AILMENTS AND ILLNESSES 59 



meat being added ; veal broth similarly made ; arrow- 

 root, with a few drops of the juice of raw meat added ; 

 strong chicken tea, with a little rice boiled in it and 

 strained out all these may be rung upon for change. 

 Some dogs will eat solid food all through the disease, 

 and this simplifies matters immensely. Where, there 

 is no appetite, liquids or semi-liquids must be given. 

 Concentrated foods and other invalid preparations, 

 though useful on occasion, very soon pall and sicken 

 the patient, and while it saves trouble to use things 

 like this, they have not the same effect in keeping 

 up the strength as good, honest home-cookery. The 

 necessity for thus dieting and feeding is the same in 

 either form of distemper, and the dog must not be 

 left all night without attention, but fed at intervals 

 then also. Warmth and evenness of temperature come 

 next in importance. A little flannel jacket or crossover, 

 made of thick, new flannel, is as good as poultices, and 

 should be put, and kept, on well into convalescence, 

 when, of course, it must not be left off too suddenly. 

 I do not say anything about medicine, actual poulticing, 

 etc., because a distemper patient, in view of the com- 

 plications which are always apt to arise in this disease, 

 should be nursed under skilled veterinary direction. 

 I only insist on the need for feeding up and warmth. 



Distemper patients cannot go out of doors, in cold 

 weather, unless there is to be no regard to the great 

 risk they run in such a change of temperature ; there- 

 fore, as soon as the disease declares itself, it is well to 

 settle the patient somewhere where a tray of earth can 

 be provided, absolute quiet maintained, and an even 

 warmth kept up, and here let the disease run its course. 



Relapses from distemper are even more serious than 

 the first attack, and they are very apt to occur where 

 the patient is allowed to go out, or move about too 

 soon or too much. Stimulants brandy and port wine 

 are very useful where the weakness is great, and 

 champagne will often be kept down where water or 

 broth would be rejected. 



