ON THE DISEASES OF THE KARS OF DOGS. 319 
mange of the ear; and hence the necessity of aperients and 
alteratives. The habit may be subdued, or may be kept at bay 
by physic, and the use of the Goulard, or alum, or zinc lotions. 
Sportsmen are sadly teased by another complaint of the ear, 
likewise denominated “ Canker,” but, from its situation, “Can¬ 
ker without the ear." Pointers and hounds are particularly subject 
to this disease. It commences with a scurfy eruption and thickening 
of the edges of the ear, apparently attended by a great deal of 
itching or pain. The dog is continually flapping his ear, and, 
beating it violently against the head; the inflammation is thus ag¬ 
gravated, and a soreness appear on the tip of the ear. As this in¬ 
creases the dog becomes more impatient, and shakes his head 
more violently, and with all this beating the ulcer spreads, be¬ 
comes sadly indisposed to heal, and eats not only through the in¬ 
tegument and cellular substance beneath, but through the very 
cartilage, and a fissure or crack appears in it which is character¬ 
istic of the disease. The first thing to be done is to confine the ear. 
While the animal thus beats it about no good can be effected. 
A piece of strong calico must be procured, six or eight inches 
wide, and sufficiently long to reach over the head, and meet under 
the jaw. Along each side must be a running piece of tape, and 
a shorter piece sewed at the centre of each of the ends. By these 
tapes the cap may be drawn tightly over the head above the eyes, 
and likewise round the neck behind the ears, so as perfectly to 
confine the ears. No mild unguent will dispose such an ulcer to 
heal ; recourse must therefore be had, at once, to a caustic applica¬ 
tion. One scruple of the nitrate of silver may be rubbed down 
with an ounce of lard, and a little of this rubbed twice every 
day, and tolerably hardly, into the sore, until it assumes a healthy 
appearance, when it may be dressed with the common calamine 
ointment. If the discharge should again become ichorous, the 
practitioner must return to the caustic ointment. The cartilage 
will not close, but the integument will gradually cover the ex¬ 
posed edges, and the wound will be healed. The ear will, how¬ 
ever, long continue tender; and, if it be much beaten by the shak¬ 
ing of the head, the ulcer will re-appear. This must be obviated, 
by occasionally confining the ears, not over-feeding the dog, and 
keeping the bowels in a relaxed state. 
Sportsmen are accustomed to round the ears, that is, to cut off 
the diseased part. In very few instances, however, is the cure 
permanent. While the dog is sadly disfigured, a fresh ulcer speedily 
appears on the exposed edge of the ear, and which proves to be 
more difficult to heal than the original one. The raw edge is in 
the operation probably inoculated with the virus from the original 
ulcer, or so much irritation is produced in a part already inflamed, 
