190 EVERYTHING ABOUT DOGS. 



"Difficulty of swallowing is an early isymptom, and frequently leads the 

 unsuspecting owner to conclude that the animal has a bone in his throat. A dog 

 which appears to have a bone in his throat is on general principles one of the 

 most dangerous animals in existence. The supposed bone may be there, but on 

 the other hand the symptoms which lead to this supposition may be due to partial 

 paralysis caused Ly rabies, and the owner may be inoculated with the virulent 

 saliva while thrusting his finger or hand in the dog's mouth to discover a bone 

 which has no existence but in his imagination. 



"It is commonly believed that mad dogs have fear of water and are unable to 

 drink, but there could be no greater mistake. In this respect they differ entirely 

 from the human patient. They have no fear or dread of water, but continue to 

 drink until paralysis has progressed so far that they are no longer able to swallow. 

 The fact that a suspected dog is seen to drink or to wade into a stream is con- 

 sequently no evidence that he is not mad. 



"When the furious symptoms come on, the dog leaves his home and goes upon 

 a long chase, with no apparent object in view other than to be traveling onward. 

 He trots at a rapid pace, eye haggard, tail depressed, indifferent to his surround- 

 ings. He flies at and bites dogs and persons whom he meets, but usually does 

 not apparently search for them, or even notice them if they remain quiet. Dogs 

 in this condition may travel many miles, and finally drop from exhaustion and die 

 Often after an absence of a day ior two they return to their home, exhausted, 

 emaciated, covered with dust and blood; and presenting a most forlorn and 

 miserable appearance. Those who have pity for such an animal and try to make 

 it clean and comfortable, are in* great danger of being bitten, for the disease has 

 advanced to a point where the delirium or insanity is mast marked, and where a 

 treacherous bite is most common. Doubtless the dog has no intention of injuring 

 a friend, and would not do so did he not see that friend transformed by his dis- 

 ordered vision into some distorted and unrecognizable shape, which he thinks is 

 about to injure him. But while we may give the dog due credit for not inten- 

 tionally and deliberately inoculating his friends with his fatal virus, let us not 

 forget that the inoculation is no less deadly because it is the result of the 

 abnormal working of a disordered mind. Whatever the sentiment may be which 

 leads the dog to turn upon his master or mistress and inflict an injury, the duty 

 remains the same for the owner to take due precautions to prevent such an 

 occurrence. 



"If the animal, instead of being allowed to escape, is kept confined, the parox- 

 ysms of fury are seen to occur intermittently, or, in the absence of provocation, 

 they may be entirely wanting. If excited, it howls, rushes upon objects that are 

 thrust toward it, or throws itself against the bars of its cage and bites with great 

 fury. 



"As death approaches, the animal becomes exhausted and scarcely able to 

 stand; the eyes are dull and sunken, and the expression is that of pain and 

 despair. Paralysis appears in the jaws or in the posterior extremities and extends 

 rapidly to other parts of the body. The animal, being unable to stand, lies 

 extended upon its side; the respiration becomes more and more difficult; there 

 are spasmodic contractions of certain groups of muscles, complete prostration, 

 and death. 



"The ordinary course of the disease is four or five days; it may be as short 

 as two or as long as ten days. 



DUMB RABIES. 



"When this form of the disease is typical, it comes on with restlessness, 



