Acute Myelitis in the Dog. Menitigo- Myelitis. 165 



Symptoms. These are in the main the same as in the larger 

 animals. The early excitement usually takes the form of hyper- 

 aesthesia. When lifted, pressed, touched or only approached 

 the dog may growl, howl, snap, cringe, cower or tremble, glancing 

 up meanwhile with anxious or pleading eyes. When later, this 

 gives place to anaesthesia no such interference will draw a re- 

 sponse. The motor disorders at the outset are mostly of the 

 nature of tremors or twitching of the muscles of the limbs or of 

 those parts of the trunk corresponding to the seat of the lesion. 

 In exceptional cases spasms or convulsions may be shown. Tras- 

 bot records a case of very acute myelitis of the brachial enlarge- 

 ment in which there were clonic contractions of the muscles of 

 the neck, jaws and eyeballs, and grinding of the teeth, which 

 condition lasted for thirty six hours. When this motor excite- 

 ment merges into paralysis it usually attacks the hind limbs which 

 are extended backward helpless while the animal pulls himself 

 forward by his fore limbs. Some such cases are restless and in 

 continual movement while others are dull, apathetic and indis- 

 posed to move. The precise seat of the paresis or paralysis will 

 be determined by the seat of the lesion as in the larger animals. 

 Thus paraplegia is most common, less frequently hemiplegia, 

 palsy of the fore limb, palsy of a single limb, and monoplegias, 

 about in the order named. Palsy of the tail and sphincters im- 

 plies a lesion of the lumbar section of the cord and is very 

 offensive in the incontinence of urine and faeces especially in long- 

 haired subjects. 



Treatment. The abstraction of blood is rarely called for in 

 myelitis in the dog. If admissible at all it is in the case of strong, 

 vigorous, plethoric animals which have been attacked in connec- 

 tion with sudden exposure to cold or accidental concussion, and 

 which are presented for treatment at once. Then leeches may 

 be applied to the abdomen or inside of the thigh, or the jugular 

 may be opened with a lancet. Usually on the other hand the 

 patient is fat, lymphatic, and, if a few days have elapsed, even 

 anaemic, while if he has been the victim of an accident the 

 shock and prostration would forbid any depressive measures. 



Derivation toward the bowels may be sought by pugative doses 

 of calomel or jalap. In case of high fever, cold may be applied 

 (in the form of icebags, evaporating lotions or wet cloths) to the 



