RECIPES. 153 



Distemper in Dogs. 



Changes in the atmosphere, low keep, and neglect, 

 are among the principal causes of this disease. The fol- 

 lowing are the usual symptoms of this malady in young 

 dogs: sudden loss of spirit, activity, and appetite; 

 drowsiness, dulness of the eyes, and lying at length with 

 'the nose to the ground ; coldness of the extremities, of 

 the ears and legs, with heat of the head and body, 

 sometimes nearly scorching; sudden emaciation and 

 excessive weakness, particularly in the hinder quarters, 

 which hegin to sink and drag after the animal ; the flanks 

 pinched in ; an apparent tendency to evacuate from the 

 bowels a little at a time ; sometimes vomiting ; the eyes 

 and nose are often, but not always, affected with a dis- 

 charge. In an advanced stage of the distemper, spasm- 

 odic and convulsive twitchings will be perceived, with 

 giddiness, turning round, foaming at the mouth, and fits, 

 which would probably terminate in madness. In this 

 stage of the disease recourse must be had to professional 

 aid, or the animal be put out of existence. In distemper, 

 the dog will probably refuse food for some days, and 

 should be supplied with warm milk and water, broth, 

 gruel, or whey ; he should be also taken out into the 

 air ; his bed should be warm and dry ; and in cold 

 weather he should be permitted to lie by the fire, in a 

 moderate degree. Mild doses, of from two to three 

 grains of calomel, should be given daily in milk, for four 



