90 The Management and Diseases of the Dog. 



Treatment.— -In the early stage local bleeding is exceed- 

 ingly beneficial, the hair over the affected region should be 

 shaved closely off and leeches applied, after which a hot 

 linseed-meal poultice may be bound over the part. 



With regard to medicinal agents — mild saline doses at 

 the onset, as a drachm each of sulphate of magnesia and 

 bicarbonate of soda, repeated for three days, and then fol- 

 lowed by vegetable tonics, form the best internal treatment 

 that I am aware of. Stimulants are rarely, if ever, admis- 

 sible. 



When the acute symptoms have abated, nourishingbut un- 

 stimulating food may be allowed, with daily quiet exercise. 



CHRONIC HEPATITIS 

 may, as I have observed, be a sequel of the former, or be 

 associated with other diseases, or it may be created by 

 some specific disease within its own structure. 



It is, however, more generally brought about from long- 

 continued injudicious feeding and denial of exercise, and is 

 more frequently seen in the smaller breeds, particularly toy 

 terriers. 



Symptoms. — These are, to a considerable extent, a modi- 

 fied type of those existing in acute hepatitis. The size of 

 the liver may be increased or decreased — more frequently 

 the former, the enlargement being hard and more or less 

 insensible to pain on pressure. The animal has an habitual 

 jaundiced appearance, and is usually languid and dejected. 



Treatment. — The treatment of chronic hepatitis may be 

 more extended than when it is acute. Counter-irritation 

 is decidedly indicated, and is certainly beneficial. I 

 am of opinion that strong iodine liniment applied with 

 a brush, after first removing the hair, is the best 

 agent for this purpose, and more in accordance with 

 the nature of a glandular disease. Calomel may 

 also be administered with benefit in one-grain doses, 

 combined with ten grains of rhubarb or a scruple of aloes 

 every other day. Intermediate doses of dilute nitric acid, 



