DISTEMPER. 139 



The animal loses his appetite, is restless and seems depressed, and soon tires on 

 slight exertion. Vomiting may occur. 



"SYMPTOMS ON THK OUTER INTEGUMENT. There is sometimes a characteristic 

 skin eruption in distemper. The eruption generally occurs on the inner facia of 

 the thighs, and on the abdomen, or it may cover the whole body. It first ap- 

 pears as small red spots, generally scattered. Sometimes, but very rarely, they 

 are confluent, then there is a change and they appear as small blisters filled with 

 serum, and later on this changes to pus. They are about the size of a small bean, 

 they dry up very soon and form yellowish scabs and crusts. These scabs fall off 

 and leave a red, circular spot on the skin, and these spots are some time in disap- 

 pearing. Sometimes pit and ulcerations are formed, on account of the dog scratch- 

 ing these spots. Occasionally this trouble is only slight and confined to parts of 

 the body, but at times it extends over the whole surface of the body. When the 

 trouble is very extensive there is a fetid odor given off from the body, the hair 

 falling off in places. Occasionally a slight skin eruption is the only symptom that 

 is observed, but in these cases the disease is of a very mild form. 



"SYMPTOMS SHOWN BY THE EYES. In the majority of cases there is a catarrhal 

 conjunctivitis. The eye watery, the eylids injected, the conjunctiva is red and 

 swollen, and as the light causes the animal pain he seeks the dark. At first the 

 exudate is serous, later on it becomes mucous, and still later on it becomes puru- 

 lent, in color light gray or yellowish. This discharge collects in the corner of the 

 eye or runs down over the face, forms yellowish crusts on the edges of the eye- 

 lids, and very frequently glues the lids together during the night. Lesions of the 

 cornea may be caused by the corrosive action of the secretion, and the resulting 

 inflammation of the surrounding membranes. The animal scratching and rubbing 

 the parts producing further injury. Nutritive troubles which follow also assist. 

 There is at first a slight swelling which afterward forms an ulceration. After this 

 process has ceased and healing takes place there is left white spots or dark 

 pigmentation on the cornea. We sometimes have a keratitus, marked by a milky 

 appearance of the cornea. The inflammation may extend when the whole eye be 

 comes acutely inflamed and breaks down. The eye symptom accompanied by a 

 lever is sometimes the only symptoms of the disease. 



"Kh.si'iUMOKY SYMPTOM 8. There is usually an inflammation of the mucous 

 membrane of the air passages of a catarrhal nature. We have, first, catarrh of the 

 nose, marked by sneezing, and the animal will rub or wipe his nose with his 

 paws. There is generally an increasing discharge from both nostrils, at iirst 

 serous, then mucous, and later on purulent, and generally quite an odor to this dis- 

 charge. There is a sniffling respiration. The nose sometimes dry and cracked, 

 and ulceration covering the membranes of the nasal foissa. When the discharge 

 is very profuse the trouble extends to the turbinated bones and sinuses. In catarrh 

 oi the larynx we have a loud, hoarse, dry cough, which causes the animal a great 

 deal of discomfort. Later on it becomes moist and looser, and there is usually a 

 discharge. On account of reflex action this cough .sometimes produces vomiting. 

 There is not much difficulty in respiration when thc3 larynx alone is affected, but 

 when the bronchial tubes become involved and the inflammation extends down 

 wu.nl and producer Bronchitis, there is a very great increase in respiration, and a 

 very painful, distressing cough. 



"SYMi'To.M.s >i< THK DIGESTIVE TRACT. In catarrh of the stomach, which occurs 

 in this disease, there is generally complete loss of appetite, and the animal vomits 

 a frothy liquid. There is a fetid diarrhea, or infrequent defecation and intense 

 thirst. The discharge from the bowels is of a liquid consistency, generally muco- 



