ABC GUIDE TO CANINE AILMENTS. 
a very serious disease, and somewhat difficult of 
diagnosis by the layman, so that if it be even 
suspected, as it may be is, there is great pain and 
stiffness in the loins, with high temperature and 
rapid pulse, a vet. should be called in. 
Causes.—Cold and damp, especially if it be 
applied directly to the loins, as in the case of a 
dog left to sit out of doors all night in the rain, 
a dog, that is, who is in a weak state of health, 
or whose blood is impoverished by bad feeding. 
Blows and kicks occasionally produce it; the 
presence of a stone in the pelvis of the kidney 
may give rise to it; so may many irritating medi- 
cines, such as copaiba, cubebs, turpentine, and 
cantharides, when given in too large doses. 
Symptoms.—The disease is ushered in with 
shivering, staring of the coat, and a _ gener- 
ally dejected appearance of the dog. We 
then have thirst and fever, with a hard, quick 
pulse, if you care to examine it, with perhaps 
sickness and vomiting. There is pain, there is 
stiffness in the region of the loins, with some 
degree of tenderness on pressure. A frequent de- 
sire to micturate, and sometimes suppression of 
urine; or the urine, if passed, is scanty, high- 
coloured, and may contain blood, or even pus. 
Bowels constipated, and belly probably tym- 
panitic. If not, and the retention of urine is 
not relieved, delirium may occur, succeeded by 
coma and death. 
Treatment.—We must try to give the kidneys 
all the rest we can, and endeavour to reduce 
the inflammation, and get rid of a portion at least 
of the urea of the blood by the bowel. This may 
be done by purgatives, podophyllin, and jalap, or 
elaterium may be tried. 
Resin of jalap, 1 grain to 5; podophyllin, ?; 
grain to 2 grains; extract of hyoscyamus, I grain 
to 5. Mix; make one pill, to be given every 
morning. 
Plenty of hot poppy fomentations must be ap- 
plied to the loins (occasionally the flat iron heated 
may do good), and followed up by large linseed- 
meal and mustard poultices. Enemas of hot water 
(not too hot) often do good, and the vomiting and 
sickness may be relieved by giving occasional 
doses of dilute hydrocyanic acid, from 1 to 5 
drops, and by applying mustard poultices to the 
region of the stomach. 
If suppression of urine continue for several 
days, the loins may be frequently fomented with 
hot infusion of digitalis. 
Two things I must warn the reader against— 
the use of diuretics and fly blisters. Both are 
highly dangerous, although sometimes used. 
Diet and Drink.—The diet must be low at first, 
low and sloppy; but we must look out for signs 
of weakness and prostration. Do not let the 
animal sink for want of nourishment, such as 
beef-tea, eggs, a little raw meat, and a little 
port wine; and, lastly, Virol and tonics in con- 
valescence. The drink, water, or milk-and-water, 
or patent barley-water, which is softening and 
demulcent, 
611 
Nipples.— When giving milk these may become 
sore and cracked. Cleanliness, washing with 
water reddened with permanganate of potash. 
Boracic lotion and ointment. It may be advis- 
able to take the puppies away for a short time, 
spoon-feeding them. 
Nose, Ailments of.—Nasal catarrh is the com- 
monest, and if the dog is otherwise ill it may be 
mistaken for distemper, especially if the dog has 
a cough. 
It is also called ozzena, and is usually the result 
of cold or the sequel to a common catarrh. There 
is a discharge of mucous or muco-purulent matter 
from the nostrils, sometimes tinged with blood, 
and of a fcetid odour. 
Treatment.—Careful regulation of diet, which 
is to be nourishing; frequent bathing of the 
nostrils in hot water, succeeded immediately by 
complete syringing out of the nostrils with warm 
water, to which a little Condy’s fluid has been 
added, and occasional mild injections of sulphate 
of zinc or hazeline will effect a cure, all the more 
speedily if Fowler’s solution of arsenic, 1 drop to 
6 tlirice daily, and Virol are given internally. 
Nose bleeding may be from blows or from 
ulceration. Adrenalin, a dilute solution of which 
will stop it. Cold to the head. If discomfort and 
pain with sneezing and snuffling continue long, 
the nose should be examined by some skilled 
vet., who may find a worm therein, a polypus 
which must be removed. 
Obesity or Fatness.— For many reasons the 
treatment of this disease, for disease we must 
call it, is very unsatisfactory. Even those who 
love their dogs will hardly take the trouble to 
follow out instructions, and the animal is a 
past master in the art of begging, and knows 
exactly the diplomatic value of winning ways. 
If any good is to be done he must be put on a 
lower scale of diet. Reduced half for quite a 
time. No fat, no sugar, no oily fish, no starchy 
food of any kind, except a little toasted Spratts’ 
biscuit, the “Toy” or “ Terrier” kind. Food: 
Lean meat, egys, white fish, liver boiled or raw, 
and clean, well-boiled tripe without the fat. Oc- 
casional purgatives. Medicine of little use of 
dangerous. 
Ophthalmia. Vide Eyes, INFLAMMATION OF. 
Pain.—Vide Chapter I. of this section. I may 
add, however, that with short-haired dogs the hot 
sponge sometimes gives greater relief than the 
fomentations. Dip the sponge in very hot water, 
squeeze out, and at once pass over the painful 
part. The higher the temperature the greater the 
relief. Hot water bags or bags of hot sand are 
very useful at times; so are the heat from a 
blazing fire, radial heat, sunlight bath, cold rub- 
bing, and the alternate application of hot and 
cold compress. This last, especially when there is 
congestion of internal parts. 
Paralysis.— The symptoms of paralysis or loss 
of power in a limb or in any group of muscles 
are familiar to everyone. It arises from pressure 
on the roots of the nerve, pressure by effusion 
