ABC GUIDE TO CANINE AILMENTS. 



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anxious, the pulse small and frequenr, and the ex- 

 tremities cold. The animal would fain sit up on 

 his haunches, or even seek to get out into the fresh 

 air ; but sickness, weakness, and prostration often 

 forbid his movements. If the ear or stethoscope 

 be applied to the chest, the characteristic signs 

 of pneumonia will be heard; these are sounds of 

 moist crepitations, etc. 



Bronchitis is probably the most common compli- 

 cation ; in fact, it is always present, except in 

 very mild cases. The cough becomes more severe, 

 and often comes on in tearing paroxysms, causing 

 sickness and vomiting. The breathing is short 

 and frequent, the mouth hot and filled with viscid 

 saliva, while very often the bowels are consti- 

 pated. 



Liver Disease. If the liver becomes involved, 

 we shall very soon have the jaundiced eye and the 

 yellow skin. 



Diarrhoea. This is another very common com- 

 plication. We have frequent purging and, maybe, 

 sickness and vomiting. 



Fits of a convulsive character are frequent con- 

 comitants of distemper. 



Epilepsy is sometimes seen in cases of dis- 

 temper, owing, no doubt, to degeneration of the 

 nerve centres caused by blood-poisoning. There 

 are many other complications seen in distemper. 

 JAUNDICE, for example, which see. Skin com- 

 plaints common after it. 



Treatment. This consists firstly in doing all 

 in our power to guide the specific catarrhal fever 

 to a safe termination; and, secondly, in watching 

 for and combating complications. Whenever we 

 see a young dog ailing, losing appetite, exhibiting 

 catarrhal symptoms, and getting thin, with a rise 

 in temperature, we should not lose an hour. If 

 h->. be an indoor dog, find him a good bed in a 

 clean, well-ventilated apartment, free from lumber 

 and free from dirt. If it be summer, have all the 

 windows out or opened ; if winter, a little fire will 

 be necessary, but have half the window opened at 

 the same time ; only take precautions against his 

 lying in a draught. Fresh air in cases of dis- 

 temper, and, indeed, in fevers of all kinds, cannot 

 be too highly extolled. 



The more rest the dog has the better; he must 

 be kept free from excitement, and care must be 

 taken to guard him against cold and wet when he 

 goes out of doors to obey the calls of nature. 

 The most perfect cleanliness must be enjoined. 

 and disinfectants used, such as permanganate of 

 potash, carbolic acid, Pearson's, or Izal. If the 

 sick dog, on the other hand, be one of a kennel 

 of dogs, then quarantine must be adopted. The 

 hospital should be quite removed from the vicinity 

 of all other dogs, and as soon as the animal is 

 taken from the kennel the latter should be 

 thoroughly cleansed and disinfected, and the other 

 dogs kept warm and dry, well fed, and moderately 

 exercised. 



Food and Drink. For the first three or four 

 days let the food be light and easily digested. In 

 order to induce the animal to take it, it should 



be as palatable as possible. For small dogs you 

 cannot have anything better than milk porridge.* 

 At all events, the dog must, if possible, be in- 

 duced to eat ; he must not be " horned " unless 

 there be great emaciation; he must "not over-eat;< 

 but whatjie j^ets must be good. As to drink, dogs 

 usually piefer clean cold water, and we cannot 

 do harm by mixing therewith a little plain nitre. 



Medicine. Begin by giving a simple dose of 

 castor-oil, just enough and no more than will 

 clear out the bowels by one or two motions. 

 Drastic purgatives, and medicines such as mer- 

 cury, jalap, aloes, and podophyllyn, cannot be 

 too highly condemned. For very small Toy dogs, 

 such as Italian Greyhounds, Yorkshire Terriers, 

 etc., I should not recommend even oil itself, 

 but manna one drachm to two drachms dis- 

 solved in milk. By simply getting the bowels to 

 act once or twice, we shall have done enough for 

 the first day, and have only to make the dog 

 comfortable for the night. 



On the next day begin with a mixture such as 

 the following : Solution of acetate of ammonia, 

 30 drops to 120; sweet spirits of nitre, 15 drops 

 to 60; salicylate of soda 3 2 grains to 10. Thrice 

 daily in a little camphor water. 



If the cough be very troublesome and the fever 

 does not run very high, the following may be 

 substituted for this on the second or third day : 

 Syrup of squills, 10 drops to 60; tincture of hen- 

 bane, 10 drops to 60; sweet spirits of nitre, 10 

 drops to 60, in camphor water. 



A few drops of dilute hydrochloric acid should 

 be added to the dog's drink, and two teaspoon- 

 fuls (to a quart of water) of the chlorate of potash, 

 'ihis makes an excellent fever drink, especially if 

 the dog can be got to take decoction of barley 

 barley-water instead of plain cold water, best 

 made of Keen and Robinson's patent barley. 



If there be persistent sickness and vomiting, 

 the medicine must be stopped for a time. Small 

 boluses of ice frequently administered will do 

 much good, and doses of dilute prussic acid, from 

 one to four drops in a little water, will generally 

 arrest the vomiting. 



If constipation be present, we must use no rough 

 remedies to get rid of it. A little raw meat cut 

 into small pieces minced, in fact or a small 

 portion of raw liver, may be given if there be 

 little fever ; if there be fever, we are to trust for 

 'a time to injections of plain soap-and-water. 

 Diarrhcea,al though often a troublesome symptom, 

 is, it must be remembered, generally a salutary 

 one. Unless, therefore, it becomes excessive, do 

 not interfere; if it does, give the simple chalk 

 mixture three times a day, but no longer than is 

 needful. 



The discharge from the mouth and nose is to 

 be wiped away with a soft rag, wetted with a weak 

 solution of carbolic, or, better still, some tow, 

 which is afterwards to be burned. The forehead, 

 eyes, and nose may be fomented two or three 



* Oatmeal porridge made with milk instead of water. 



