DISTEMPER 149 



for the complications which generally ensue during 

 the course of the malady. There are always closely 

 associated with it the various strains of Staphylo- 

 cocci and Streptococci, and it is the effect of their 

 combined toxins that gives us the clinical picture 

 which an animal presents when suffering from dis- 

 temper. Among the predisposing causes of dis- 

 temper may be mentioned youth, unhygienic sur- 

 roundings, in-breeding, in fact, any circumstance 

 which tends to lower the animal's vitality and its 

 powers of resistance to disease or unfavorable con- 

 ditions. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of distemper vary 

 considerably according to the particular local com- 

 plications which are developed; they are also de- 

 pendent upon the severity of the attack, the powers 

 of resistance of the patient, the rapidity with which 

 the disease progresses and the treatment the pa- 

 tient receives. As a rule, the first observable symp- 

 toms are pronounced lassitude and dullness, a great 

 disinclination to play or exercise, a decided prefer- 

 ence for warmth, the dog creeping into the warm- 

 est corner or crouching before the fire, and a gen- 

 eral languor that appears to benumb the dog's ener- 

 gies ; so that the hitherto lively dog, instead of 

 jumping with delight at his master's call, merely 

 replies with a spiritless wag of his tail and a dis- 

 mal, woe-begone look. Loss of appetite is an in- 

 variable symptom and feverishness ensues, as 

 shown by the hot, dry nose, rigors, and by the 

 clinical thermometer ; considerable thirst is present ; 

 the bowels are generally deranged, sometimes re- 

 laxed, sometimes constipated; the urine is scanty 

 and high-colored; the coat is usually rough 

 and staring; retching and vomiting often oc- 

 cur; there is a thin, watery discharge from the 

 nose and eyes, and a hyperemic condition of the 



