346 DOG DISTEMPER 



are often considerably injected with a sero-fibrinous exudate in 

 and under the arachnoid and even into the substance of the 

 spinal cord. 



Among the other changes which have been described we 

 may mention decrease in the total quantity of the blood of the 

 body, combined with a certain degree of hydraemia. There 

 may be fatt}^ degeneration of the liver and kidneys. The mus- 

 cular tissue of the heart is discolored in consequence of cloudy 

 swelling and fatty degeneration of its fibers. The lymph 

 glands may be oedematous. 



§ 264. Differential diagnosis. Distemper is to be 

 differentiated from, (i) A simple primary catarrah, such as 

 that of the eyes, nose, lungs, stomach or intestines. While the 

 •differentiation is often difficult at first, as distemper frequently 

 manifests itself in the following affections, a single mucous 

 membrane or in one organ. In general the diagnosis is obtained 

 from the epizootic nature of the disease, age of the patient, 

 high temperature, simultaneous implication of several organs 

 and the unfavorable course of the malady. The finding of the 

 pustules of distemper is of much diagnostic value. (2) Rabies. 

 The symptoms of cerebral irritation which occur at the begin- 

 ning of the disease may give rise to the suspicion of rabies. 

 The characteristic aggressive behavior of animals suffering 

 from rabies is, however, absent in cases of distemper. The 

 further course of the disease soon enables a diagnosis to be 

 made. (3) The eruption of distemper if widely distributed 

 over the body may resemble that of mange. The mild char- 

 acter of the pruritus, the presence of pustules on the hypo- 

 gastrium and inner surface of the thighs, the rapid spreading 

 of the exanthema over the whole body and the development of 

 other symptoms of distemper, render the differentiation easy. 

 The exanthema of distemper and that of mange, however, 

 often occur simultaneously in the same animal in which cases 

 certain precautions are necessary in making the correct diag- 

 nosis. (4) Epilep.sy. The epileptiform attacks in distemper 

 are distinguished from true epilepsy essentially by their being 

 less acute. (5) It must also be differentiated from simple 

 coryza, bronchitis, chorea and paralysis. 



Until the specific cause is found and can be availed of in 



