Distemper iti Dogs and Cats. 209 



Virulent Products. Infection is present sooner or later in all 

 the morbid animal products. The nasal mucus, bronchial exu- 

 date, saliva, tears, contents of the cutaneous vesicle, milk, con- 

 tents of the bowels, and the blood have been successfully inocu- 

 lated on susceptible subjects. Inoculations with blood failed 

 with Bryce, but proved successful with Konnhauser, Krajewski, 

 Even, I^ignieres and Physalix, so that the first-named cases 

 may be explained by a prior immunity, or by a too advanced 

 stage of the case which furnished the matter. The virulence is 

 not lost nor even diminished by drying at ordinary temperatures, 

 freezing ( 10° F. ) , nor by moderate dilution in water. Prolonged 

 exposure at ordinary temperature, however, reduces the viru- 

 lence, which is greatly impaired in 15 to 25 days (Laosson), or, 

 if dried, in three months and upward (Krajewski). Virulence 

 is easily destroyed by disinfectants, — thorough washing (Menard) 

 hypochlorous acid (Trasbot), chloride of lime, mercuric chloride, 

 etc. 



Forms of Distemper. This disease is extremely protean in its 

 manifestations. Many cases, in country districts especially, are 

 manifested by a slight fever, with a catarrhal condition of the 

 mucosa of the nose, eyes, and throat. In other cases there may 

 be simply a slight conjunctivitis or keratitis, and in still others a 

 cutaneous eruption, papular, vesicular or pastular. In some in- 

 stances there is slight gastric or hepatic disorder with inappetence^ 

 nausea, and vomiting or some irregularity of the bowels. In 

 such cases recovery may take place in eight or ten days. 



In the more severe forms, especially seen in house and city 

 dogs, and in high bred and confined dogs generally, the fever is 

 high and persistent and the disorders often predominate in par- 

 ticular organs, hence we see a catarrhal form, ^conjunctival, a 

 bronchitic, ^.pulmonary , a gastro-intestinal and hepatic, a cutaneous 

 and a nervous. The severe cases may last for twenty or thirty 

 days or even in their sequelae for several months. Exposure to 

 cold contributes greatly to a pulmonary attack even in inoculated 

 cases (I^ignieresj. 



The mortality varies greatly. In country dogs it may be below 

 20 per cent, whereas in city dogs and those kept confined in close 

 quarters and in large numbers it may rise to 50, 60 or even 70 

 per cent. 

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