362 KENNEL DISEASES. 
While the usual complications are capillary bronchitis and inflammation 
of the lungs or brain, they may be serious affections of the liver, stomach, 
bowels or kidneys. Not a very infrequent complication is jaundice; and cases 
are on record in which distemper was ushered in with this trouble. 
The pulse rises with the temperature, and during mild attacks of distemper 
the former runs about 100, or a little over at times. When complications 
occur it generally goes up to 120, and may be even 140 or 150. But when the 
brain is affected, and the trouble therein has existed several days, the pulse 
generally falls below roo. 
Summarizing briefly, the earliest symptoms of distemper usually mani- 
fested are dullness and. lassitude, coated tongue, hot nose, dry husky cough, 
sneezing, redness of the eyes, discharge from the same, also discharge from 
the nose — which is first watery, but later becomes muco-purulent and yel- 
lowish-white, or even bloody — shiverings, possibly vomiting and diarrhea, 
thirst, loss of appetite, and fever. 
These symptoms and a pustular eruption on the abdomen or between the 
thighs constitute very strong evidence of the presence of distemper. 
The duration of the disease depends upon the severity of the attack and 
complications which arise. Where none occur and the attacks are very mild, 
the patients are generally on the mend in the course of a week. Severe cases 
without complications, as a rule, last for two or three weeks. While in those 
that run a fatal course, death commonly occurs during the second or third 
week ; and it may result from paralysis of the brain, dropsy of the lungs, blood- 
poisoning, or general exhaustion. 
The duration of complicated cases of distemper is problematical, and re- 
covery is sure to be delayed, possibly for many weeks. 
Capillary bronchitis is characterized by inflammation of the smallest bron- 
chial tubes. It is a very grave affection, and one in which the chances of 
recovery are small indeed. To the non-professional the symptoms would 
seem to greatly resemble those of acute pneumonia. 
Among the frequent sequela of distemper are chorea, skin eruptions, 
usually eczematous, loss of hair in large patches, impairment of the sight due 
to ulcerations of the cornea, chronic indigestion, and general debility. 
In ulceration of the cornea there is much discharge, which runs down over 
the face and dries in yellowish crusts. The ulceration starts with a slight 
swelling near the centre of the eye; and the same subsequently breaks and 
leaves a small open sore. 
This accident is of most frequent occurrence in dogs having very prominent 
eyes, and is sometimes attributable to their scratching and rubbing them. 
In some cases the inflammation becomes very severe, and extends until the 
cornea is no longer transparent, but entirely clouded, and of a diffuse grayish- 
blue or grayish-white coloration, and presents a slightly uneven surface. 
