Rickets] 



2 73 [Rickets 



Diet : Unless the patient is in poor health, 

 should be light, red meat being avoided ; and so 

 should meat extracts and soups to a great extent. 



When the disease has assumed a chronic 

 form, and settled in some joint, like the knee 

 — a favourite place — strong tincture of iodine 

 should be painted over the front and on each 

 side of the joint every day for three days, or a 

 strong blister applied, and iodide of potassium, 

 in from half to two-grain x doses, be given two 

 or three times a day. 



Rickets : 



Symptoms ; A disease affecting puppies ; if 

 it does not commence before six months of 

 age, it is not likely to occur. In some puppies 

 it commences before they have left the nest, but, 

 as a rule, it does not show itself before the puppy 

 is two months old. The joints, especially the 

 knees and hocks, become enlarged and irregular 

 in shape ; the pasterns weak, the puppy walks 

 on the backs of his legs ; the arms are bowed, 

 the stifles enlarged and standing out, whilst the 

 hocks turn inwards, giving a "cow-hock" appear- 

 ance. The bones of the face may be swollen, 

 and there may be a curvature of the spine. 



The puppy, when suffering from rickets, is 

 always dwarfed in growth, very thin and 

 miserable - looking, with pot belly, and always 

 more or less in pain. The cause of rickets is 

 improper feeding, want of sufficient fresh air, 

 light, and liberty ; also worms. 



Treatment : Puppies suffering from this disease, 



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



s 



