390 KENNEL DISEASES. 
DROPSY. 
Dropsy is an abnormal serous effusion into the cellular tissue or any cavity 
of the body. “It has various modifications in name according to its situation. 
For example, dropsy within the head is termed hydrocephalus; when in the 
chest, hydrothorax ; and in the abdominal cavity, ascites. 
The fluid collection which constitutes dropsy, when first drawn is some- 
times like water — thin, clear and colorless — but generally it is reddish-yellow, 
or amber-colored, and slightly adhesive or sticky. It is also occasionally filled 
with flakes, as in chronic peritonitis. On exposure to the air it thickens and 
becomes jelly-like. It varies in quantity from a small amount to sufficient to 
distend the walls of the cavity until it causes deformity, that in some situations 
resembles a large, firm and hard tumor. 
Dropsies are not attended by inflammation; and ascites, the form most 
common in dogs, is never an independent disease. It is a symptom merely, 
and may indicate disease of the heart, kidneys, liver or lungs, impoverishment 
of the blood, or obstruction in circulation which causes stagnation of that vital 
fluid. It may also be the result df disease within the abdominal cavity, or of 
the peritoneum, which is the serous membrane that lines the same. 
The evidence of ascites is the presence of fluid in that cavity. When of 
small amount it is not noticeable, but a large quantity gives the abdomen un- 
usual prominence, and even the appearance of advanced state of pregnancy. 
The accumulation of liquid takes place without pain or tenderness. Gen- 
erally also it forms rapidly; indeed there may not be any sign of anything 
unusual at night, and yet the following morning the abdomen be very much 
distended, and the weight of the dog greatly increased. The appearance is 
then quite characteristic, the abdomen having fallen or sagged, and drawn 
downward and away from the flanks; which have now lost any roundness 
they may have had, and look thin and shrunken ; while the backbone sticks up, 
and the hips are prominent through the skin. 
If the subject be a female she has the appearance of being with pup, yet 
there is no enlargement of the breasts, nor can the womb be outlined. More- 
over, the distention is quite uniform, whereas in pregnancy the enlargement is 
mainly in the central and posterior parts, and not until shortly before whelping 
does the abdomen hang down as in ascites. But all doubts can easily be set at 
rest by examination, for the presence of fluid is appreciable to the touch ap- 
plied in the following manner: 
While the patient is standing, lay the left hand on one side of the abdomen, 
quite low down, sharply tap the other side, directly opposite, with the fingers 
of the right hand. By this means waves will be sent to the left hand, and be 
appreciable when they strike it, a sort of thrill being felt, precisely as would 
be the case were a similar method employed on a rubber-bag filled with water. 
