GENERAL EXAMINATION. 19 



indications of softness of the bones : there are flat, non-arched ribs, 

 a narrow chest, a marked change in the shape of the skeleton, 

 the swelling of the ends of the ribs at the uniou of the bone to 

 the sternum, by a contortion of the long bones, and a swelling 

 of the joints, as is seen in all rhachitic animals. In very rare 

 instances there is a marked deformity of the spinal column, a 

 lateral contraction of the column, an upper contraction (kyphosis), 

 a side contraction (skoliosis), an upper and side contraction (kypho- 

 skoliosis), and a downward contraction (lordosis). . 



The general condition of the constitution may depend to a large 

 extent on the age of the animal, how he has beeu fed, and the 

 amount of exercise he has had; but, as a general rule, if the 

 animal's condition is poor, it is due to some disease being present. 

 The skin is, to a certain extent, a diagnostic guide: if the animal 

 is healthy, it will be loose and pulled easily from different parts of 

 the body; whereas iu disease it is tight; the skin loses its soft- 

 ness and smooth feel to the fingers ; the eyes are depressed and 

 sunken in their sockets. In very slight cases of emaciation we 

 must depend to a certain extent on the history of the case from 

 the owner. Weighing the animal is also useful to determine 

 whether an animal is gaining or losing during the course of 

 treatment; this is especially valuable where an animal is being 

 reduced, as in cases of plethora, or in convalescence from acute 

 disease the gain shows that the animal is improving, but at the 

 same time the fact must not be lost sight of that we may have 

 increase of weight from oedema or any dropsical condition. A 

 rapid emaciation is seen in diseases of the digestive apparatus, in 

 all acute and chronic feverish affections, in certain cases of poison- 

 ing, in rabies, and in that very rare disease in the dog — diabetes. 

 A slight loss of flesh is seen in all internal diseases and following 

 surgical operations. 



In making a general examination the first thing to do is to ex- 

 amine the visible mucous membranes to see the color of them, the 

 conjunctiva, and also the mouth and throat. It is best to ex- 

 amine more than one mucous membrane, as the examination of 

 only one may lead to an error in the diagnosis, as the conjunc- 

 tival tissue is often red and inflamed in some breeds of dogs. Ab- 

 normal paleness of the mucous membranes may be caused by a 

 decrease in the amount of blood in the system, as in severe internal 



