Diseases of the Dog. 109 
creaturé does not care to remove. The mouth is pro- 
bably hot, foul, and dry, or slimy, and the breath foetid. 
The functions of secretion and excretion are irregular or 
suspended, and the faeces are hard, small, irregular, and 
probably offensive; the urine is also deficient, highly 
coloured, and emits an odour not consistent with health. 
To these may be added coldness of the ears and legs, a 
hot, dry muzzle, &c., all of which suffer more or less 
modification or intensity with specific additions enforced 
by the various organs involved. 
With regard to appettte or taste, the dog is not a clean 
animal. Designed by Nature as the scavenger of ‘the 
earth, he devours the most disgusting filth with obvious 
enjoyment, and digests his dainty morsel without suffer- 
ing systemic disturbance. Notwithstanding, he lays claim 
to the possession of a depraved appetite under disease, 
and, to satisfy the morbid demand, hesitates not to 
swallow sticks, stones, sand, ‘paper, rags, and the filthiest 
of decomposing material, even human excrement, or that 
of other dogs as well as his own. 
The department of science which determines the state 
of an animal under disease, and defines its nature, is 
known as Pathology. In order to realise the various 
morbid conditions which are comprehended within a 
given word, the practitioner resorts to numerous methods 
of observation, specific testing, and comparison of the 
several signs exhibited by the suffering animal. The 
_ usual signs of disturbance are first carefully noted, and 
often by negative forms of examination he may decide 
which organs are free from morbid disturbance, while 
others exhibit special indications which lead conclusively 
to their identification with some unusual process. This 
property of acquiring information during life is greatly 
assisted by examination after death, the morbid processes 
revealed by Pathological Anatomy being. highly useful in 
turning the attention of the practitioner to the diseased 
organs during life. 
In the eveatment of disease the department of Materia 
Medica, or the nature, actions, uses and doses of medi- 
cines, as well as their legitimate combinations affords a. 
