THE AMATEUR TRAINER. 135 
unaided until the disease has reached an alarming 
stage before discovering that something is wrong, 
and then, owing to an inability to correctly diagnose 
the case, may begin treatment in an entirely wrong 
direction, or with some antiquated mass of igno¬ 
rance. 
A desire to assist the novice to detect and cor¬ 
rectly ascertain the cause of trouble, leads the 
writer to give below symptoms of the most common 
ailments of the dog which, I hope, may be of 
benefit to the uninitiated : 
Distemper. —Loss of appetite and listlessness ; 
congestion of the eyes ; nausea; a dry husking cough ; 
the dog seeks solitude in a dark place; skin and 
nose hot and dry; labored respiration; frequent 
sneezing; constipation which usually turns to a 
watery blood-stained discharge from bowels ; mostly 
shivering and seeks a warm place to lie ; eyes in¬ 
flamed and feverish ; excessive thirst, etc. 
Sarcopticj Mamge.— Intense itching, which 
causes constant scratching and nipping, and has a 
debilitating effect upon the system. Red points 
appear on the skin, w T hich develope into pustules, 
exuding a fluid which forms scabs. In scratching 
or biting off the scabs, the hair comes out in patches, 
leaving the place bare and bleeding. Usually 
begins in places where the hair is shortest, but 
soon spreads over entire dog, creating a pitiful sight. 
Mange is a local affection which is caused by the 
