Distemper] ° l [Distemper 



ten 1 drops to a dessert-spoonful every two or 

 three hours, given as previously recommended. 

 When the nervous system becomes affected 

 during distemper, or just afterwards, it is always 

 a serious matter ; in fact, when the brain is 

 attacked and fits are the result, the case is prac- 

 tically hopeless, and if the fits are very severe 

 and frequent it is better to destroy the dog at 

 once, rather than waste time and money in con- 

 tinuing*; the treatment. When the disease attacks 

 the spinal cord, St Vitus's dance (chorea) 

 generally follows. This is also practically an 

 incurable disease, and in severe cases it is best 

 to put the dog out of its misery, for if it lives it 

 will always be a hopeless cripple. Slight cases 

 improve with time and judicious treatment, but 

 the twitching never entirely disappears, though 

 the dog may recover sufficiently to be shown, and 

 also to be bred from. The disease is not heredi- 

 tary, though I have sometimes thought that 

 puppies of parents suffering from chorea are more 

 disposed to the disease than others. Again, as 

 the result of distemper, the patient may become 

 paralysed to a more or less extent in different 

 parts of the body or limbs — generally the back 

 legs, though occasionally the fore ones are affected, 

 and sometimes all four legs become useless. I 

 have seen some cases when only the tail has been 

 affected, the dog not being able to move it in 

 the least. In other instances the eyes are the 

 seat of the mischief, and amaurosis is the result. 

 Unfortunately, treatment is quite useless in this 

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



