DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 141 



stare, evidently not conscious where it is, and starts away, 

 hitting itself perhaps against anything which may oppose 

 its progress. If caught it struggles to get loose, and may 

 even bite the hand which, when conscious, it would 

 perish to defend. Almost immediately, however, it 

 regains its faculties, and then seems quite as well as it 

 appeared to be before the attack came on. It may con- 

 tinue subject to be thus seized for several days ; or soon 

 after the first attack, fits or convulsions may start up. 

 During the champing colic may set in, which will only 

 yield when the fits are established. The duration of the 

 champing is not regular ; it may be only for a few 

 moments, or for several minutes. The attacks may be 

 no more than one or two in the day, or twenty may 

 occur in a single hour. Generally they remain about 

 three days, but here also there is no rule. I have known 

 them to be present for a week, and also to exist only for 

 a few hours. In these latter cases the condition of the 

 dog is generally not understood. It is taken out for a 

 long walk, or it is indulged with a hearty meal ; and in 

 the middle of the one, or shortly after the other, it begins 

 to champ, utters a loud sharp cry, which is suddenly cut 

 short as if the animal was choked. The eyes glare, the 

 mouth is open, and before perfect insensibility ensues, 

 the dog bites at every object near it, then falls down 

 convulsed, the limbs stiffen, the head is drawn back or 

 twisted to one side, the urine and dung are voided ; and 

 a state of unconsciousness, which may cease in a few 

 minutes, or continue for hours, during which the body is 



