DISEASES OF THE DOG. ^t)tr 



purpose there is no remedy like port wine or bark of ammonia. The 

 former may be given, mixed with an equal part of water, and with the 

 addition of a little spice, such as nutmeg or ginger. For the latter, 

 take a decoction of bark, loz.; aromatic spirit of ammonia, 1 dram ; 

 compound tincture of bark, 1 dram. Mix and give twice a day to a 

 large dog, or half to a small one. If the bowels are relaxed, give the 

 dog the astringent mixture as in No. 4. Eest is absolutely necessary 

 for the dog. * 



GENERALLY PRESCRIBED MEDICINES AND 

 THEIR ACTION ON THE DOG. 



Aperients. 



To quicken or increase the evacuation from the bowels, aperients or 

 purges are given. Their mode of operation vary a good deal. Some 

 cause an immense watery discharge, which, as it were, washes out the 

 bowels; others act merely by exciting the muscular coat of the 

 bowels to contract ; while a third set combine the action of the other 

 two. Some purges act upon and stimulate the small intestines, while 

 others pass through without affecting them and act upon the large 

 bowels alone, and others again act upon the whole canal, showing that 

 the various purges act also on different parts of the canal. 



There is another point of difference in purges, depending on their 

 influencing the liver, in addition, which mercurial purgatives surely 

 do, as well as rhubarb and some others, which effect is partly due to 

 their absorption into the circulation. They may be made to act by 

 injecting into the veins, with the same effect and results as though 

 swallowed and subsequently passed into the bowels. Purgatives are 

 classed according to the degree of their effect— into drastic purges, that 

 act severely and laxatives acting mildly. 



