208 THE DOG IN DISEASE. 



of universal application. But what is possible is a mas- 

 tery of the principles of physiology, pathology, and thera- 

 peutics; an acquaintance with symptoms as they group 

 themselves in disordered animals; a knowledge of gross 

 and microscopic lesions, etc. 



It will be the aim of the remaining portions of this 

 book to be a guide to the accomplishment of this in so far 

 as space permits, though, of course, it will be quite impos- 

 sible to teach, db initio, such sciences as physiology, pa- 

 thology, and therapeutics, while we ever gladly point to 

 them as the only true lights in scientific medicine, canine 

 or other. 



Relative Prevalence of Disease. As a matter of fact, 

 the greater number of dogs die within the first year of 

 life, or, as in the human subject, during the period of 

 very early youth, infancy, or puppyhood, as we term it, 

 respectively ; and for this high mortality parasites, mostly 

 internal, and distemper are chiefly responsible, always 

 including all possible complications and consequences 

 (sequelcB) ; to these must be added disturbances of the 

 digestive tract and skin disease, as frequent though not 

 commonly fatal maladies. A considerable proportion of 

 puppies die of inflammations of the respiratory organs. 



But if any large breeder of dogs were to look over 

 his mortality records for a long series of years, he 

 would, we venture to state, be able to place fully three 

 quarters of all fatalities under debility, parasites, and 

 distemper. 



The first is scarcely a disease; it is rather lack of 

 vitality, usually traceable to injudicious mating or inade- 

 quate care of the brood bitch. 



