6S DisaASEs OT Doea. 



ij9 excessive heat or inflammation. The redness of skin often appeaiB 

 suddenly and unexpectedly, and when the dog is supposed to be welL 

 The causes are various, and my experience is that all dogs are alike 

 liable to it, although HUl and other writers say that sporting dogs 

 are particularly subject to it. It may arise from chafing, cold and 

 wet, irritation due to parasites, or the use of unsuitable applica- 

 tions to the skin. By far the greater number of cases are, however, 

 referable to constitutional disturbances — indigestion, and disorders of 

 the liver, bowels, kidneys, etc. In such cases the elements of the 

 food are not assimilated, the whole internal system suffers, and 

 Nature uses the skin to throw off the objectionable matter ; hence 

 the eruptions which follow. 



Whatever, then, causes disorder of the stomach, Uver, or bowels, 

 may produce these eczematous forms of skin disease. Improper and 

 overfeeding are common causes, but I believe the commonest of all 

 to be worms. These parasites disturb the functional organs and 

 prevent their assimilation of the food. 



To produce a healthier state of the blood, the following mixture 

 may be given with advantage ; Epsom salts, loz. ; liquor arseni- 

 calis, Idr. ; tincture of ginger, 2dr. ; water to 6oz. Dose, a dessert- 

 spoonful to a tablespoonful night and morning after food. To allay 

 the irritation, dress the animal all over with olive oil, 1 pint ; and oU 

 of tar, 2oz. ; while, if the disease is obstinate, add 4oz. of sulphur. 

 Wash off and repeat if necessary at the end of a week. 



Bitches during, or just after the constitutional excitement of 

 oestrum, or heat, often suffer from eczema. There may be an 

 inherited tendency to the disease, but that Is simply a likeness in 

 constitution. Eczema is not, properly speaking, an hereditary 

 disease ; and in almost every case it may be traced to one of the 

 direct causes named. See BLOTCH. 



ENTEBITIS.— <$ee Bowkls, Inflammation or. 



Z!FZL!EPSY, — Most of our domestic animals are subject to 

 this, and among stock owners in general it Is known as the " falling 

 sickness." Dogs are peculiarly liable to it. Epilepsy is charac- 

 terised by sudden loss of sensation, a violent convulsive action of 

 the muscles of both the body and limbs, champing of the jaws, 

 and emission of froth from the mouth. As the tongue is apt to get 

 cut by the involuntary action of the jaws, not infrequently the 

 froth gets tinged with blood ; this adds to the fears of those ignorant 

 of the nature of the disease, and from unfounded alarm that the 

 dog may be mad many a poor animal is destroyed. See ElTS. 



