THE DISEASES OF CATS, AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



363 



head with his left hand, taking care to keep 

 the mouth shut by means of the thumb and 

 index finger, and steadies it on the table ; and 

 with the right hand he carefully and gently 

 passes the pipe of the syringe up one of the 

 nasal channels and then presses out the fluid. 

 \Yhen this is finished, the other nostril is 

 served the same. 



The following is a suitable formula for the 

 solution to be injected : 



Alum . . . . .30 grains. 



Boric Acid .... 2 drachms. 



Liquid Extract of Hydrastis . 2 



Warm Water . . . pint. 



This should be used every other day until 

 some benefit is derived from it. If the disease 

 is not amenable after a fortnight's adoption of 

 this treatment, the following should be substi- 

 tuted : 



Tincture of Iodine (B. P.) . 10 minims. 

 Glycerine .... 6 ounces. 

 Warm Water . . . I ounce. 



Pills of iron, quinine, arsenic, and such-like, 

 as well as plenty of flesh food along with 

 cod-liver oil, should be given. Fresh air is 

 invigorating, and a change to the seaside some- 

 times does miracles. Eucalyptus sprinkled 

 about the cat's box is useful, because it acts 

 not only as an antiseptic, but as a stimulant 

 to the mucous membrane of the nostrils. 



Bronchitis, or inflammation of the bron- 

 chial or air tubes, may occur as a sequel 

 to catarrh or during its course, and may also 

 accompany distemper. It is also due to small 

 worms in the tubes ; washing followed by ex- 

 posure to draughts ; medicine, especially light 

 powders, going down the windpipe, etc. It is 

 frequently due to tuberculosis. 



Symptoms. There is a frequent cough, the 

 breathing is wheezy, and sometimes quickened 

 or difficult. The desire for warmth is great ; 

 there is shivering, ana perhaps a discharge 

 from the eyes and nose. On listening to the 

 chest by means of the stethoscope, wheezing 

 or hissing or bubbling sounds will be heard. 



Treatment, The animal should be kept in 

 a constant temperature of 60 F., and have 

 warm milk and beef administered to it. The 

 throat and sides should be rubbed with oil of 

 mustard. Inhalations of steam are useful 

 when expectoration seems difficult. Kermes 

 mineral (two grains) and powdered squill (one 

 grain) should be given. 



Pneumonia, or inflammation of the sub- 

 stance of the lungs, may be due to various 



causes, such as exposure to cold, chills after 

 washing, medicines passing down the wind- 

 pipe, foreign bodies, blood-poisoning, small 

 worms, and principally distemper or tuber- 

 culosis. It may be associated with pleuris} 

 or bronchitis, and is then termed pleuro-pneu- 

 monia or broncho-pneumonia respectively ; 

 and also sometimes with a purulent collection 

 or tuberculosis, and then it receives the names 

 septic pneumonia or tubercular pneumonia, or 

 phthisis. 



Symptoms. At first there is intense shiver- 

 ing, a greatrdesire for warmth, loss of appetite, 

 dull appearance, dull cough, sickness, difficulty 

 of breathing, which after some days becomes 

 laboured or panting. On auscultation of the 

 chest the characteristic sounds may be heard. 

 At first fine crepitations, then a day or two 

 after the tubular or blowing sounds, and when 

 convalescence sets in the fine crackling or 

 crepitating sounds are heard again. The 

 cough becomes more frequent and the appe- 

 tite increases. On the other hand, if there be 

 no improvement, the coat becomes dull and 

 open, the eyes sunken, and the pupils dilated ; 

 the flanks move up and down like a pump- 

 handle, and the breath becomes foetid ; food 

 is totally refused, and diarrhoea sets in, a fatal 

 termination is to be anticipated. 



Treatment. The animal should be kept in 

 a temperature of 60 F., and fresh air, but no 

 draughts, allowed. The sides are to be rubbed 

 with oil of mustard, or painted with tincture 

 of iodine, or an ointment composed of one part 

 of tartar emetic to eight of lard. Quinine 

 sulphate, | grain ; alcoholic extract of nux 

 vomica, yV grain ; and extract of digitalis, 

 i grain, in a pill, may be administered every 

 four hours, and nourishing food given. In the 

 case of tubercular pneumonia, which is gener- 

 ally chronic, the animal should be destroyed. 



Pleurisy, or inflammation of the covering of 

 the lungs or internal lining of the chest cavity, 

 in the cat as well as in the dog, is chiefly due 

 to tuberculosis. It may, however, result from 

 pneumonia, abscess in the lung, cancer, para- 

 sites, injuries, foreign bodies, gunshot wounds, 

 cold, etc. It is generally accompanied with a 

 dirty sanious, or clear amber-tinted, or port- 

 wine - coloured fluid, sometimes containing 

 yellowish- white strings of lymph floating in it 

 in the chest cavity. One or both sides may 

 be affected. It is usually fatal. 



Symptoms. The cat has an anxious, painful 

 facial expression, and moans, or rather grunts, 



