AILMENTS AND ILLNESSES 67 



to my readers whose dogs do not or cannot take cod 

 liver oil ; he also, inter alia, puts up the worm capsules 

 to my prescription as mentioned for the use of toy dog 

 owners ; and it is sometimes an advantage to get your 

 medicines ready made. 



Arsenic is what is known as a cumulative drug ; it 

 produces no special effect until a good deal is stored up 

 in the system. When enough has been given, the said 

 system revolts, and now, when the dog's eyes begin to 

 look watery, and the mucous membrane lining the 

 mouth may be a little red, you have given enough, and 

 must cease ; for a time only if the disease is not subdued 

 in permanence if it be. One last word arsenic is the 

 dernier ressort, and should not be used until other means 

 have failed, whereas some people fly to it when a much 

 simpler treatment would have done all that was necessary. 



Another skin complaint which, is much more com- 

 mon than is generally supposed, is ringworm. I have 

 often seen this diagnosed as eczema, whereas it really 

 is very easy to tell its true nature, as it has very marked 

 characteristics. 



It begins with tiny, round, bare spots, about as large 

 as the head of a pin, which usually escape notice at 

 first, but gradually spread round the edges, not always 

 in a circular form, but sometimes as irregular patches, 

 the skin appearing greyish, but not unhealthy. On 

 looking closely it will be seen that the hairs have been 

 broken off short, close to the skin, but are clearly visible, 

 which is the chief feature of the disease and the infallible 

 sign. Ringworm may be caught at any time, most 

 frequently from a visit to some infested stable, but 

 occasionally from chance contagion in the streets. 

 Horses are subject to the same form of the complaint, 

 and dogs generally catch it from them ; it is sporadic, 

 and the spores may, of course, fall about anywhere 

 from an infected horse or another dog. It is extremely 

 capricious in its inception ; dogs in the same house 

 may or may not catch it from one another, and some- 

 times a whole kennel will be infected, with the exception 



