ECZEMA 451 



We must first remove any cause of irritation that would tend to 

 aggravate the condition — such as dust, scales off dandruff, parasites — or 

 anything that would tend to prolong the condition. Filthiness of the 

 skin and hair nuist be removed by bathing the animal thoroughly, 

 taking care to use a clean superfatted soap that does not contain too 

 much alkali, and particularly avoid various soaps that contain crude 

 carbolic acid or the irritating coal-tar products, so frequently seen in 

 the ''dog soaps" sold. It must he borne in mind, however, that too 

 frequent bathing is apt to act as an irritant in eczema and while it should 

 be used to remove dirt, it must not be used frequently, but as an actual 

 necessity. In acute squamous eczema, the irritated spots can be dried 

 up by pressing absorbent cotton on the sore, which has been saturated 

 with carbolized oil, lime w^ater, boracic acid solution, creolin solution, 

 acetate of alum, or thiol mixed with corn starch. In the acute form of 

 eczema the hair should be clipped not only over the affected parts, but 

 also cut a clear space in the tissues surrounding the sore. Excessive 

 scratching must be avoided by putting on muzzles, bandages or covers over 

 the body, or chamois boots on the hind legs, etc. Finally, care must be 

 taken to prevent the animal licking off the medicine, which may either 

 act as an intestinal irritant, or actually poison the animal; with the addi- 

 tion of muzzles, the means already mentioned should be employed. 

 We dust the affected parts with oxide of zinc, cerussa, sulphur, or thiol, 

 talcum powder, corn starch, magnesia containing l)ismuth subnitrate, 

 dermatol; salicylic acid in talcum powder is particularly useful. If the 

 affected parts are very moist, they may be dusted with lycopodium or 

 smeared with vaseline. 



In cases of extensive redness of the skin we must apply compresses 

 of lead-water or thymol (1 per cent.), creolin (1 to 2 per cent.), carbolic- 

 acid water, thiol water (20 per cent, thiol liciuid, 30 per cent, glycerine, 

 and 50 per cent, water); and where the skin is di-y, an ointment of sul- 

 phate of lime, or sugar of lead in lanolin, dermatol (1 to 5) or tannin 

 (1 to 10); but powdering is preferable as every skin is not benefited by 

 liquid or oily preparations in the early stages. As soon as the marked 

 symptoms of the disease have decreased we may replace the use of 

 powder by ointments of zinc or lead, white precipitate ointment, or 

 cold cream, lanolin, benzoin and glycerine, and benzoin and lanolin, 1 to 

 30, or use mild ichthyol soaps. 



(6) In very moist eczema with an acute course the use of powder is 

 not always successful. In those cases we must apply drying fluids, 

 such as corrosive sublimate solution (1 to 1000), nitrate of silver solution 

 (2 per cent.), 1 per cent, solution of picric acid twice daily by means of a 

 brush or cotton tampon, and at the same time use the powders already 

 mentioned in conjunction with these liquids. Great care must be taken 



