8 THE DISEASES OF THE DOG. 



from a flesh diet to meal food disease will result. Again, 

 with regard to climate, no animal has become more 

 universally diffused than the dog, and he has become 

 adapted by variation to the climate of each country, but 

 ordinary English breeds if imported into India rapidly 

 succumb to the exhausting effects of sudden change of 

 climate, unless they be taken very great care of. 

 Finally, although largely due to the effects of breeding, 

 the marked difference between the greyhound and the 

 bulldog is also a result of their special work, and neither 

 could be put to the work of the other without serious ill- 

 consequences. Age, sexj and various physiological con- 

 ditions, such as those of lactation and pregnancy, are, in 

 dogs as in other animals, active predisposing causes of 

 disease. The exciting causes in general are too numerous 

 to bo mentioned in detail here. 



The general stmptoms of disease in the dog are, in the 

 main, departure from ordinary habits, such as dulness, want 

 of appetite, an unthrifty appearance, the animal being 

 unsocial and endeavouring to hide himself, — they consist in 

 those slight divergences from ordinary habits which will 

 best be recognised by the master ; soon more marked 

 signs of disorder set in and enable us to diagnose the 

 case.* Fever is an accompaniment of most diseases and is 

 easily recognisable ; we shall treat of it in detail hereafter. 

 Although the arterial system of the dog is well developed, 

 the pulse is not so good and reliable a guide as it is in 

 diseases of the horse or man. Many dogs are very 

 nervous, and it will be found that when they are handled 

 by a stranger the pulse runs up so rapidly as to render 

 it anything but a reliable guide. It should always be 

 taken, however, and with as much gentleness as possible. 

 The character of the beat gives us some information, and 

 the knowledge thus acquired increases with experience. 

 The number can best be taken at the heart by placing the 



* Mayhew lays great stress on the physiognomy of disease in dogs, and 

 rightly so. Although his illustrations (as appended) are exaggerated they 

 have a certain value in fixing on the memory the position assumed in various 

 disorders. 



