ALOPECIA. 407 



very regular. They become confluent in some cases, and extend 

 over the entire body. Affected regions show a peculiar grayish- 

 white or dirty gray scab, and in old cases yellowish-brown crusts 

 about 2 mm. in thickness. These crusts may have some hair 

 adhering to them. The skin under the crust is copper-red in color 

 and covered with numerous millet-like nodules (swollen hair-folli- 

 cles). After a certain time, if the disease ceases to spread, the scab 

 drops off gradually, and we see a bare, scaly herpes upon which 

 the hair slowly returns. The animals are often affected with sec- 

 oudary eczema. This, however, is produced by constant scratch- 

 ing, due to the irritation of the disease. 



Theeapeutic Treatment. The treatment of herpes depends 

 on the removal of the favus. We must, therefore, clean the 

 affected part, lift and remove all scabs and eschars by means of a 

 thin knife, or shampoo with soft soap, following it up by a dress- 

 ing of some of the agents mentioned under the head of mange. 



Prophylaxis. The animals must be separated, as the danger of 

 infection to both dog and man is very great. The kennels are 

 to be cleaned and all straw, etc., burned, and the animals kept 

 away from children. 



ATROPHIC CONDITIONS OF THE CUTANEOUS 

 MEMBRANE. 



Alopecia. 



{Falling out of the Hair) 



By this term we mean a falling out of the hair which is not 

 caused by actual disease. We make a distinction, however, between 

 general alopecia and alopecia areata. The former is an extensive 

 falling out of the hair, often recognized after serious disease and 

 during the period of convalescence. The latter is a symptom of 

 bad nutritive condition (alopecia symptomatica), and is character- 

 ized in some cases by a circumscribed or rounded herpes; this may 

 become confluent and is especially developed on the back, tail, 

 and external fascia of the thighs. In both forms it is not rare to 

 find the skin pigmented. Siedamgrotzky has proved that alopecia 

 of the dog, if circumscribed or dilfuse, depends on the atrophic 

 condition of the hair and infiltration of the upper cutaneous layers, 

 and it is especially seen in dogs with silky, white or grayish hair. 



