536 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



of some organic or functional disorder, as the bilious yellow-looking matter dogs bring up of 

 a morning when stomach and liver are out of order, or the vomit mixed with blood in cases 

 of gastritis or gastric catarrh. Again, the vomiting in a case of impaction of the bowels, 

 internal stricture, volvolus, &c, is of a most distressing character, and often the contents of 

 the upper part of the bowels are brought up. 



13. Expression of the countenance. When the animal is in pain and suffering his face is 

 pinched, he looks nervous and thin ; even if he does not moan he appears by his countenance 

 to think that he is being badly treated in some way. In dyspnoea, from whatever cause, 

 there is a look of anxiety mingled with somewhat of terror, which is most touching to 

 behold. 



14. Emaciation is always a bad sign, but taken alone it is not diagnostic. It is very 

 rapid, however, in many febrile disorders, such as distemper, for example. Emaciation, when 

 coming on slowly, indicates mal-nutrition of the body in some way, some interference with 

 the blood-making process. 



15. Obesity is a disease to all intents and purposes, and is not a good sign in the old 

 age of a dog (from 9 to 13 or 14 years). It must not be confounded with anasarca or 

 general dropsy of the flesh. A fat dog feels firm, the flesh of a dropsical dog gives way to 

 the fingers, pits on pressure. 



1 6. Position of body. In some inflammations this is very diagnostic. The wish to lie on 

 the belly in disease of the liver, especially in some cold corner ; the persistent standing or 

 sitting up in cases of pneumonia ; the arched back of inflammations in the abdominal regions 

 (arched in order to release the muscles and prevent pressure on the painful parts) ; the pitiful 

 appearance of a dog in rheumatism ; the drooping jaw and half-paralysed body of a dog 

 suffering from dumb rabies ; the terrible unhappy-like ferocity of a rabid dog on the march ; all 

 tell their own tale, and speak volumes to the skilled veterinary surgeon. A slow gait is indicative 

 of debility or old age, stiffness of rheumatism or old age ; and the curious twitching or jerking 

 movements of St. Vitus's Dance, need only be once seen to be remembered for evermore. 



It will be observed that the medicines recommended in the treatment of the various diseases 

 described in these pages are not only generally of the simplest kinds, but that the doses thereof 

 are medium doses. There is no doubt that the older veterinary surgeons lost many valuable dogs 

 from the harsh method in which they treated them. The same practice still obtains in many 

 parts of the country, if not, indeed, in towns as well ; and dogs are often cruelly slain by over- 

 doses of emetics, and even aloes, administered by unskilled hands. There is no leaning towards 

 homoeopathy in this treatise, but this method of treatment, wrong though the premises be on 

 which it is based, has at least one advantage : if an infinitesimal dose does no good, it can do 

 no harm ; it does not trammel Nature, nor throw obstacles in her way, but leaves the path clear 

 so that she, unopposed, can go in and cure. 



Another thing which is claimed for the prescriptions is safety. Were the treatise intended 

 solely for students, or the junior members of the veterinary profession, many remedies might be 

 recommended, which, in the hands of an unprofessional person, would be like a razor in the grasp 

 of an infant. Some medicines prescribed are, perhaps, new with regard to the practice of canine 

 medicine ; but they have been tried with success. 



Much good may at times be done to sick dogs by administering even seemingly simple 

 medicines, and these do all the more good if given in time, for little ailments if not seen to often 

 lead to very serious mischief. It may be well here to give a few examples of the good that may 

 be done by simple remedies. 



