594 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



of their own tongues, and the animal's 

 saliva is certainly an antiseptic, but he must 

 not have a chance of licking the dressings 

 from sore patches. In suspected poison- 

 ings by mercury there is the usual sort of 

 vomit, with great pain and. .distress and 

 difficulty of breathing; depression, leading 

 to convulsions, death. 



Give drenches of white of egg and water, 

 or flour and water; then an emetic; after- 

 wards demulcents and stimulants for de- 

 pression or collapse. Send for a good vet. 



OPIUM. An emetic ; strong coffee as a 

 drench ; electric shock to spine. 



STRYCHNINE, or Nux VOMICA, may be 



thrown down to a dog in some form or 

 picked up in some of the vermin killers. 

 The vomiting to be kept up with emetics. 

 Antidotes are animal charcoal, olive oil, 

 brandy and ammonia ; perfect rest and 

 quiet, artificial respiration, hot poultices to 

 stomach, hot bottle to back. 



In all cases of poisoning where the vet. 

 quite despairs of life, it is probably best to 

 permit the dog to pass quickly away. Still 

 it is not well to give up hopes too soon. 



The greatest difficulty we have to contend 

 with in such cases, lies in the fact that it is 

 sometimes impossible to find out what the 

 dog has swallowed. 



CHAPTER III. 

 ABC GUIDE TO CANINE AILMENTS. 



Abrasion or Chafe. Caused in many ways, and 

 on any part of body. Usually by dog's own teeth, 

 as in biting an itching part. By skin trouble or 

 accident. 



Treatment. If accidental a little oxide of zinc 

 ointment. Wash dog after healed ; a very little 

 borax in the rinsing water. If by bitinjr. damp 

 with solution of alum, zinc, or borax. If skin 

 disease, -vide mange. Prevent biting and scratch- 

 ing. 



Abscess. Forms on any portion of body, and 

 may be caused by blows, foreign bodies as 

 thorns and bruises. There are swelling, pain, 

 and heat, sometimes fever. 



Treatment. Hot fomentations at first, then 

 poultice or wet lint kept damp by piece of oiled 

 silk. These will either disperse or bring to a 

 head. When matter forms, which can be ascer- 

 tained from the boggy feeling, free incision, 

 .gently squeezing out of matter. Keep wound open 

 by pledget of boric lint, that it may heal from 

 the bottom. Dress daily with sterilised lint, pad 

 of wool, and bandage. Constitutionally : Milk 

 diet, a little gravy and meat, and green vege- 

 tables. 



Albuminuria or Chronic Bright 's Disease. 

 Only diagnosed by examination of urine. If a 

 little be boiled in test tube, and a drop or two of 

 strong nitric acid added, cloudiness or white sedi- 

 ment. General symptoms : Loss of condition, dry 

 nose, staring coat, frequent micturition ; some- 

 times a little paralysis of bladder. 



Treatment. Unsatisfactory. Care in diet : Milk, 

 barley water easily prepared from the patent 

 barley of the shops, which is also one of the best 

 of demulcents. Mixed diet : Steeped biscuits, meat, 

 fish, Bovril, eggs, pudding. Medicine: Oxide or 



carbonate of iron pills, as for human beings, one- 

 quarter pill for Toys, half for Terriers, while for 

 large dogs two pills thrice a day. 



Amaurosis (also called gutta serena from the 

 dilated pupil and glassy look). A form of blind- 

 ness seen in the dog, and depending on a par- 

 tially paralysed state of the nerves. 



The eye is peculiarly clear and the pupil 

 dilated, perhaps immovably so. The gait of the 

 animal attracts attention; he staggers somewhat, 

 and seems unable to avoid stumbling against ob- 

 jects in his way, while his expression seems 

 meaningless. 



Treatment. Unsatisfactory. The strictest atten- 

 tion, however, must be paid to the general health 

 and the feeding. If the disease seems induced 

 by the presence of worms, they must be got rid 

 of ; if by foul mouth and decayed teeth, see to 

 these. If the gutta serena follows violence to the 

 head, in which case it is more often limited to one 

 eye, put the animal on low diet, give a cooling 

 aperient, and keep him strictly quiet for a time. 



In amaurosis from weakness, tonics, such as the 

 tincture of iron, to begin with, followed in a week 

 by zinc, from half to four grains of the sulphate 

 in a pill, with extract of dandelion. This is an 

 excellent nervine tonic, but must be used for a 

 month at least. A small blister behind each ear 

 may also be tried. 



Anaemia (want of blood). General weakness, 

 paleness of gums and tongue. Sometimes con- 

 stipation, and many complications. Loss of appe- 

 tite. 



Treatment. Generous diet. Life in the fresh 

 air. Tincture of iron, three drops for Toy, twenty 

 for Mastiff size, thrice daily. Or pill containing 

 from one to five grains of reduced iron thrice daily. 



