THE DISEASES OF DOGS. 



244. The diseases of dogs are vevy numerous. Tlie 

 following are described by Blaine as the most preva- 

 lent, with their methods of cm'e. 



245. The canine asthma is hardly ever observed to attack any 

 but either old dogs, or those who, by confinement, too full living, 

 and want of exercise, may be supposed to have become diseased by 

 these deviations from a state of nature. It is hardly possible to keep 

 a dog very fat for any great length of time, without bringing it on. 

 This cough is frequently confounded with the cough that precedes 

 and accompanies the distemper, but it may be readily distinguished 

 from this by an attention to circumstances, as the age of the animal, 

 its not affecting the general health, nor producing immediate ema- 

 ciation, and its less readily giving way to medicine. 



246. The cure is often very difficult, because the disease has in 

 general been long neglected before it is sufficiently noticed by the 

 •owners. As it is in general brought on by confinement, too much 

 warmth, and over feeding ; so it is evident the cure must be begun 

 by a steady, persevering alteration in these particulars. The medi- 

 cines most useful, are alteratives, and of these occasionally emetics 

 are the best. One grain of tartarised antimony (i. e. tartar emetic) 

 with two, three, or four grains of calomel, is a very useful and 

 valuable emetic. This dose is sufficient for a small dog, ana may 

 be repeated twice a week with great success — always with palliation 



247. Of diseases of the eye, dogs are subject to almost as great a 

 variety as ourselves, many of which end in blindness. No treat- 

 ment yet discovered will remove or prevent this complaint. 



25 



