252 DOGS 



on the many forms they take, for they show them- 

 selves offensively enough, and much the same treat- 

 ment applies to all. There, too, cleanliness and 

 wholesome feeding are the safeguards, but they 

 may be caught by contagion in low company, and 

 sometimes they come more mysteriously. The 

 first thing is thorough washing in warm water with 

 dog-soap. If the patient is visibly out of sorts, he 

 should have a mild aperient. After each washing 

 an ointment is to be well rubbed in — sulphur, 

 four ounces to an ounce of spirit of turpentine, 

 to be used every second day, will generally suc- 

 ceed. A more potent dressing is green iodide of 

 mercury, two drachms made up with two ounces 

 of lard ; but, as the iodide is strong poison, the 

 dog must be muzzled to prevent licking. Even 

 with the sulphur ointment, to guard against the 

 licking, it is well to have an infusion of bitter aloe. 



Canker of the ear comes generally of overfeed- 

 ing or rough exposure. The trouble is that the 

 dog will shake, and covering the ears with a 

 cap increases the internal inflammation. He must 

 have opening medicine, and be carefully dieted. 

 Then nitrate of silver wash or sulphate of zinc 

 should be dropped into the ear-passage every two 

 or three days, changing from the one to the other. 

 The external sores should be touched daily with 

 caustic.^ 



^ Canker in dogs, as I know from experience, is a cruel disease. 

 Immediately you discover or suspect it by the way in which the dog 

 shakes its head, go to a good veterinary. Taken in time it is curable : 

 neglected it becomes chronic. — Ed. 



