Acute Myelitis in the Dog. Meningo-Myelitis 163 



of them may be the seat of tonic or clonic spasms. The skin is 

 usually hypersensitive and this is aggravated by heat. The urine 

 is liable to be retained because of the pain of stretching to 

 micturate. Paralysis usually follows and implies extension to 

 the myel, compression of the cord by reason of exudation,. or 

 implication of the spinal nerves at the points of exit. In myelitis 

 on the other hand the. spasms may be entirely absent, and 

 paralysis sets in early and extends rapidly according to the seat 

 and extent of the lesion. 



Treatment. This will be along the same lines as in myelitis, 

 being aimed at elimination of toxic matters, and the counteract- 

 ing of the existing inflammation. Anodynes such as bromides 

 and chloral and cold water or ice are especially called for to alle- 

 viate pain and hyper sesthesia, and anti-spasmodics Uke ether, 

 chloroform, chloral, belladonna, etc. , to allay the spasm. Saline 

 purgatives too, and diuretics may be availed of to limit effusion 

 and favor reabsorption. In the advanced stages iodine may be 

 freely applied to the spine, and an occasional electric current, or 

 cauterization may be availed of. 



ACUTE MYKI.ITIS IN THE DOG. MENINGO-MYEI/ITIS. 



Causes : distemper, in long-haired pets, pyaemia, exposure to cold, vio- 

 lent over-exertion, traumas, vertebral caries or abscess. Lesions : in lum- 

 bar enlargement, horns yellowish, red, friable, pultaceous, leucocytes in ex- 

 cess, punctiform extravasations, neurons opaque ; granular, filaments difflu- 

 ent, varicose, sclerosis. Meninges congested, thickened. Symptoms : as in 

 horse, extreme hypersesthesia, later anaesthesia, tremors or twitching, later 

 paraplegia. Treatment : Laxatives, ice bags, sedatives, later derivatives, 

 cauterization. During convalescence, phosphates, iron, zinc, strychnia. 

 Attend to bladder and rectum, light, laxative diet, pure air and water. 



Causes. This disease is a common result of distemper and ac- 

 cording to Trasbot, is much more frequent in long-haired and pet 

 dogs than in the short-haired and mongrels. The shelter of the 

 hair, like the warm indoor atmosphere, seems to contribute to a 

 special sensitiveness of the cutaneous and nervous tissues. The 

 infective inflammation of the myel is also seen in pyaemia, rabies 

 and milk sickness. It appears to \^ further induced by ex- 



