74 EVERYTHING ABOUT DOGS. 



The following article I found somewhere, and as it is worth reproducing here 

 entire, I give it space in this book: 



"As in man, and many animals, indigestion in the dog may be acute, chronic 

 and passive. In acute indigestion the attack is sudden and painful, and is the result 

 of an overloaded stomach. The disorder is called chronic when the dog suffers for 

 a continued time and his stomach and intestines are in a weakened condition. It 

 is active when the attackus brought on by some extrinsic cause, passive when it is 

 the result of some other disease, or is due to an intrinsic cause. 



"The breeds of dogs most likely to be affected by indigestion are the pug, the 

 Japanese spaniel, the black and tan, the greyhound, the Yorkshire terrier, the 

 French poodle and the fox terrier. 



"Pugs are probably the greatest sufferers. As a rule, they are encouraged in 

 laziness, while sweetmeats are fed to them indiscriminately, so that it is not sur- 

 prising they should become fat and dyspeptic. 



"The foods which are richest in fats and those which are prone to ferment a 

 tion are the most indigestible, but it is not so much the nature of the food as it is 

 the quantity consumed at one time which injures an animal's -stomach. Small 

 dogs are more voracious in their feeding than large dogs. Some dogs never 

 or seldom get a bone to gnaw. The dog is a carnivorous animal, and in a 

 state of nature he lives only on the flesh of other nimals. As he swallows his 

 food with but little mastication, Nature has provided him with a desire to gnaw 

 the bones into small pieces. When these small pieces are taken into the stomach 

 they bruise and lacerate the food until it is made thoroughly digestible. It is be- 

 lieved that 70 per cent of the cases of indigestion in dogs are due to their being 

 deprived of bones to gnaw. Domestication has to a great extent modified the habit , 

 of the dog. Some pets are pampered and spoiled to the degree that they will eat 

 only certain foods, which must be fed to them with a fork 'or from some particu 

 lar dish. Such peculiarities are predisposing causes to indigestion. 



"A symptom of acute indigestion is vomiting after feeding. Later this is fol- 

 lowed by general dullness; the dog isolates himself from his friends, his eyes roll 

 with an expression of fear. The muzzle may be dry. Rumbling sounds in the 

 bowels are heard, accompanied by distension of the abdomen, which is filled with 

 jras. If the animal is forced to move, he shows great uneasiness and is stiff in his 

 posterior limbs, his back arched to relieve the tension of the abdominal muscles. If 

 the abdomen is manipulated he evinces acute pain. The bowels are constipated. 

 These symptoms may continue for an hour or more, and the attack may pass off 

 as suddenly as it began, or it may last for some length of time, during which the 

 dog suffers the greatest pain. Then the pain ceases, his eyes brighten, he becomes 

 cheerful, and off he goes for a run, apparently perfectly well. 



The symptoms of chronic indigestion are the same as those of the acute attack, 

 only they are less intense and they continue for days at a time. The dog often 

 grows irritable to a state of frenzy, and will run about snapping and biting, expos- 

 ing himself to be shot for mad by some over-zealous policeman. 



"As regards treatment, it is more important to regulate the diet than to give 

 medicines. Feed the sufferer once or twice a day, not oftener, and feed him spar- 

 ingly. Give him five (5) grains of saccharated pepsin before meals, and five (5) 

 grains each of subnitrate of bismuth and bicarbonate of soda after meals. For small 

 dogs, such as terriers, black and tans, Japanese spaniels, etc., the dose should be 

 reduced one-half." 



INVERSION OF THE VAGINA. See UTERUS, INVERSION OF. 



