556 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



takes place first in the solitary glands of the colon, and that the intervening mucous membrane 

 gets inflamed, secretes largely, and is tender, and bleeds easily. After death we find abundant 

 ulceration, and sympathetic inflammation of the mesenteric glands. 



Symptoms. Most troublesome and frequent stools, with great straining, the dejections are 

 liquid, or liquid and scybalous, with mucus, and more or less of blood. There is also some 

 manifestation of pain, an anxious appearance of countenance, loss of appetite unless in very 

 mild cases frequent micturition, the water being scanty and high-coloured. The dog is 

 usually dull and restless, and there is more or less of fever, with great thirst. If the anus be 

 examined it will be found red, sore, and puffy. If the disease goes on to death the animal gets 

 rapidly emaciated, pus appears in the stools, which become very offensive, the belly is tumid and 

 tender, and soon the dog sinks exhausted and dies. Sometimes the disease assumes the chronic 

 form, when there will be but little fever, but the pulse is frequent and weak, and the appetite 

 sometimes ravenous. Nevertheless, the dog gets thin, the coat is harsh and dry, the tenesmus 

 continues, and the stools are watery and highly fetid. 



Diagnosis. See diagnosis of diarrhoea. 



Treatment. Judicious diet is of great importance in the treatment of this disease. It must 

 be very light, nutritious, and easily digestible, such as jellies, broths mixed with flour or fine 

 white bread, bread-and-milk, cream, beef-tea, eggs, flour, porridge, &c., with an allowance of 

 wine if deemed necessary. The drink may be pure water frequently changed, barley-water or 

 other demulcent drinks. 



The animal should be properly housed, and well protected from damp and cold, which in 

 dogs very often produce the disease. Give a dose of castor-oil with a few drops, according to 

 the dog's strength, of the liquid extract of opium ; follow this up in about two hours with an 

 enema or two of gruel, to assist its operation. Much good may be done by hot fomentations to 

 the abdomen, and by linseed-meal poultices, in which a table-spoonful or two of mustard has 

 been mixed, to the epigastrium, followed by a full dose of the liquid extract of opium. 



This may be followed by from five grains to thirty of the trisnitrate of bismuth, in con- 

 junction with from an eighth part of a grain to two grains of opium, thrice a day. 



If the thirst be great, bicarbonate of potash, or chlorate of potash, and a little of the nitrate, 

 should be added to the drinking water. Injections of gruel or starch, to which from twenty 

 drops to a drachm of tincture of opium has been added, do good, and probably better still if a 

 little good port wine is added to each. 



When the disease has become chronic, our principal object is to sustain the animal's strength, 

 and give the bowels all the rest we can. The mixture recommended for diarrhoea must be 

 persisted in, and great fetor of the dejections indicates the use of some deodoriser, as the hypo- 

 sulphite of soda, with from twenty to sixty grains of wood charcoal, twice a day. 



If there be much emaciation cod-liver oil must be given, combining its use with tonics, such 

 as quinine and iron, in small doses. 



The anus, if much inflamed, must be bathed frequently in warm water, and some cooling 

 ointment smeared over it. This may be either cold cream or camphor ointment, or the common 

 blue ointment may be sparingly used. 



Bleeding is contra-indicated in this disease, so, too, is the exhibition of calomel and opium ; 

 a less heroic treatment, with good nursing, proper dieting, and clean kenneling will usually do 

 more good. 



A warm cloth bandage had better be worn for some time after the disorder has yielded to 

 treatment and until the dog is fairly restored to health. 



