146 CANINE MEDICINE AND SURGERY 



Internally, administer five to ten drops of Fowler's 

 solution once a day. 



Urticaria 



Urticaria is manifested by sharply defined, flat, 

 raised swellings of the skin, the result of quickly 

 occurring serous transudation in the papillae of the 

 dermis. The cause of this transudation of fluid is 

 the sudden dilatation of the capillaries, consequent 

 on undue stimulation of the vasomotor nerves. 



This affection of the vasomotor nerves may be 

 due to external irritation or it may be of internal 

 origin. The external irritants may be bites of 

 insects, stinging nettles (Urtica urens), or the hairs 

 of caterpillars. 



The internal causes of urticaria are due to cer- 

 tain kinds of foods which, owing to individual sus- 

 ceptibility, act as toxines, or to the absorption into 

 the blood stream of toxic matters from the alimen- 

 tary canal (fecal toxemia). 



The pomphi are sudden in their appearance and 

 frequently run together, producing large edematous 

 areas. The treatment consists in warm fomenta- 

 tions and the administration of a smart saline 

 purge. 



Alopecia 



Falling out of the hair occurs as an independent 

 condition and may aflfect the whole body (alopecia 

 celsi), or it may be confined to loss of hair from 

 small areas (cdopeda areata). It is due to a 

 trophoneurosis of the cutaneous nerves, which 

 causes atrophy of the hair roots. The conditions 

 which lead to this neurosis are pregnancy, starva- 

 tion, suckling, spoiled food, and debility. As a rule, 

 in alopecia celsi the hair grows in again, but in alo- 

 pecia areata the condition often remains permanent 

 and quite resistant to treatment. 



