68 DISEASES OF DOGS. 



that have no existence among- other domestic animals. These 

 affinities will, however, cease to excite wonder when we 

 consider that, in addition to the complexity of structure in 

 dog's, their complete domestication has subjected them to 

 lives wholly artificial, and, in many instances, to habits the 

 most unhealthy. 



But although the analogies between the human and canine 

 diseases are so striking-, yet circumstances exist that would 

 foil the most experienced physician, equally with the most 

 able veterinarian, in his attempts at a successful curative prac- 

 tice on dogs, without a particular and diligent attention to 

 canine pathology, as a distinct branch of the ors medendi. 

 In many diseases of the dog, every thing- must depend on 

 the experience and acuteness of the practitioner, in detecting- 

 the immediate seat of the complaint. Important exceptions 

 to the strict analogy I have noticed, likewise occur, which 

 would embarrass both the human and veterinary physicians. 

 A prominent instance presents itself in the specific canine 

 diseases, which are wholly unlike any human malady. Ano- 

 ther important deviation arises from the different effects that 

 some of the remedies employed have on the two subjects. 



Ten grains of calomel, though a full dose, is by no means 

 a destructive one to a human subject, yet I have seen a larg-e 

 pointer killed by this quantity, which had been ordered by an 

 eminent surgeon ; this would not however always happen. 

 On the other hand, three drams of aloes, which would pro- 

 bably prove fatal to nine human persons out of ten, mig-ht be 

 taken by some large dog-s with impunity. A dog- could take, 

 without much derang-ement, a dose of opium which would 

 destroy a man ; on the contrary, the quantity of nux vomica, 

 or crowfig, that would destroy the larg-est dog-, would fail to 

 destroy a man. Between the effects produced by many medi- 

 cinal articles on the stomachs of other domestic animals, and 

 that of the dog, a still more marked distinction, or, at least, 

 a more universal one, exists. It will therefore be evident, 

 that neither the human physician, nor the veterinary practi- 

 tioner, can be equal to a successful medical practice on dogs, 



