282 DISEASES OF DOGS. 



useful, and when there is much stupidity and the head seems much 

 affected, a blister on the top is serviceable. 



Or, Take one part aloes, two parts salt petre, and four parts sul- 

 phur ; incorporate the whole together, and take as much as will lie 

 on the point of a dinner knife, either put it into warm milk, and 

 drench the dog, or give it to him in slices of meat. Tie up your 

 dog for twenty-four hours after, and repeat the same in a day or two 

 after, should the dog not be relieved. 



254. Fits. Dogs are peculiarly subject to fits. These are of 

 various kinds and arise from various causes. In distemper, dogs 

 are frequently attacked with convulsive fits, which begin with a 

 champing of the mouth and shaking of the head, gradually extending 

 over the whole body. Sometimes an active emetic will stop their 

 progress, but more generally they prove fatal. Worms are often the 

 cause of fits in dogs. These deprive the animal wholly of sense ; 

 he runs wild till he becomes exhausted, when he gradually recovers, 

 and perhaps does not have one again for some weeks. Confine- 

 ment produces fits and likewise costiveness. Cold water thrown 

 over a dog will generally remove the present attack of a fit ; and 

 for the prevention of their future recurrence it is evident that the 

 foregoing account of causes must be attended to. 



255. Inflamed bowels. Dogs are very subject to inflammation 

 of their bowels, from costiveness, from cold, or from poison. When 

 inflammation arises from costiveness, it is in general very slow in 

 its progress, and is not attended with very acute pain, but it is 

 characterized by the want of evacuation and the vomiting of food 

 taken, though it may be eaten with apparent appetite. In these 

 cases, the principal means to be made use of, are the removal of 

 the constipation by active purging, clysters, and the warm bath. 

 Calomel with aloes forms the best purge. But when the inflam- 

 mation may be supposed to arise from cold, then the removal of 

 any costiveness that may be present, is but a secondary consider- 

 ation. This active kind of inflammation is characterized by violent 

 panting, total rejection of food and constant sickness. There is great 

 heat in the belly, and great pain ; it is also accompanied with great 

 weakness and the eyes are very red. The bowels should be gently 

 opened with clysters, but no aloes or calomel should be made use 

 of. The belly should be blistered, having first used the warm bath. 

 When the inflammation arises from poison, there is then constant 

 sickness, the nose, paws, and ears are cold, and there is a frequent 

 evacuation of brown or bloody stools. Castor oil should be given, 

 and clysters of mutton broth thrown up, but it is seldom any treat- 

 ment succeeds. 



256. Inflamed lungs. Pleurisy is not an uncommon disease 



