EXTERNAL PARASITES. 629 



Dress the affected spots about twice a week, and allow longer intervals as soon as the skin 

 becomes soft and tender. In cases where the whole body is affected, we adopt the plan of 

 shaving the animal as soon as the skin is sufficiently smooth for the action of a razor ; and in 

 all cases it is good policy to shave about an inch of hair off the sound skin all round the diseased 

 spots. This prevents the spread of the parasites. On a case I have now under treatment, and in 

 which most of the skin was affected, I have tried clipping instead of shaving, and with good 

 results. I fancy the absence of hair not only allows the dressing to act better, but injuriously 

 affects the parasite. If this really be the case, may it not account for the difference in the 

 symptoms caused by the parasite on man and on the dog ? 



Be careful to wash thoroughly and disinfect the kennels of dogs in follicular mange, and 

 separate them from other dogs. 



A cure requires from three to eight months, and even a longer time than this must be allowed 

 for the growth of the hair. 



III. EXTERNAL PARASITES. 



The external parasites found on the dog, with the exception of those already named, 

 comprise only the flea, two kinds of dog lice, and the tick. 



I. The Flea. 



The flea, the pulex irritant, is by far the most common of hair parasites, although by no means 

 the most dangerous and troublesome. They are most annoying pests, however, and often very 

 difficult to get rid of ; for not only must those actually on the animal himself be destroyed, but the 

 animal's bed, the carpet, and everything, in fact, on which the dog may have lain for any length 

 of time, must be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected. 



In long-haired dogs these insects are principally to be found along the spine, in the neck, 

 and behind the ears. Here, then, they exist in colonies, and lay most of their eggs, and lead 

 altogether a very active life. They are generally found in pairs, the male and female, the latter 

 being much the larger. The eggs, or nits, black and hard and numerous, will be found at no great 

 distance, adhering to hairs. Warm weather, a too hot, foul kennel, and filth in general, are all 

 favourable to the multiplication of these pests. 



Fleas on dogs we believe are much more injurious than many people suppose ; from the 

 constant biting and irritation they render the dog nervous and excitable, and this, combined 

 with the loss of sleep, often causes indigestion, loss of tone, and emaciation, and paves the way 

 for the incoming of dangerous and perhaps fatal diseases. 



By biting himself and scratching himself, the poor dog ofttimes so disfigures his skin that he 

 is supposed to be suffering from mange, is taken to some so-called "dog doctor," is dressed 

 salivated if the dressing be mercurial, because the broken skin absorbs it so quickly and so 

 " cured " by being sent to his long home. 



There are many ways of getting rid of fleas in the dog, but we shall only mention the most 

 simple, and not the dangerous class of remedies. 



We have found powdered flowers of Pyrethrum roscuin, sometimes called Keating's insect 

 powder, very effectual. The hair must be lifted up. and the powder blown in. Little pairs of 

 bellows are sold for this purpose, but once empty, it is cheaper to buy the powder in bulk ; or 

 it may be introduced into the coat by means of an india-rubber puff-ball. Next morning the dog 

 must be washed and have a good run, and the process will want repeating. If a dog is much 



