GENERAL EXAMINATION. 25 



continue so, the animal falling into a state of coma and death in 

 a short time. 



A fever, as a rule, begins with a chill or a number of them ; 

 this is a shivering or quivering of the muscles and skin and finally 

 the entire body. These chills come on at intervals. The rise in 

 the temperature is not always an accompaniment of fever, as has 

 been shown in cases of septicsemia; we must, therefore, always 

 take into consideration the other symptoms of fever. These are: 

 increase in the number of the pulse and respirations; the diges- 

 tion is immediately impaired and the urine is changed in quantity 

 and composition. All the secretions and excretions are altered 

 from the normal and the nerve-centres show increased irritability. 

 The changes in the pulse and respiration are fully described under 

 the head of Examination of the Circulatory Apparatus. The 

 changes in digestion are seen in the entire loss of appetite, consti- 

 pation, and increased thirst. The kidneys show the effects of the 

 disturbance by a decrease in the amount of urine secreted, a much 

 higher specific gravity, and a decreased amount of the chlorides 

 in the urine, an increase in the amount of urates, and a high acid 

 reaction. In the nursing-bitch the milk is much lessened in quan- 

 tity, the skin becomes dry and firm, and the sebaceous glands 

 almost cease secreting. The nerve-centres show the effect by the 

 dulness of the animal and the indifference to surrounding objects 

 or persons; great restlessness and twitching of the muscles. If 

 the temperature is high, the animal becomes weak and falls away 

 in weight very rapidly ; the muscles become very tender to the- 

 touch and firm; in walking the movements are stiff, inelastic, and 

 with an effort. 



A Temperature below Normal (Subnormal) of the 

 Body. A subnormal temperature is often observed in cases 

 where the crisis or highest temperature has passed and the animal 

 is going on toward recovery or convalescence. In the majority 

 of cases as the temperature goes down the pulse lessens, the respi- 

 rations become even and regular, the appetite begins to return, 

 and the animal shows more interest in its surroundings. In col- 

 lapse there is a rapid fall of temperature, and the heart's action, 

 as shown by the pulse, becomes weak and fluttering and soon 

 imperceptible; the mucous membranes are pale, and the animal 

 weak or even paralyzed. There is also a subnormal temperature 



