140 EVERYTHING ABOUT DOGS. 



purulent, and may be streaked with blood, while the abdomen will be found to be 

 very painful on pressure. 



"NERVOUS SYMPTOMS. The animal's senses are very dull and he seems much 

 depressed. There may be deep coma, or periods of excitement occur, nervousness 

 and delirium; these periods generally short, terminating in depression. There may 

 be twitching of the muscles, especially of the head and limbs. At times there is 

 twitching of the muscles of the lower jaw that causes the saliva to foam; again 

 there will be only a chattering of the teeth. The animal will wander without aim. 

 or run around as if lost. A haggard appearance of the eyes, the head thrown back- 

 ward, the animal perhaps having convulsions. There may be motor paralysis, the 

 animal unsteady in its actions, may drag his legs or there may be loss of power in 

 the posterior extremities, the animal being unable to stand. There is (sometimes 

 loss of control of the bladder and lower bowel, when the urine and feces are invol- 

 untarily evacuated. When an animal is in a poor state of health, being aenemic and 

 in a generally run down condition, he is generally attacked with very severe nerv- 

 ous symptoms. Serious weakness of the heart may occur. Some constitutions seem 

 to succumb easily, while others seem to withstand more acute attacks. 



"COMPLICATIONS.' Some of the complications that occur in distemper are 

 capilliary bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, jaundice, paralysis, and worst of all, 

 chorea. 



"DIAGNOSIS. When the animal is dull, has a poor appetite, and loses flesh 

 rapidly, the disease should be suspected, especially if there has been exposure to 

 the disease. The harsh dry cough is characteristic, and the eye symptoms when 

 accompanied by fever are diagnostic of this disease. The thermometer should be 

 used in these cases. 



"PROGNOSIS. The prognosis of distemper we regard as favorable if the case 

 is seen early and -properly treated. The danger increases with the severity of the 

 symptoms at the onset of the disease. A persistent high temperature, or a subnor- 

 mal temperature are both serious symptoms. The following are unfavorable occur- 

 rences: Much emaciation and the animal refuses food, or when there are grave 

 complications such as pneumonia, etc., or when the animal is very young or weak. 

 a,nd senemic, or when the disease attacks different organs at the same time. Death 

 may occur from paralysis of the brain or oedema of the lungs, from septicaBinia or 

 from general exhaustion. Among the favorable circumstances are the mature age 

 of the patient, good constitution of the animal, mildness of the attack, and when 

 the disease is confined to circumscribed regions, or to one organ of the body. 



"PROPHYLAXIS. Due attention to hygienics is one of the most important con- 

 siderations. It is a good plan to have a small kennel or room where there will be 

 plenty of fresh air without draught into which cases of suspected distemper may 

 be put under observation, housing all distemper cases during the whole course of 

 the illness in a separate kennel or room. Everything that has been about the 

 animal and all quarters where the animal has been should be burned if possible. It' 

 it is not desirable to burn the quarters there should be a thorough disinfecting of 

 them, and especially all bedding burned. All utensils that have been used in COD- 

 nection with the case, such as feeding and drinking pans, should be thoroughly dis- 

 infected. A dog with distemper should not be allowed to mingle with others, how- 

 ever well he may seem, so long as he has any discharge from eyes or nose, and 

 never before from four to eight weeks have elapsed. Then, after the nose and eyes 

 have been especially disinfected by washing or injecting a suitable solution, the 

 animal should be washed all over, the water being medicated with Clayton's Ceoline 

 Dog Wash, Sanita?, or the Standard Disinfectant. As an animal in a run-down, 



