184 
COLEMAN NOCKOLDS. 
is no change in the joints, but a regular muscular rheumatism 
accompanied by general signs of distemper. 
(e) Integumentary.—The appearance of a rash upon the 
skin, especially on the inner sides of the thighs. At first it re¬ 
sembles a slight erythema, but soon vesicles form, which go 
through the regular stage to pustules, which burst and dis¬ 
charge, leaving little patches of ulceration, which finally heal 
by cicatrix. These pustules may coalesce, forming large ulcer¬ 
ating patches. This rash is quite characteristic of dog distem¬ 
per, and in a slight degree it is present in the majority of cases. 
Sometimes a general exfoliative dermatitis occurs. Diagnosis 
is often difficult, especially in the earlier stages. The history 
of the case, catarrhal symptoms, excessive prostration, rise of 
temperature, are the chief symptoms upon which to base the 
diagnosis. If the rash accompanies these the case is invariably 
distemper. 
Complications.—Most frequent is broncho-pneumonia, which 
condition appears as an extension of the bronchitis present. 
In fact it is difficult to determine the exact time at which the 
broncho-pneumonia starts. Lobar-pneumonia is another com¬ 
plication which occurs. It generally comes on quite suddenly 
at about the time that convalesence begins ; it is rare that it 
occurs at the beginning of an attack of distemper. It frequently 
causes the death of the patient, coming on as it does when the 
vitality is so lowered that there is not .strength enough left to 
combat any disease. In either of these conditions it will be no¬ 
ticed that the respirations are out of all proportion to the amount 
of lung tissue involved, uo doubt due to the extreme weakness 
of the animal. In the lobar form of pneumonia the temperature 
goes up suddenly, whilst in the lobular form the temperature 
rises gradually and often in a very irregular manner. The phys¬ 
ical signs are, in the lobular no change upon percussion except 
several inflammatory centres have united over a considerable 
portion of the lung substance, in which case of course certain 
dull centres may here and there appear; upon auscultation the 
signs of bronchitis are present with mucus or sub-crepitant 
