DISTEMPER OF DOGS 573 



very little rise in temperature, and catarrhal symptoms of 

 the eyes, nose, etc., fail. The symptoms of cerebral irri- 

 tation sometimes found in distemper make it necessary to 

 differentiate it from rabies. The characteristic aggressive 

 tendency of animals with rabies, the change in the voice, 

 the facial expression, and the absence of catarrhal symptoms 

 usually make the differentiation easy. The eruption on the 

 skin might be confused with mange, but negative results on 

 microscopic examination would at once show the difference. 

 There should be but little difficulty experienced in differ- 

 entiating it from eczema as the lesions and their location 

 differ and the other symptoms of distemper usually present. 

 The convulsions occurring in the nervous form of distemper 

 are distinguished from those of epilepsy by the acute char- 

 acter, occurring at frequent intervals, and the local muscular 

 twitchings, which occur even between the convulsive attacks. 



Prognosis.— The prognosis is not favorable, even in the 

 milder forms of the disease. Owing to the variety of forms 

 the disease assumes, and the frequent complications, the 

 mortality is high, amounting to approximately 50 per cent. 

 The prognosis depends to a certain extent upon the type of 

 the disease, and whether or not the animal is strong and 

 vigorous. The purely exanthematous form is most favor- 

 able. If the disease confines itself to this form the majority 

 of the cases will completely recover in two to three weeks. 



The catarrhal forms, involving the respiratory or digestive 

 systems, are less favorable owing to serious complications 

 which attend them. 



The highest mortality occurs when the nervous system 

 is involved. When severe nervous phenomena are present 

 the prognosis is bad, only 5 to 10 per cent, recovering. 

 Where there is a continuous, high temperature the prog- 

 nosis is not favorable as there is danger of heart compli- 

 cations. A rapid fall in temperature to below normal is 

 also a grave sign; in most cases it indicates the approach 

 of death. 



Treatment.— Dietetic— It is very essential in distemper to 

 supply the patient with easily digested, nourishing food. 

 Perhaps the best food is raw meat chopped fine, or scraped 



