74 KENNEL DISEASES. 
and either rejects the hard pieces of his food or swallows them in haste without 
mastication. There is more or less dribbling from the corners of his mouth. 
He is decidedly opposed to an examination, and resists if one is attempted. 
Sometimes the gum around the aching tooth is swollen, or pus exudes ; but if no 
outward sign appears, the offender is easily located by means of a blunt piece 
of metal, as an ordinary key or anything of the sort. Tapping the teeth gently 
with this, when the right one is struck the dog will wince or struggle to break 
away, and likely howl with pain, while for a time afterward he will go about with 
his mouth open. 
STOMATITIS. 
Catarrhal stomatitis is an acute inflammation of the mucous membranes of 
the mouth, manifested by redness, heat, swelling, and at first dryness, but soon 
thereafter by greatly increased secretion. It may be limited to the lips and 
gums, or the lining of the whole mouth may be inflamed, and even the coated 
tongue be considerably swollen. With extensive and severe inflammation there 
usually appears minute blisters inside the swollen cheeks and lips, which sub- 
sequently burst and leave small superficial ulcers. 
In rare instances this affection is attributable to teething. Quite often it 
is an accompaniment of long and exhausting fevers, digestive disorders, and 
throat troubles ; but generally it is caused by sharp splinters of bones, decayed 
teeth, or caustic poisons. 
The victim of it eats slowly and carefully, and usually leaves untouched the 
large and hard pieces of his food ; while from the corners of his mouth there is 
a constant dribbling of saliva or mucus. 
To effect a cure it is necessary for a time to limit the diet to liquid or very 
soft foods that do not require mastication. The same should also be bland 
and easily digestible, as milk, beef-tea, boiled rice, etc. Oftentimes half a tea- 
spoonful of powdered sulphur, dropped between the lips and gums every two 
hours, reduces the inflammation very speedily ; and it should be tried. It is also 
advisable to swab or paint, twice daily, all inflamed parts with a solution made 
by adding two teaspoonfuls of the tincture of myrrh to a teacupful of water. 
This being non-poisonous, it can be used freely. A more potent application, 
which should be resorted to if simple measures have failed, is the glycerite of 
tannin, which should be applied twice daily with a camel’s-hair brush. 
Aphthous stomatitis is a variety of the catarrhal form, characterized by the 
eruption of vesicles or blisters upon the edge of the tongue, lips, or inside of the 
cheeks. These rupture in the course of a day or two, leaving aphthous ulcers, 
which are usually of about the size of peas, slightly raised, and surrounded by 
yellowish-white bases, circling each of which is a narrow red ring. In some 
