28 



DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPABA TVS. 



To obtain a good view of the interior of the mouth it is best to 

 put two strings or tapes around both the lower and upper jaw ; 

 lay the dog on his side, or, what is better, directly on his back, 

 and throw the light into the cavity of the mouth (page 27, Fig. 

 3). The tongue can be pressed down by means of a spatula or 

 the handle of a spoon; the mouth and a large part of the throat 

 can now be easily examined. If the mouth has to be kept open 

 for some time, it is best to use the gag (Fig. 5), which can be 

 placed between the teeth on one side, or by means of a piece of 

 wood. 



Fig. 4. 



Fia S. 



Gag. 



Laryngoscope. 



In cases where the mouth remains partially open, the animal 

 being unable to close it, we must examine it carefully, as it may 

 be a symptom of rabies; it may be due to some foreign bodies 

 located between the teeth or to some strain of the articulation of, 

 the inferior ma.^illary. In paralysis of the jaw the mouth can be 

 closed by putting a stick under the jaw and closing it; this can- 

 not be done in cases of luxation of the articulation or where there 

 is some foreign body between the teeth, such as bones or pieces of 

 wood. The mouth cannot be opened in trismus (tetanus) or in 

 inflammation of the articulation, in some cases of toothache, and 

 in injuries to the various masticaliug muscles. 



