Ill 



276. Diarrhoea, or a discharge of the contents of the bowels in a 

 fluid or semi-fluid condition, is often seen in the dog without any 

 constitutional disturbance, and greatly depends on the what the animal 

 has been eating. Treatment : Should the purgation become trouble- 

 some, a dose of castor oil — from one tea-spoonful to two table-spoonfuls 

 — with 5 to 30 drops of laudanum, according to age and size of dog, 

 may be given ; this may be all that is required, but if necessary, follow 

 up with 5 to 20 grains subnitrate of bismuth, 10 to 60 grains carbonate 

 of soda, and 10 to 60 grains carbonate magnesia, according to age 

 and size. Mix and give in a little warm milk twice a day. 



277. Worms. — From the uncleanly feeding habits of the dog, the 

 digestive organs become a veritable harbour for worms, of which 

 there are a great variety. The kmds mostly met with are the Ascans 

 Marginata, or common round worm, and the Tape Worvts. The 

 Ascaris Marginata varies in size from two inches to six inches, 

 and are generally found in the stomach and small intestines, while 

 occasionally they are vomited up. Young puppies are frequently 

 infested with these worms as early as a fortnight old and upwards, 

 the eggs from which they are developed coming from the intestines of 

 the mother. They get located under the tail and round the opening 

 into the bowels, and are transferred from there to the teats by the 

 tongue of the mother, and from there suckled into the stomach by the 

 young puppies. For these young animals, small doses of Santonin — 

 from half to one grain given every four or six days, in a little milk — 

 answers best. 



278. The Cystic Worms. — Taenia or Tape Worms, of which 

 there are several kinds, are numerous in the dog. Symptoms of the 

 presence of worms vary a great deal ; sometimes constipation is present, 

 at other times intermittent diarrhoea, variable appetite, loss of flesh, 

 rough staring coat, gummy eyes, and a dry nose, in fact the animal is 

 all out of sorts. Treatment : In all cases, particularly when the skin 

 is much affected, a dose of worm medicine should be given. I have 

 tried different kinds of formulas, but what I find to answer best is as 

 follows : — Powdered areca nut, from 10 to 60 grains ; calomel, from 



