CHRONIC GENERAL DROPSY FROM DISEASED KIDNEYS. 97 



by their honesty, though they may lose a few bitches in some one 

 year, or even in each year of their being at the service of the 

 public. Greyhound bitches are not nearly so liable to the disease, 

 because they are not subject to the same treatment, but among 

 pet lap-dogs, &c., one sex is just as likely to be affected with 

 anasarca as the other ; and this is especially the case with those 

 fat, overfed, and ill-exercised spaniels which are petted by old 

 ladies, and taken out in carriages for an airing. 



In the TREATMENT of this disease it is important to detect the 

 cause. If the kidneys are in fault, the urine will be scanty and 

 high-coloured, and generally very rank-smelling ; whereas, if the 

 liver is at the bottom of the mischief, although the urine may 

 be high-coloured, yet it is yellow, not brown, being tinged with 

 bile, and it is also not so scanty. The faeces in liver-affections also 

 are pale and clay-coloured, often like barm or perhaps perfectly 

 white. The liver may also often be felt enlarged and hardened. 

 In either case, if the disease is permanent, the greyhound is good 

 for nothing, being of course unfit for breeding purposes, but, if the 

 attack has only recently come on, it may possibly be removed by 

 diuretics if the kidneys are at fault, or by calomel and jalap if the 

 liver is congested only, and not organically affected. The best 

 diuretic for this purpose is nitre and digitalis, from six to twelve 

 grains of the former and one of the latter, with perhaps half a grain 

 of calomel, if necessary, formed into a bolus, and given twice a day. 

 If these remedies do not entirely relieve the complaint in a week or 

 two, it is useless to persevere, except for the purpose of gratifying 

 some particular fancy for a great favourite, and, as I cannot speak 



H 



