General Diseases. 331 



always enlarge as the belly enlarges in pregnancy; but 

 more particularly it may be distinguished by the undula- 

 tion of the water in the belly, whereas in pregnancy there 

 is no undulation. The impregnated belly, however full, 

 has not that tight tense feel nor shining appearance ob- 

 served in dropsy. There may be also inequalities distin- 

 guished in it, which are the puppies, and, when pregnancy 

 is at all advanced, the young may be felt to move. The 

 most unequivocal mode, however, of detecting the presence 

 of water is by the touch. If the right hand is laid on one 

 side of the belly, and with the left hand the other side is 

 tapped, an undulating motion will be perceived, exactly 

 similar to what would be felt by placing one hand on a 

 bladder of water, and striking it with the other." 



Youatt observes : " The dog is peculiarly subject to 

 ascites or dropsy of the belly, and the quantity of fluid con- 

 tained in the abdomen is sometimes almost incredible. It 

 is usually accompanied or characterised by a weak, unequal, 

 small, and frequent pulse — paleness of the lips, tongue and 

 gums — flaccidity of the muscles, hurried breathing on the 

 least exertion, feebleness of the joints, swellings of the 

 lower limbs, effusion of fluid into the integuments, or among 

 the muscles, before there is any considerable effusion into 

 the thorax or the abdomen, and an unhealthy appearance 

 of the cutaneous surface. The urine seldom coagulates. 

 This form of dropsy is usually seated on the abdomen or 

 cellular tissue." 



In addition to this principal and what may be termed 

 abdominal symptom, there is loss of happiness and spirits, 

 dryness of the nose, thirst, constipation, scanty urine, quick 

 feeble pulse, and increased respiration, the latter chiefly 

 thoracic. As the accumulation increases, the breathing 

 becomes more difficult. The poor animal, to avoid suffo- 

 cation by pressure of the fluid on the breathing space, 

 either assumes a continual standing position, sits on its 

 haunches, or lies on its side. The enemy, however, con- 



