378 THE DOG IN DISEASE. 



treatment, as it is impossible to say whether chorea or 

 paralysis may not follow, often long after, apparently mild 

 cases. On this the author can not too strongly insist, 

 and he believes the subject has not received the attention 

 it deserves. Comparatively few dogs, in fact, die during 

 the acute stage of the disease ; and as such complications 

 as chorea and paralysis are scarcely ever recovered from, 

 it is all the more important to attempt to prevent them. 



The treatment of the various and numerous possible 

 complications of distemper is given under the different dis- 

 eases, elsewhere in the volume. 



A word of warning as to the eyes. They do not 

 usually receive the attention they deserve during the 

 earlier stages of the disease. 



From the first they had better be treated as recom- 

 mended under " Ophthalmia " (see page 308). It is all-im- 

 portant to soothe the conjunctival irritation and keep the 

 discharge well washed away, otherwise ulcers of the cornea, 

 eczema of the lids, and a weakened condition of the eyes 

 that may trouble the patient for months, if not for the rest 

 of his life, may result. The edges of the lids should be 

 kept smeared with a little vaseline, and if to this a small 

 quantity of powdered iodoform be added, so much the 

 better. The ordinary zinc ointment is also useful. 



As a soothing lotion the following will perhaps serve 

 better than any other : 



9 Acid boracic 3 ss. ; 



Ext. belladon. fl 3 ss. ; 



Ext. opii liq 3 j ; 



Aquae ad 5 iv, 



Ft. mist. 



