CANINE DISTEMPER 469 
percussion of the thoracic walls, by the animals getting up and by 
their being taken out of their kennels. Young and weak animals that 
cannot remove the accumulated phlegm from the bronchi by coughing 
become affected with catarrhal pneumonia. The pneumonia can be 
recognized by the elevation of the temperature. 
Distemper often begins, especially in anemic animals, with great 
depression and dullness. Strong animals, however, more usually 
exhibit symptoms of acute hyperemia of the brain, such as excitement, 
restlessness, yelping and even attacks of fury, which give way later 
on to manifestations of cerebral pressure. Spasms frequently occur 
either generally or confined to particular limbs which swing backward 
and forward as if affected by chorea. The animal may fall down as if 
suffering from epilepsy, bark, become unconscious and exhibit spasms 
of the muscles generally. The sphincters of the anus and bladder 
become relaxed and consequently feces and urine are involuntarily 
passed. There is a gradual return of consciousness which in a short 
time is complete and the dog manages to get up, although he is very 
weak. Such an epileptiform attack may pass directly into long 
continued coma. 
Paralysis may follow the convulsions or it may come on simul- 
taneously with them. It seldom occurs at the beginning of the 
disease. It may be confined to certain groups of muscles, as those of 
a limb, the whole of the hind quarters or even the entire body in the 
form of paresis, especially of the motor nerves, combined with exces- 
sive muscular weakness. The sick dog staggers and his hind quarters 
sway from side to side or he becomes incapable of supporting himself 
on his hind legs. Frequently he knuckles on all four legs and in 
severe cases is unable to stand. Permanent paresis of the hind quar- 
ters with paralysis of the bladder and rectum is a frequent result of 
distemper. In some cases there may be paralysis of the muscles of 
the tongue. 
A characteristic pustular exanthema is frequently observed on the 
inner surface of the thighs and abdomen and in abortive cases it may 
be the only symptom of distemper. It first appears in the form of 
minute red spots, which after twenty-four hours develop into miliary 
nodules that are surrounded by a red ring. These nodules change 
into vesicles and pustules which may become as large as a pea or bean. 
They dry into a yellowish brown crust, or burst, leaving a raw surface. 
Healing takes place with desquamation of the epidermis after about 
eight days, leaving pigmented, pale reddish areas which persist for 
