 

 the cat, wolf, hyaena, prairie dog, and monkey. 



The contagium or virus, probably a microbe which may yet be 

 attenuated and applied for the purpose of protective inoculation, 

 will taint a kennel for a long time after the disease has dis- 

 appeared ; and it is always unsafe to introduce fresh dogs into 

 such a kennel, if it cannot be proved they have passed through 

 the disease, unless the walls, drains, fittings, &c. are thoroughly 

 cleansed and disinfected. 



TREATMENT. 



In the treatment of distemper it must always be remembered 

 that the disease runs a certain but indefinite course, and that 

 all the symptoms are but the result of the operation of a 

 morbid material existing in the blood. If these facts be borne 

 in mind, the practitioner is not likely to resort to those dangerous 

 and exhausting remedies so generally recommended by writers 

 on canine diseases. The administration of calomel, jalap, aloes, 

 tartar emetic, digitalis, with the application of blisters or setons, 

 is calculated at all times to do harm. 



In the earlier stages, if the bowels are at all irregular, a small 

 dose of castor oil is to be prescribed. The dose must vary in 



T 



