150 DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 



much or even more than the affection. When the symp- 

 tom is mistaken, and wrong remedies are resorted to, the 

 fainting fit will often continue for hours, or never be 

 overcome. "When let alone, the attack mostly does not 

 last longer than a quarter of an hour, and tinder judicious 

 treatment the consciousness almost immediately returns. 

 When the fainting fits occur during the progress or ad- 

 vance of the disease — that is, before the symptoms have 

 begun to amend — it is usually preceded by signs of 

 aggravation. For twelve or twenty-four hours previously 

 the dog is perceptibly worse ; it may moan or cry, and 

 yet no organ seems to be decidedly affected more 

 seriously than it was before. I attribute the sounds 

 made to headache ; and, confirming this opinion, there is 

 always some heat at the scalp. The animal is dull, but 

 immediately before the collapse it attempts to wander, 

 and has begun to move, probably panting at the same 

 time, when it falls without a cry, and stiffens. In this 

 state — the rigidity occasionally being less, but the uncon- 

 sciousness continuing unchanged — it will remain ; the 

 eyes are turned upward or into the skull, the gums and 

 tongue are pallid, the legs and belly cold : the appear- 

 ances are those of approaching death, which, unless relief 

 is afforded, may in a short time take place. When the 

 fainting occurs after convalescence is established, the 

 attack is sudden, the symptoms are less violent, and the 

 coma of shorter duration. In this last case there is gene- 

 rally little danger, but there is always sufficient reason 

 for alarm, and help ought never to be delayed. These 



