ABC GUIDE TO CANINE AILMENTS. 
ternatural modility, and grating sounds for our 
guides. If the fracture be an open one, the end of 
the bone often protrudes. We mentioned the 
mobility; this to the hands of the surgeon, remem- 
ber, for the dog himself can rarely move the 
limb. 
Treatment.—We have, first and foremost, to 
reduce the fracture—that is, to place the bones in 
their natural position; and, secondly, we must so 
bandage or splint the bone as to prevent its get- 
ting out of place again, and thus enable it to 
unite without disfigurement. 
Very little art suffices one to fulfil the first 
intention, but correct and successful splinting is 
more difficult to attain, owing to the restlessness 
of the dog’s nature and the objection he generally 
evinces to all forms of bandaging. Happily, the 
fractures that are most easily set and reunited are 
just those that are commonest in the dog—namely, 
those of the long bones of either fore or hind 
The splints used may be either wood or 
tin, or better perhaps than either—because more 
easily shaped and moulded—gutta percha. This 
latter is cut into slips, and placed in moderately 
hot water to soften it. The fractured limb is mean- 
while set and covered with a layer or two of lint, 
to arm it against undue pressure. The slips of 
softened gutta-percha are next placed in position 
lengthwise, before and behind, and gently tied 
with tape. If a layer of starched bandage is now 
rolled round, all the splinting will be complete. 
I have been successful in treating fractures with 
the starched bandage alone. Care must be taken, 
however, not to apply either splints or bandages 
too tightly, else stoppage of the circulation may 
be the result, and consequent inflammation or gan- 
grene itself. Some little care and “can” is neces- 
sary in applying the starched bandage. After 
setting the limb, pad it well with lint, then apply 
two or three strips of strong brown paper dipped 
in the starch; over this goes the roller, well 
saturated with thick starch, over all the limb, 
including the joints, upper and lower. Remem- 
ber, it must go very lightly over the actual scat 
of injury, your object being to keep the parts 
in apposition without doing anything that is likely 
to excite inflammation. Put over all a tem- 
porary splint—say of tin—to be kept on until the 
starch dries, which will take fully thirty hours. 
If there be a wound, a trap can be cut in the 
bandage for the purpose of dressing. 
Fracture of a rib or ribs is not an uncommon 
occurrence, and is to be treated by binding a broad 
flannel roller around the chest, but not too tightly, 
as this would give the animal great pain, as well 
as dyspnoma. Keep him confined and at rest, to 
give the fractured parts a chance of uniting. 
Little constitutional treatment is required. Let 
the diet be low at first, and give an occasional 
dose of castor-oil. 
Bowels, Inflammation of.—Great pain and 
tenderness, restlessness; dog cannot bear the parts 
touched. Heat and fever. Examination guides 
to diagnosis. Vomiting, diarrhaa, or constipa- 
legs. 
597 
tion. May be mistaken for poisoning. Generally 
caused by worms, indigestible food, eating car- 
rion, or the impaction of a bone. 
Treatment.—Castor oil, with a few drops of 
laudanum, to begin with. Hot fomentations and 
poultices. Keep quiet and cool. A little cold 
water to drink, or equal parts of milk and lime 
water. After bowels are moved, a little laudanum 
in solution of chloroform thrice daily. Sloppy 
diet, corn flour made with egg, arrow-root, beef- 
tea, or Bovril. The dog in convalescence to wear 
a broad flannel bandage. 
Breeding, To Prevent.—To prevent a bitch from 
breeding when she has gone astray syringe out 
the womb with a solution of alum and water, a 
solution of Condy’s fluid, or of quinine. This 
should be done promptly. 
Bronchitis. — Might be called very severe cold, 
or its extension downwards to lining membranes 
of bronchi and lungs. Caused by cold, chill, or 
long exposure while no food in stomach. 
Symptoms.—There is always more or less of 
fever, with fits of shivering and thirst, accom- 
panied with dulness, a tired appearance, and loss 
of appetite. The breath is short, inspirations 
painful, and there is a rattling of mucus in chest 
or throat. 
The most prominent symptom, perhaps, is the 
frequent cough. It is at first dry, ringing, and 
evidently painful; in a few days, however, or 
sooner, it softens, and there is a discharge of 
frothy mucus with it, and, in the latter stages, 
of pus and ropy mucus. This is often swal- 
lowed by the dog; and when a good deal of it is 
ejected it gives the animal great relief. Often 
the cough is most distressing, and there may be 
fits of shortness of breath. As additional symp- 
toms we have a hot, dry mouth, and very prob- 
ably constipation and high-coloured urine. Some- 
times one of the bronchial tubes during the pro- 
gress of the disease gets completely plugged by a 
piece of lymph or phlegm. The portion of lung 
thus cut off from all communication with the air 
gets collapsed and finally condensed. 
Prognosis.—Generally favourable, unless in old 
dogs, in which debility soon becomes marked. A 
slight case can be cured in a few days, a more 
severe may last for weeks. 
Treatment.—Keep the patient in a comfortable, 
well-ventilated apartment, with free access in and 
out if the weather be dry. Let the bowels be 
freely acted upon to begin with, but no weakening 
discharge from the bowels must be kept up. After 
the bowels have been moved we should commence 
the exhibition of small doses of tartar emetic with 
squills and opium thrice a day. If the cough is 
very troublesome, give this mixture: Tincture of 
squills, 5 drops to 30; paregoric, 10 drops to 60: 
tartar emetic, one-sixteenth of a grain to 1 grain; 
syrup and water a sufficiency. Thrice daily. 
We may give a full dose of opium every night. 
In mild cases the treatment recommended for 
zatarrh will succeed in bronchitis. Carbonate of 
ammonia may be tried; it often does good, the 
