Distemper] 7" [Distemper 



find, once this is started, there is always a 

 difficulty in getting the dog to eat anything 

 himself. 



As to medicine, the more experience one gets 

 the more one finds this is quite secondary in 

 treating distemper. I do not believe in specifics, 

 and, do what one may, the disease under the 

 best circumstances will run a certain course. In 

 simple cases, where the temperature is not very 

 high, an occasional mild dose of syrup of buck- 

 thorn and castor oil is often all that is required. 

 This is necessary, as the dog cannot go out and 

 take exercise ; therefore the bowels often get 

 constipated, and if this is neglected troublesome 

 diarrhoea may occur. After the temperature is 

 normal and remains so for a few days, and the 

 dog does not feed well, then some tonic is useful, 

 as the following : — 



Recipe : The Pills : 



Salicylate of Quinine, - - 12 grains. 



Extract of Gentian, - - - 30 „ 

 Mix, and divide into 24 pills. 



Dose : From half to two pills l to be given 

 three times a day. 



Quinine does not suit all dogs, for in some 

 cases, instead of improving the appetite, for 

 which it is given, it has the opposite effect, 

 when the following mixture may be tried 

 instead : — 



1 According to the size of the dog. See p. 86. 



