ABC GUIDE TO CANINE AILMENTS. 



61=; 



The only medicine you need use is an occa- 

 sional dose of castor-oil, say once a week, or when 

 the dog is constipated. Parrish's syrup of the 

 phosphates will help to strengthen the constitu- 

 tion, in conjunction with Virol. Bone-meal does 

 good in these cases. Spratts' Patent, I think, 

 make this. 



Skin Diseases. — In the whole range of dog 

 ailments included in the term canine pathology 

 there are none more bothersome to treat success- 

 fully nor more difficult to diagnose than those of 

 the skin. There are none either that afford the 

 quack or patent-nostrum monger a larger field 

 for the practice of his fiendish gifts. If I were 

 to be asked the questions, " Why do dogs suffer 

 so much from skin complaints?" and "Why does 

 it appear to be so difficult to treat them ? " I should 

 answer the first thus : Through the neglect of their 

 owners, from want of cleanliness, from injudicious 

 feeding, from bad kennelling, and from permit- 

 ting their favourites such free intercourse with 

 other members of the canine fraternity. Over- 

 crowding is another and distinct source of skin 

 troubles. .A.1I diseases arose spontaneously at one 

 time, and Nature is still busy in the manufacture 

 of new disease germs. As a scientist I cannot 

 help believing this, but it is equally true that we 

 can employ means to prevent disease. 



My answer to the second question is that the 

 layman too often treats the trouble in the skin 

 as if it were the disease itself, whereas it is, gener- 

 ally, merely a symptom thereof. Examfles : To 

 plaster medicated oils or ointments all over the 

 skin of a dog suffering from constitutional eczema 

 is about as sensible as would be the painting white 

 of the yellow skin in jaundice in order to cure 

 the disordered liver. 



But even those contagious diseases that are 

 caused by skin germs or animalcules will not be 

 wholly cured by any applications whatever. Con- 

 stitutional remedies should go hand in hand with 

 these. And, indeed, so great is the defensive 

 power of strong, pure blood, rich in its white cor- 

 puscles or leucocytes, that I believe I could cure 

 even the worst forms of mange by internal 

 remedies, good food, and tonics, etc., without the 

 aid of any dressing whatever e.\cept pure cold 

 water. 



Now the microscope is a valuable aid to the 

 diagnosis of' skin diseases, but it can only be 

 useful in the hands of a skilled dermatologist, 

 and such an individual is rare indeed, even in the 

 ranks of the medical profession, while he is 

 seldom to be found among ordinary vets. There- 

 fore the conclusion at which I arrive and which 

 I write in italics at the end of this brief article 

 on skin ailments will, I think, be acquiesced in by 

 all sensible readers. 



In treating of skin diseases it is usual to divide 

 them into three sections : (i) The non-contagious, 

 (2) the contagious, and (3) ailments caused by 

 external parasites. 



The Non-Contagious.— (a) Erythema.— This is 

 a redness, with slight inflammation of the skin. 



the deeper tissues underneath not being involved. 

 Examples: That seen between the wrinkles of 

 well-bred Pugs, Mastiffs, or Bull-dogs, or inside 

 the thighs of Greyhounds, etc. If the skin breaks 

 there may be discharges of pus, and if the case 

 is not cured the skin may thicken and crack, and 

 the dog make matters worse with his tongue. 



Treatment. — Review and correct the methods of 

 feeding. A dog should be neither too gross nor 

 too lean. Exercise, perfect cleanliness, the early 

 morning sluice-down with cold water, and a 

 quassia tonic. He may need a laxative as well. 



Locally. — Dusting with oxide of zinc or the 

 violet powder of the nurseries, a lotion of lead, or 

 arnica. Fomentation, followed by cold water, 

 and, when dry, dusting as above. A weak solu- 

 tion of boracic acid (any chemist) will sometimes 

 do good. (B) Prurigo.— Itching all over, with or 

 without scurf. Sometimes thickening. 



Treatment. — Regulation of diet, green vege- 

 tables, fruit if he will take it, the morning cold 

 douche, brushing and grooming, but never 

 roughly. Try for worms, and for fleas, (c) 

 EczE.MA. — The name is not a happy one as ap- 

 plied to the usual itching skin disease of dogs. 

 Eczema proper is an eruption in which the formed 

 matter dries off into scales or scabs, and dog 

 eczema, so-called, is as often as not a species of 

 lichen. Then, of course, it is often accompanied 

 with vermin, nearly always with dirt, and it is 

 irritated out of all character by the biting and 

 scratching of the dog himself. I have seldom if 

 ever seen a case of simple eczema, so the dog- 

 owner or vet. may give it any name he pleases so 

 long as he cures it. 



Treatment. — Must be both constitutional and 

 local. -Attend to the organs of digestion. Give 

 a moderate dose of opening medicine, to clear 

 away offending matter. This simple aperient may 

 be repeated occasionally, say once a w-eek, and 

 if diarrhoea be present it may be checked by the 

 addition of a little morphia or dilute sulphuric 

 acid. Cream of tartar with sulphur is an e.x- 

 cellent derivative, being both diuretic and dia- 

 phoretic, but it must not be given in doses large 

 enough to purge. .At the same time we may give 

 thrice daily a tonic pill like the following : — 



Sulphate of quinine, 5^ to 3 grains; sulphate 

 of iron, }{ grain to 5 grains ; extract of hyoscya- 

 mus, >s to 3 grains ; extract of taraxacum and 

 glycerine enough to make a pill. 



Locally. — Perfect cleanliness. Cooling lotions 

 patted on to the sore places. Spratts' Cure. 

 (N.B. — I know what every remedy contains, or 

 I should not recommend it.) Benzoated zinc oint- 

 ment after the lotion has dried in. Wash care- 

 fully once a week, using the ointment when skin 

 is dry, or the lotion to allay irritation. 



(2) Contagious Skin Diseases. — These are 

 usually called mange proper and follicular mange, 

 or scabies. I want to say a word on the latter 

 first. It depends upon a microscopic animalcule 

 called the Acarns iolliciilorum. The trouble 

 begins by the formation of patches, from which 



