132 



DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS 



Fig. 63. — Pentasto 

 mum denticulatum. 



its way into the nasal cavities of the dog through the food or is carried 

 into the nose in respiration and crawls up into the nasal cavities. While 

 the disease is rarely observed, numerous cases seem to occur in certain 

 districts. 



The majority of observers consider the disease rather difficult to diag- 

 nose and generally it is only when it involves a number 

 of animals, such as a pack of hounds or carriers, or in 

 one of the districts where it is prevalent, that it is 

 noticed. The larger breeds of dogs are most frecjuently 

 affected and show the symptoms of chronic nasal 

 catarrh. 



Pentastomum catarrh differs from ordinary 

 nasal catarrh, from the fact that in pentastomum 

 catarrh there is a more or less bloody nasal discharge 

 which is very purulent and putrid, and that the 

 animal is greatly depressed. There is marked inter- 

 ference with respiration, the animal appearing at 

 times to almost suffocate; the sense of smell is gen- 

 erally lost or is very slight; it becomes emaciated and 

 sneezes a great deal oftener than in ordinary catarrh. 

 An instance is recorded where the parasite pene- 

 trated the hard palate, causing a great flow of saliva. 

 In some cases the inflammation has extended from the nasal cavities to 

 the cranial cavity and produced meningitis with severe cerebral symp- 

 toms, great excitement, restlessness, and a tendency to biting or snap- 

 ping, and also paralysis of the lower jaw and several symptoms very 

 similar to those of rabies. 



Friedberger and Frohner advise that in all cases where there are 

 symptoms of rabies, that the frontal sinuses he 

 examined, as there are often cases where the pen- 

 tastomum is present and it maj^ produce cerebral 

 symptoms, and even death, without any marked 

 alteration in the mucous membranes of the nasal 

 passages. At the same time it is possible in rare 

 instances to find a pentastomum in a dog that has ^^^ 64 —Egg of the pen- 

 died from true rabies. The writer may mention tastomum ta>noides magni- 

 that he has also found cerebral symptoms in an " " ""^^' 

 animal that has been suffering from purulent (non-parasitic) nasal 

 catarrh. 



Treatment of pentastoma consists in the injection into the nose of 

 solutions (either by means of a syringe or ])y an atomizer) of boracic acid, 

 creolin, chloroforhi, lienzine, carbolic acid, or liy the application of the 

 vapors of chloroform, formaldehyde, etc. All these preparations are 



