DISEASES OP THE RESPIRATORY 

 ORGANS. 



PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OP THE RESPIRATORY 

 APPARATUS. 



In making aa examination of the respiratory apparatus the 

 following points are to be considered: 



Exaraination of the Nose. 



It is a rather hard thing to make an examination of the nose on 

 account of the anatomical conformation of that part, and we are 

 practically restricted to the aid a nasal mirror can give us and the 

 character of the nasal secretions. The external portion of the 

 nose is damp and cold in health, and dry and warm when a dog has 

 any fever or elevation of temperature, in the first stages of nasal 

 catarrh, and any inflammatory condition of the eyes. This should 

 not be taken as a positive evidence, as frequently cases are seen 

 where thi§ is no guide, the nose being cold when there is great 

 fever. 



Swelling, redness, and excoriation at the entrance of the nasal 

 chambers indicate an inflammatory and purulent condition of the 

 nasal mucous membrane. 



Any discharge from the nose, beyond a natural moistness, indi- 

 cates some diseased condition. In cases of acute nasal catarrh it 

 is clear and thin, nearly pure serum in the beginning, but later on 

 it becomes mucous, and finally muco-purulent. In chronic catarrh 

 it is compact, sticky, and finally very tenacious, and sticks to the 

 external opening of the nose, often entirely closing it up and erod- 

 ing the skin where it comes in contact with it. In distemper it is 

 yellowish to yellowish-green in color ; sometimes it is streaked with 

 blood or pus, and in rare cases it has a fetid odor. (For further 

 particulars, see chapter on Distemper.) 



When the discharge is copious, especially when the head is 

 jerked downward with a sneezing cough, it is generally a sign of 

 some irritation of the frontal sinuses. A nasal discharge foUow- 



(101) 



