142 THE DISEASES OP THE DOG 



the bile excretory apparatus of the dog, and the deficiency 

 of exercise given to dogs of the fancy breeds, we will not 

 be surprised to find the liver a frequent seat of disease in 

 canine animals. 



Hepatitis in its acute form is common in India and 

 other tropical countries ; it also has been reported as fre- 

 quent in the South of France. It is probably in most 

 cases congestive, rather than true inflammatory disorder. 

 Jaundice is a prominent symptom ; the patient becomes 

 very dull, restless, and seeks a dark, quiet place ; much 

 thirst is present ; frequent vomition of a material consist- 

 ing mainly of bile occurs, but the act of expulsion seems 

 to be not very painful. Pressure on the right side over 

 the liver causes acute pain, and the belly is sometimes 

 enlarged in consequence of the swelling of that organ. 

 Breathing is quick and panting ; cough may be present. 

 The patient eats nothing, his mouth is foul, and the gums 

 congested ; generally the faeces are dry and pale coloured, 

 but in some cases the bowels are rather loose. Occasion- 

 ally, what Blaine terms "bilious inflammation of the 

 bowels " sets in, there being much abdominal pain and a 

 copious expulsion of bile in the frequent vomits and alvine 

 evacuations. This proves very exhausting and may carry 

 off the animal, the bowels after death being found inflamed 

 probably by the acridity of the bile ; but we are warned to 

 distinguish in diagnosis between it and irritant poisoning by 

 the animal being more thirsty in the latter case and pass- 

 ing blood intermingled with the black ejecta from the 

 bowels. The acute symptoms sometimes subside gradually 

 and are replaced by those indicative of chronic liver 

 disorder ; in other cases symptoms of cerebral disturbance 

 may precede death, or paralysis occur ; generally increas- 

 ing pallor of visible membranes, and marked coldness of 

 the mouth precede death. It having been found that this 

 disorder may be mistaken for pleuro-pneumonia or 

 enteritis, Blaine points out that there is less coldness of 

 and watery discharge from the nose and mouth than in 

 the former disease, and less pain on pressure, tension, and 

 heat of the belly, also less prostration of strength than in 



