DISTEMPER.] 



FOR MOUNTAIN, FIKLl), A XI) FA KM, 



[distempee. 



Buch cases, death is the inevitable result. 

 "When perceived iu tinu', Epsom salts, with 

 uuioilago of gum-arabic, or very wi-ll boiled 

 "i-ucl, aro recommended. Should the disease 

 have only just appeared, common salt will 

 answer the purpoiJO in the absence of the 

 other articles. Calomel and colocynth, in the 

 form of a pill, and iu small doses, administered 

 at night, and succeeded in the morning by 

 some opening medicine, will usually effect a 

 cure ; but, if there bo much fever, bleeding 

 must be resorted to. AVhen the appetite re- 

 turns, only small quantities of light food should 

 be allowed. 



As a tonic alterative, jNIr. Blaine recom- 

 mends the following: — Mercurial pill, one 

 drachm ; aloes, two drachms ; gum myrrh, 

 gum benjamin, balsam of Peru, of each one 

 drachm and a-half; make into a mass, and 

 divide into ten, fifteen, or twenty balls, accord- 

 ing to size, age, strength, &c., of the dog: 

 give one every evening, and, in a bad case, 

 every morning also. Avoid bringing on 

 active salivation, and active purging likewise, 

 after the first purging dose recommended. 



DISTEMPER. 



This is the most fatal disorder, after rabies, 

 to which the canine race is liable ,• and, we be- 

 lieve, it originated in France, where it is 

 known by the name of La ChaJadie. It is 

 little more than a century since it was known 

 in this country, and since that time it has 

 played havoc among some of our best breeds 

 of dogs. Some French authorities ascribe its 

 origin to England ; but others, better informed, 

 and more candid in their sentiments, acknow- 

 ledge that it originated in France. It is, 

 however, of little consequence to us now where 

 it was first known ; of far more value would be 

 the knowledge how to prevent it from affect- 

 ing our dogs, how to check it, and how to cure 

 it. Almost every dog, at some period of bis 

 life, is affected by it ; and when it appears in 

 an old one, there is little chance or hope of 

 his recovery. The more excellent the breed, 

 it would appear, the more susceptible is it of 

 the disease. Animals of the inferior order 

 have it often very slight, and the Colley of 

 Scotland gets over it without any medicines 

 whatever in a few days. Dr. Darwin describes 

 it as a debilitating catarrh ; but, as he mis- 



took the character of the disease, or rather 



! limited the seat of its operations, the rationale 

 of his prescriptions was wholly unequal t<» 

 compete with it. Dr. Jenner's description 

 was worse. ITo was a great man, or rather, 

 perhaps, a man with a great name; but ho 

 erred cgrcgiout^ly in reference to the dog-dis- 

 temper. Mr. Youatt says, that his description 

 of it was no more like the true disease than 

 himself was like unto Hercules. " I have," 

 jMr. Vouatt continues, "again and again, put 

 the power of his boasted preventive (vaccina- 

 tion, as in small-pox) to the test, and I can 

 sa}', without the slightest hesitation, that it is 

 altogether without effect. I know many 

 gentlemen who have placed implicit faith in 

 the power of vaccination, and their whole 

 kennels have been submitted to the operation ; 

 the season has been favourable, and the disease 

 either has not appeared, or has assumed the 

 mildest type, and I have got into sad disgrace ; 

 but many years have not passed, before the 

 distemper has broken out, and carried off tho 

 majority of those who were supposed to bo 

 exempted from its attack." 



The symptoms of distemper are usually loss 

 of appetite, fever, weakness of the eyes, dul- 

 ness, a discharge from the nose, discharge 

 from both the eyes and the nose, a short husky 

 cough, emaciation, a foetid smell; sometimes 

 fits. Dogs iu a fit are sometimes mistaken 

 for mad ; but it should be remembered that 

 fits are oiever an accompaniment of rabies. 



The distemper is a disease of tho mucous 

 surfaces, and usually has its commencement in 

 nasal catarrh. If it is detected iu the first 

 stage, bleeding copiously will do good. Give 

 an emetic, and follow it up by a gentle purga- 

 tive ; if — as is generally tho case when the 

 above treatment does not eftect a cure — inflam- 

 mation of the lungs supervenes, more blood 

 must bo taken, and more aperient medicine, 

 with occasional emetics, given. If the animal 

 become weak, and is apparently sinking, mild 

 tonics, as gentian or quinine, must be admin- 

 istered ; and if he will not eat, some strong 

 beef jelly should be forced down his throat. 

 A seton in the back of the neck is often useful, 

 but should not be used indiscriminately. To 

 save all this trouble, however, the best thing 

 to do is to place the dog iu the hands of a 

 veterinary surgeon. 



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