CANINE DISTEMPER—ITS CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, SEQUELS & TREATMENT. 
25 
astonishing fact of this simple clue not having long ago been 
detected. 
The points of similarity between distemper in dogs and typhus 
fever in man are so strongly marked that a treatise upon the lat¬ 
ter is all that is wanted to enable anyone who understands 
medical terms or phrases to treat distemper, or as I call it typhus 
fever with the greatest probability of success. 
I know full well that this disease is looked upon by many 
with contempt and as a loathsome disease, but we are here to 
treat all domestic animals, and why should the ailments of our 
faithful friend the dog be omitted ? His care and treatment be¬ 
long to our profession and demand attention, and in years to 
come the treatment of the true friend the dog will be sought by 
the professional man instead of ignored as unworthy of his atten¬ 
tion. 
How many practitioners are there who do not despise the 
dog as a patient, and hate to be called upon to treat him, but for 
my part give me a man who loves or appreciates the value of his 
dog and I can invariably satisfy its owner, replenish my ex¬ 
chequer and do some good to the poor though despised dumb 
brute. 
The old adage still remains, and that is, “Tis only a dog,” 
and poor old Watch, Rover or Spot is left to die or get well as 
the case may be, starve or freeze after years of faithful service. 
Symptoms :—I define distemper in the dog as a fever of a na¬ 
ture similar to typhus and always followed by these symptoms:— 
There is first a dullness and restlessness with partial loss of 
appetite, heat and dryness of the nose, rapid but feeble pulse, 
and dull eye the white of which is generally streaked with dark 
red blood vessels, and the dog seems to be extremely sensitive 
to cold. The urine is scanty and high colored, considerable 
thirst, the motions are either costive or loose, if the latter often 
of a pitch color, the flesh and strength fail in a remarkably rapid 
manner so that the dog is unable to stand inside of a week ; the 
appetite by that time is entirely lost and frequently the food 
which is given by force is returned or speedily passed through 
