DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 257 



EPILEPSY. 



Dogs of all breeds are very liable to fits, and the epileptic 

 is the form most frequently met with. To say that epilepsy 

 has been confounded over and over again with rabies, would 

 be stating what is correct. A mistake, unfortunately, for the 

 poor dog ; but which, I am happy to say, is usually made, not 

 by veterinarians, but by misguided policemen, with the usual 

 mob to back them up. I remember reading, some few years 

 sincCj in a leading paper, of madness in dogs, in which 

 article the writer, if he had been a professional man, could 

 not have more faithfully described the leading symptoms of 

 epilepsy. Sudden reeling, falling over, foaming at the mouth, 

 and convulsions are not diagnostic of rabies. Hence, it is 

 from the mistake these symptoms engender, from not being 

 understood, that a panic is, from time to time, created in 

 otherwise peaceful districts by such newspaper headings as 

 " A mad dog at large," " Outbreak of rabies, exciting scene," 

 and such like. 



Not long ago, I was walking t6 town with a young mastiff- 

 dog. Soon after starting he vomited a quantity of worms ; 

 half a mile farther on an epileptic lit seized him, and being 

 on a main road innumerable suggestions of rabies were of- 

 fered, with kind offers of destruction. However, the animal 

 was secured by his chain to a post, a cold water douche given ; 

 and shortly afterwards a gig conveyed him safely home. 



Epilepsy may take place at any age; but youth and old 

 age are the two most susceptible periods. 



Predisposing Causes. — Hereditary disposition, nervous 

 irritability, general debility, suckling large families. 



Exciting Causes. — Worms, dentition, suppression of natu- 

 ral secretions and evacuations, sudden fear or excitement, 

 over exertion after feeding, rapid exertion in obese condition, 

 and too much flesh meat — especially in young dogs. 



Symptoms. — Epilepsy, as a rule, is not ushered in by any 

 premonitory warning. The animal, apparently in perfect 



17 



