l8 THE MANAGEMENT AND DISEASES OF THE DOG. 



BRONCHITIS. 



Bronchitis is an affection to which dogs are very liable. 

 It may exist as a primary or secondary disease — i.e., it may 

 be present alone, or as an extension of catarrh or other re- 

 spiratory affections. Likewise it may be acute or chronic. 



Causes. — Cold, damp, irritating inhalation, neglected or 

 protracted catarrh, or extension of other respiratory affec- 

 tions. 



Symptoms. — These will depend on the extent of the bron- 

 chial inflammation; if the malady is only confined to the 

 larger branches of the bronchi, the breathing will b|e much 

 less disturbed than when the subdivisions are involved, par- 

 ticularly the smaller ones. The cough in the former will also 

 be less frequent, louder and more sonorous, with little or no 

 expectoration. This form is, however, rarely seen in the 

 dog ; or, if so, only to be quickly succeeded by the more 

 complicated one. I shall therefore describe the general 

 symptoms of the latter in its acute stage. 



The respiration is hurried and difficult, the breath hot, an 

 incessant wheezing cough (which ultimately becomes dry and 

 short), succeeded by expectoration and vomiting accompany- 

 ing it. The expectoration is usually frothy, and sometimes 

 mingled with blood. The eyes are red and inflamed, the 

 nose dry and hot, mouth devoid of moisture, tongue parched 

 and coated with brown fur. The pulse is quick and small, 

 and the heart's action jerking. On auscultation, the latter 

 emits a thumping noise, and the diagnostic mucous rattle of 

 bronchitis is very distinctly heard. A thin mucous discharge ;. 

 from the nostrils usually takes place soon after bronchitis 

 sets in, and, as the' disease proceeds, this becomes copious, 

 muco-purulent, and accompanied by violent sneezing. 



As the malady advances all these symptoms increase in 

 severity, and the poor animal dies either from sheer exhaus- 

 tion, acute inflammatory fever, or asphyxia. 



