CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES. 365 



witli their soft bones to bear ; hence bending of the bones, 

 relaxation of tlie ligaments, etc. 



The craze for canine giants, and the habit of stuffing 

 puppies to get size, at the expense of everything else, are 

 to be condemned. 



All puppies, whether of large or small breeds, should 

 be regularly exercised after three to four months of age, 

 by being taken into the fields or woods and kept in a 

 condition that enables them to form bone and muscle, but 

 should not carry, either now or at any period, a " mountain 

 of flesh." Forced feeding, and neglect of exercise, etc., 

 leads naturally to loss of stamina and the shortening 

 of life. 



When a puppy has this tendency to curvature of the 

 bones, weakness of the joints, etc., — a condition akin to 

 rickets — good feeding and good management generally 

 will suffice for an arrest of the evil, though treatment 

 similar to that recommended for rickets will also be 

 helpful. 



Rheumatism. — Acute rheumatism may be regarded as 

 an inflammation mostly of the joints, especially of the 

 ligaments and related structures. 



The cause has not been definitely ascertained, and, 

 though cold, damp, etc., predispose, it is believed that the 

 exciting cause is some poison produced within the body, 

 possibly lactic acid, 



Symjptoms. — There are swelling and pain of the joints, 

 difficulty in locomotion, anxiety lest the affected parts be 

 moved and pain produced, elevation of temperature, dis- 

 turbance of the digestion, etc. The disease is apt to shift 

 from joint to joint. 



