SF SQ) 5 7 “Paths 4 ~~ CORNELL UNIVERSITY THE Hlower Ueterinary Library FOUNDED BY ROSWELL P. FLOWER for the use of the N. Y. STATE VETERINARY COLLEGE 1897 This Volume is the Gift of Alice L, Dustan Dr. Henry W. Dustan '98 _ 8877 SF 991.P46 Tao eel } / / J AD nf pe oe é Cornell University Library toms, nature, i 3 vet 5 sha shaste sd festa Date Due wun to pF act 2 4 le MAY Or Library Bureau Cat. No. 1137 shee Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000385033 KENNEL DISEASES. INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH. KENNEL DISEASES THEIR SYMPTOMS, NATURE, CAUSES, AND TREATMENT BY “ ASHMONT ” AuTHOR OF “KENNEL SECRETS” Ps if teary c Panny, Joaryh whey) pe WAY BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1903 0. /4ase COPYRIGHT, 1899, By J. Lorinc THAYER PUBLISHING COMPANY. COPYRIGHT, 1903, By LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. kbf oF As3 oF 1403 PAL PRINTED AND BOUND IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. PRESSWORK BY THE UNIVERSITY PRESS CAMBRIDGE, U.S. A. PREFACE. “Dogs: Their Management and Treatment in Disease’? was my first literary effort; hence its many crudities and glaring typographical imperfections. And although kindly received by dog fanciers in every English-speaking country, and translated in several others, I have never been satisfied with it, and determined to rewrite it my first opportunity. That did not present itself until 1898. Beginning the work then, I devoted four whole years to it, and had nearly reached the end, when I experienced a series of misfortunes which prevented further progress for many months. In attempting to popularize medicine — for the guidance of non-professionals —a common fault seems to be failure to particularize, and thus leave far too much to conjecture. In endeavoring to obviate this I may have gone over the line, and indulged in what might seem to some to be needless repetition. But if so, no real harm can have been done ; and in the matter of doses, especially, my readers can scarcely go wrong. There are no specifics in canine practice. That is, no medicines which are sure cures, always, for the same diseases. Indeed, in many instances, a medicine which has cured a large number of cases may prove valueless in the next case, although it might seem precisely like the others. Again, oftentimes cures can be effected only in stages, as it were. That is, one class of drugs will accomplish a cer- tain amount of good, and no more, and another class must be employed to secure greater gain. And so on; it being necessary often tc resort to quite a large number of medicinal agents of radically different action before cures can be reached. Manifestly, therefore, he who undertakes to treat obstinate diseases especially should be fortified with as large a number of remedies as possible, that he may promptly substitute for it if one proves disappointing. This accounts for the different measures of treatment that I have recommended in so many instances, and always where difficulty is likely to be encountered. Although about all the diseases from which dogs are likely to suffer are dis- cussed herein, also the treatment required, it must not be implied that fanciers vi PREFACE. are encouraged to assume the responsibility in all cases of sickness. Indeed, ex- cepting in very mild attacks they should, invariably, seek professional assistance. A word as to the expediency of using proprietary medicines on dogs. It is a fixed fact that with but few exceptions such preparations designed for mankind are rank humbugs; but, strangely perhaps, those intended for the canine race quite often have some real merit, and might be of material assistance could the cases in which they were to be given be properly selected. But they are far from being of equal value in all cases even of close resemblance ; and since their composition is not known, it would not be possible to rightly apply them always ; hence their use cannot be advisable. Having in “Kennel Secrets” and herein recorded the results of years of careful study of the dog under nearly all conditions, in health and in disease, my work in his behalf is now done. In truth it has been a labor of love, and I lay aside my pen with regret, also the ardent hope that I have contributed to his welfare. ASHMONT. April, 1903. CONTENTS. PART FIRST. THE SICK QUARTERS CHAPTER I. PRAcTICAL HINTs ON NURSING . we (2 Special precautions in infectious diseaeey ‘ 2 Valuable accessories in treatment of chest stlerdons CHAPTER II. FEEDING THE SICK When stimulants are indicated CHAPTER III. MEDICINES AND THEIR ADMINISTRATION Popular delusion as to the effect of opiates How to administer medicines . PART SECOND. PRINCIPLES OF MEDICINE. CHAPTER I. Symptoms OF DISEASE . Common indications of health. Susceptibility of dogs to pain . Symptoms of acute diseases generally The pulse an important guide . Significance of changes in breathing Temperature in health and disease The appetite not an important indication Aids to diagnosis of disease 10 12 12 13 14 15 16 16 17 18 viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER II. NATURE OF DISEASES Terms in common use defined . CAUSES OF DISEASE. . . Part played by germs . . - s+ s+ we DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS : . Effective method of making disaosts 7 PART THIRD. THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE. Section I. 3 23 : 23 25 F 27 oe cw 28 2s * 20 DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. . . an ces Se Treat the patient, na ie diecast: ACUTE CORYZA . . 1. 1 2 6 «© © ws we Some of its many causes. . . . . . LARYNGITIS . An important een of fables 5 BRONCHITIS . Good food and free exercise the pieveuiives : CHAPTER II. PNEUMONIA . Wise to assume ths an defections: hintkes. Symptoms which can scarcely be mistaken How to make a cotton jacket . Importance of pure air CHAPTER III. ACUTE PLEURISY. . . taxit> Se et J Not easily aarseinet Fortunately not a common disease CHRONIC PLEURISY . ...... A very rare affection . EMPYEMA. ‘ A fatal eniline to be hhened or. 33 33 34 35 37 37 41 42 43 50 51 52 53 53 54 CONTENTS. ix ASTHMA . « 1 se ee . Senet Re ee ne Se A Very rare; but few enatedt cases pemunes aimless er <> ay ee. STG TUBERCULOSIS. . .. . Oe AS eee cae ey heroes. Jy ES) Identical with consumption of Thapel Han 4 ee ee we ee 56 From him dogs may contract the malady . . . 1. 1 6 6 ee ew ee 57 CHAPTER IV, INFLUENZA . . . Se eR OR OR er we BG Like a bad “ cold” BEA ee a Ga eds ie 8 dosh Bh pe CAR ee” 1 BO Sure to be quite prevalent . . 6 6 1 1 ee eee ee ee OQ ULCERATIONS IN NASAL CAVITIES. «© - 6 6 ee ee ee ee ee we OQ Commonly caused by small stones or the like . . . . ..... . 60 OZENA ... a oe 3 eat GR Ga wee “RE A. 66 In no other affection i is discharge so offensive 4) Sh oleh. Go aah aus Go WP “ae ake $60 WorMS IN THE NOSE . . . ee oe ey aa ae, LOT Scarcely possible excepting sith sick and feeble oe 4 ell cw ce eG a> OG NASAL: POLYPUS 4 Gogo: eS eRe wee Raia! A! Se eee “SD Ges 8 Cases extremely rare... 1 ee ee ew ew ew ee we) C2 Section II. DISEASES OF THE BLOOD AND CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. CHAPTER I. ANEMIA. . . ee ee ee ee ee eo Generally ativibutable to ‘bad mauagenent : a? a) ae ica ee ae eae (16F PLETHORA .. . Beh ae tee ake ee ed Soe Ged. IG Less food and more exercise indicated . Ss 5ei: ey ah oie A Gee! OR HEART DISEASE . . es Wale, Beate de, net Gite a K66 But rarely detected. before death orcas Sy eee: EE We cae we OZ VALVULAR DISEASE. . . . eee ee OF Nature’s law of eorapenaation ntdoly exhibited 4 in 7 eee disease a ge, ee OF HYPERTROPHY OF THE HEART . . . eos Gola etcie> histo i el Se? alle’ He aes, 1:68 Always occurs when heart is dineanet fg eww es we Oe Ee 68 FatTy DEGENERATION OF THE HEART . ......... 64... «68 To be expected when too fat generally. . . 2. 2. 1. 2... ws se 68 PALPITATION OF THE HEART . . . a a 2 Merely disturbance, generally wniliont iisease: he ee oe oe woe 2 69 PERICARDITIS . . . e OW Ga a Ge a e a 69h Same morbid pene as in upleunaye Bt a Gre et A vets See. oe a ap ce CHO) ANEURISM .. . oie Soph cepceds Hele EN eh ee a oe Eat, GE A possible, bul very rare: accident POR a ea i GE ee x CONTENTS. Section III. AFFECTIONS OF THE MOUTH AND TONGUE. CHAPTER I. DENTITION. . . . ap ee ae Teething not attended by any distufance . AFFECTIONS OF THE TEETH . . Sets The teeth ought to be well cared (e a eo ase el Sie Never allow a dog hard bones to gnaw . STOMATITIS. . . ga! Be bE ais SAR Oe Usually due oz an grritant poison . : oa « Value of a dog greatly reduced by poor teeth. a & SWOLLEN GuMS .. . - A sure evidence of neslett 7 WARTS ON THE LIPS Should be removed as they 3 appear GLossITIS ; Treatment should be prompt pail energetic: PARALYSIS OF THE TONGUE . Victims generally suffer too much to live BLAIN . oie, uel? ne) Give Ae a a Ce BE Bad management largely responsible . . . . . CHAPTER II. PAROTITIS . . . . General health rarely wood where ‘dita disease: occurs . RANULA Sometimes a pen ‘will sme acure. OBSTRUCTION OF THE (ESOPHAGUS. . . « . eee Under ether removal of the obstruction is easier. PHARYNGITIS : 4 An ordinary sore throat @ uncomplicated Section IV. DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE CHAPTER I. DIGESTION. . . . By Siete GD te Where various foods s are digested SYSTEM. 87 88 CONTENTS. VOMITING. 2:08 @ GO eee we Oe we eh Often of no importance . ACUTE INDIGESTION . : Over-feeding a dedtractive fault 3 CHRONIC INDIGESTION : Proper diet of first ‘enariance. GASTRITIS i : If poisoning is suspected CHAPTER II. Couic . ee ee ee Importance of speedy relief Tap early if there is much distention ACUTE PERITONITIS . To be apprehended in about all severe Bowel troubles : Operate in desperate cases as last resort DIARRHEA . : Beware of fou’ ; poisons . i Danger in stopping it too quickly The liver generally involved Some prevalent notions dispelled . CHAPTER III. DYSENTERY . Many reputed cases are called iy Bones in ihe rectuin Clean out the bowels early . ENTERITIS : i Young puppies iecuent victims With them always first treat for worms . CONSTIPATION . . House pets sineularly fiable to eee it Diet the potent remedy . CHAPTER IV. INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION - ee The many differentforms ...... . Peritonitis liable to set in quickly . When foreign bodies are the cause DISEASES OF THE LIVER Seldom occur alone CONGESTION OF THE LIVER Readily disappears under one diet xii CONTENTS. INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER A complication of inflammation of ce bowel Fatty Liver . . ae Too much starchy fod ohten the cause - CHAPTER V. AMYLOID LIVER Detected only atten death CANCER OF THE LIVER . A disease of advanced age . BILIOUSNESS So-called siwation treatment — phoned one . JAUNDICE. Yellow eyes positive pith DISEASES OF THE SPLEEN. Too obscure to be important HEMORRHOIDS .« F May be mistaken fee a : ones in he bowelé.. PROLAPSE OF THE RECTUM . - Sliver of bone, or the like, the sual 4 cause . ANAL FISSURE AND FISTULA . : Large bones the common cause at fisaute Great difficulty in determining either SEcTION V. DISEASES OF THE URINARY AND SEXUAL ORGANS. CHAPTER I. CONGESTION OF THE KIDNEYS Neglect the usual cause . INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS The acute form. The chronic form . DISEASE OF THE PROSTATE Cancer of the prostate RarE DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS . In consequence of injuries . Stones occasionally form there PAGE 131 131 132 133 134 134 134 134 135 135 135 137 139 139 139 140 141 141 I4L 141 142 143 143 143 144 145 146 147 147 147 148 CONTENTS. CHAPTER II, IRRITABILITY OF THE BLADDER. . ...- Baneful results of neglect INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER . .... . Kicks and blows may induce it CATARRH OF THE BLADDER . A chronic type of inflammation STONE IN THE BLADDER .. . eg Most cases occur in advaneea ¢ age H2MATURIA. . Bloody urine often aneaded by parcice CHAPTER III. RETENTION OF URINE ..... ° How to use the catheter . PARAPHIMOSIS . . . 6 Interference after vigervies va welder juscilable BALANITIS : : Medicinal applications often peniicinuia URETHRITIS. . . F A discharge eatenaily pen GENITAL AFFECTIONS . : The bot-fly, and essential bieaniedt : INFLAMMATION OF THE VULVA... - Due as a rule to vaginal discharges . MorRBID GROWTHS ..... ~ Treatment of warts . .... . CHAPTER IV. VAGINAL DISCHARGES sé 5 Treatments essential to the various 3s Forms : STRICTURE OF THE VAGINA. . .. . When operations are imperative PROLAPSE OF THE VAGINA How to reduce the displaced parts VAGINAL POLypr . ae Surgeon required to remove diet INFLAMMATION OF THE WOMB . ee Rare excepting after whelping . ... . TUMORS OF THE WoMB. S fs Highly suspicious signs . . . . xii once 149 149 150 150 151 151 152 152 153 153 154 155 156 156 156 157 157 57 158 158 159 159 159 160 161 162 166 xiv CONTENTS. CHAPTER V. PUERPERAL FEVER .... - + + + + © © © © #© #© «@ Disinfecting the womb CHAPTER VI. SEPTICAMIA OF PREGNANCY . The germ theory of causation . Conclusive signs of the disease . . . .- . Be Be AS Thorough disinfection of the kennels . . . - - + + « Section VI. DISEASES OF THE EYE. CHAPTER I. OPHTHALMIA oo 4 A safe and eifective avewnter : CATARRHAL CONJUNCTIVITIS . In absence of medical advice . PURULENT CONJUNCTIVITIS Great danger of infection CHRONIC ConyuNcTIVITIS : : Importance of building up the gael health KERATITIS ‘ Commonly due to deitsies: ABSCESS OF THE CORNEA . Services of an eye specialist iniperstive.. PRITIS: ee, Ge a SO BS Re Direct violence the usual cause CHAPTER II. GRANULAR Lips . . . Se Bip SS beens One consequence of faulty raiuaenielt woes cae Teh Sah Me eee BLEPHARITIS CILIARIS Rare except in filthy eeeanale ENTROPION AND ECTROPION . Serious Deformities . . . . . . 2... we we ew ee PAGE 168 172 175 175 176 178 179 179 180 181 181 182 182 182 182 183 184 184 184 184. 186 186 186 186 187 188 CONTENTS. PTERYGIUM AND SYMBLEPHARON . . . . . + + + Easily overcome by an eye specialist AFFECTION OF THE Haw A disfigurement easily temiosed LACHRYMAL DISEASES The “ weeping eye ” DISLOCATION OF THE EYEBALL . 3 Removal should be under ether sivas . CATARACT F A simple fcenedly often sfieatious BLINDNESS on @ Sometimes eased by worms Section VII. DISEASES OF THE EARS. CHAPTER I. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS The hearing apparatus OTITIS EXTERNA . 3 The most common ear : teouble: ie Kees OTITIS INTERNA .. .- ae Uae Lage ante A most painful attack weed wee OTITIS PARASITICA An extension of mange . MAGGOTS IN THE EAR. . A maddening attack . PoLyPus . : A consequence = inflammation DEAFNESS in Aa A cure is rarely seoselble a ABSCESS OF THE AURICLE. . Following blisters on the eartlap< BLoop TUMOR OF THE AURICLE Consequence of blows or flapping WoUNDS OF THE AURICLE Accidents which are always exceedingly, teoa¥ieepios . XV PAGE 188 188 189 189 189 190 190 IgI 191 192 193 194 194 194 195 196 202 203 204 205 205 205 206 206 206 206 207 207 207 207 207 208 xvi CONTENTS. Section VIII. DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. CHAPTER I. RABIES a Se One of the genet of all Hiteases Saudtes. sor ee Nearly all reputed cases, if not all, are due to fmagiaation Suspected dog should be allowed to live The violent form ee ee The dumb form bye When bitten by sieges vaitraal! sic INJURIES TO THE BRAIN Not easily produced . CHAPTER II. CONVULSIONS . . és The most common cause The affection contagious . .... . Till the doctor comes VERTIGO. . . go Wi wie: RL eh Generally an ainimporiant symptom . APOPLEXY . o. 4 Rupture ei ayenal in — Sian a Yeo Hel By HYDROCEPHALUS . «©.» «ee + ee ew ee A rare congenital disease SUNSTROKE . Often mistaken for’ bie Essential modifications in feeding ducing int weather ‘ CHAPTER III. ACUTE MENINGITIS Resemblance to rabies CHRONIC MENINGITIS . . A cause of epilepsy CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS Of germ origin, hence infectious . TETANUS . Danger lurks i in ‘filthy ences CHAPTER Iv. CHOREA og 8 The outlook always discouraging . + 4 CONTENTS. Xvii PAGE NEURALGIA. . . eo eT ae Sa we WS a ee Ge ae An affection bat rarely detected ar. Man es Cai, Sige GL. BO RE ea BAR SS 2A PARALYSIS . . . ih, set, cite ke as Saag tage 1D Sas! pl fa! ek i 2 Puppies frequent vicding ae Miedo, chite tay) ales ttoety, tod MAY cieoiel RED a AO SEcTIon IX. AFFECTIONS OF THE BONES AND JOINTS. CHAPTER I. RICKETS . . . ga a a Oe Ge 2D) Faulty management often reepouxtble Dros See) Sal. eS Uae ee aa, ee BGO) DISLOCATIONS . - . | Soop) ate, La Sag) ae) ph Ge ae! GO Permanent defontities Hikeely ta esolt Ben Guede Oe 268 Rare if proper care s be given 2 6 1 ww ee ee ew ew 289 SEcTION X. SURGICAL AFFECTIONS. CHAPTER I. Wounps. . . iw Sib MP etnies Sea lige Jon Severn cs. He: WO» oes LETS First tedenaondt of the injured ie. Sa YR? th a ee. eos we ped Se ag 2893 Wounds, Cleancut: 2 a6 ee Re we te we ww, ZB Xviil CONTENTS. PAGE Wounds, Lacerated . © 2 - ee ee ee ee ee 2G 35 Contuséd) 63 eo SR a, ote PA Punctured, @ & So owe ae ES BG eS Se we & wo BO is Crishéd.. 2% % «© # & » 2 & «© # = 4 = @ & oa a 296 a Poisoned Sores Meh BRAS iran ae oe, hy OR aD) ao) Sh eee 1277 3 Stings of bees OF wasps. « 4 6 wos & oe ye ee et a BRF - into the joints. 2 6 6 ee ee ee ee ee ew ew 278 Dangers from use of iodoform . . «we 7 ee ee ee ew 279 BuRNS AND SCALDS. «© «1 ee ee ee ee ee ew we ee 280 Popular domestic remedies. . . «© . 6 e+ + + e+ © © ee e + «6280 UMBILICAL HERNIA . 2 1 ee ee ee ew ee ee 28I Safe and easy operation. ©. 2. 2... ee ee ew ee ee eee 28E ABDOMINAL SURGERY .. . Sy os Se GAS cae Gs Sh. Bir Wine 282 More frequent use of the knife iiecatel Sp Gaia! Se) GAL is hee ah a BF Section XI. AFFECTIONS OF THE SKIN. CHAPTER I. EczEMA .. . a ORE GE ME Sy GB ies ad al cde’ al) Ghats oh. Sec, “AC BBA The various fortis BAGS! hoists lag Le LY ppb ah ah oat See Ske a Sek Ge eee BG The many causes. . . Bh, BE ees te cae AS) Sa es Ge SS. Mie 4 - B86. A powerful remedy for jedliinie bot LS ea io a a ee BO) To distinguish between eczema and mange . . . ... .. . + « 290 The moist form . . ek GE oS) dogo ae A ea) el ay 200 The skis. inflamed but act raw, ll Ue AE RP gy a Re ee, en ee BOS The eruption is of pimples or pustules. . 2 2 1. 1. 1 1 we wee 292 The chronic form. 2... we ee ee ee ee e292 The internal treatment . . 2. . 6 ee ew ee ee ee we 208 Notions as toarsenic. ©. . 2. 1 ee ee ee ee we ew ee 300 CHAPTER II. SARCOPTIC MANGE .. . oD Boe Who A Raters Re win BY SUS) Se Wh Bor The insect which causes it sie Sat Beh a SP ee Ge eh ee Contributing causes 2. we ee ee ee ew 303 The sovereign remedy ©. . - 1 ee ee ee ee ee ewe 303 To prevent the disease extending. . . . - - - 1 ee ee ew ee 304 A dip destructive to all parasites. 2 2 2. - 1 1 ee ew ee ee 306 FOLLICULAR MANGE. . . MOTE GU oe cae Se, er re BOF Popular fallacy as tocause. . 2 6 6 ee ee ee ee ee ee 507 A very discouraging malady . . «© eee ee ew ew ee ee 308 ERYTHEMA . . . ae a en a ea 1A Wandilory affection i EO EW ee oe ROE ee oe oe BT CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. PRURIGO . Identifieation Steen en difficult . PRURITUS . F Characterized By intense jtehing ‘ PITYRIASIS VERSICOLOR A form resembling dandrutt Favus. ... . Transmissible frat owe to mhasilind RINGWORM . . : A powerful satepanisite ‘applicdtion PsorIASIs : Peculiar because a absanine of es Section XII. INTERNAL PARASITES. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. . . » 4 No part of the bady cae fol qarseitee OXYURIS VERMICULARIS Thread worms . ASCARIS MARGINATA Round worms How puppies are infested Treatment of the bitch about to mals The many indications of worms Worming very young puppies . CHAPTER II. TANIA : : Mode of ‘aietdiesion ai the eadond Fish tapeworm . Pork tapeworm. Tania marginata . » saginata » coenurus » serrata . » cucumerina » echinococcus . 3 Removal of the head idipetative . Worming treatment . Precautions against infection . . . . . « « - xix PAGE 312 312 313 314 314 315 316 317 318 318 320 320 321 321 321 322 323 323 325 326 327 339 338 338 339 339 340 340 340 341 342 343 346 346 353 XViil CONTENTS. Wounds, Lacerated . P Contused #3 Punctured . * Crushed . $y Poisoned i Stings of nee or wasps a into ‘the joints . Dangers from use of iodoform BuRNS AND SCALDS . Sas Popular domestic remedies . UMBILICAL HERNIA . . . «se ee ew ee Safe and easy operation . ABDOMINAL SURGERY : More frequent use of the anit. sayousted’, Section XI. AFFECTIONS OF THE SKIN. CHAPTER I. EczZEMA ‘3 8 The various form The many causes . A powerful remedy for icone ee To distinguish between eczema and mange The moist form F The skin inflamed but net raw. é The eruption is of pimples or pustules . The chronic form . 3 The internal treatment Notions as to arsenic . CHAPTER II. SARCOPTIC MANGE . The insect which causes it F Contributing causes The sovereign remedy To prevent the disease extending . A dip destructive to all parasites . FOLLICULAR MANGE. a Popular fallacy as to cause . A very discouraging malady ERYTHEMA : ae A transitory affection ‘ PAGE 275 275 276 276 277 277 278 279 280 280 281 281 282 283 284 285 286 289 290 290 292 292 292 298 300 302 302 303 303 304 306 307 307 308 311 311 CONTENTS. xix CHAPTER III. PAGE PRURIGO . . . a ee UG Gay a> Se cape a OH) ae RS ldentifieador atten very difficult . sg lo Ys? Fel cts GO a ee a oe BE PRuRITUS .. . Sy elke Tay Ga ie! Ser Get LOR all cay a ST BTS Characterized by iutenae Siching a a AO ey See. he, Pe BTA PITYRIASIS VERSICOLOR « «ee ee ew ee ee ee ee ee BIG A form resembling dandruff 2. 2 1 1 1 we ee ee ee ee BUS Favus. .. . Ge ae at ae ee a ee BO Tranantasiile from dos to shadkind BS bed Eb Sep seu an. 4. Sr, ey Re Re Se RINGWORM .. . ded lage. We? Se Oe eS! ome ote AS IBIS A powerful sath parasite appliestan BG BOR ew we a i we TS PsorIasis . . . Wat chy ttn Ge GS Cot teira Ge: Sel 320) Peculiar because of shaende of fkening . be ae ee SP ap Se) es ey ZO SEcTION XII. INTERNAL PARASITES. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. . . Bn se retin Sai. Se. Oe ay Gah ca dead: qensze G2 No part of ihe healy-eate from parasites 2 fe i a aw) ee Sa a 5 RE OxyYURIS VERMICULARIS «6 6 6 6 ee we ee ee ee we ee BRK M@hread worms ee Ge ws Ga ne) eR a me BL ZZ ASCARIS MARGINATA «6 6 ee ew we ee te ee ee ee 328 Round worms . . . fences Br. eS By Ab Ge a a> 23 How puppies are infested eos Btwn Se hadi: he Ye ae aco BG Treatment of the bitch about to ail « go we eh a ee eG ee Mee 26 The many indications of worms . . «© «© - 6 ee ee ee ew ee 327 Worming very young puppies. . . . . 6 ee we ee ee ee + 330 CHAPTER II. 2 THENIA .. . Seles GS) GG dalstecuwe. co Getete cies a? Ue GSO Mode of fantasti te ihe ieseworth BP dai Gad sgt Se gd ge ae Gee BE ne 3338 Fish tapeworm. © 2 6 ee ee ee ee ee ew 839 Pork tapeworms «© 6 6 4 & #8 8 8 poe we we we ee oe » 889 Tenia marginata . 2. 1 1 ee ew ee ee ee ee ee ew 340 yy Saginat® 2 woe Be ee Gee ewe we BAO gi. GGRNUEUS ee oa ea eh ee we Gwe ee) we BO gp /SERRAtA SS. S: sg> Be aia AE ee AR ee ee Oe ee cee BAT o CucUumerIna « 2 HoH 8 oe Be ee ee we ee we wm e842 echinococcus . . . i OR ROR Rm GP es 9 Removal of the head japeesive ie tie Si-Webatis Se ap ap ca ee a ee a SBS. Worming treatment . 2. 2 6 1 ee ee ee ee ee ee ee 846 Precautions against infection . 2 6. 1 6 ee ee eee ee 8353 KX CONTENTS. Section XIII. CONSTITUTIONAL DISEASES. CHAPTER I. PAGE DISTEMPER . . .- Specs vel Gat aa Ta a ca Sala te Ges Goi) See) Gs’ Gav ap GS Taking the feciparatera iy) ‘aap ta MA “ane oe cpa“: mee TaD Re Teto “er Ses Bs By. By > Gy BSF Variations in different situations . . 2 6 ee + 6 + ew ee ew ee 358 The commonsymptoms. «© - - 6 + 5 6 et ee ee ee ee 359 Frequent sequele . - 362 Hints on nursing ©. ee ee ee ee ee ee 804 The medical treatment . - - 6 6 8 8 ee et ee ew we ee 365 The complications. . . SR BR RS, a ie 873) To disinfect the kennels afied dienper los, Ol lee a Japan AD Net Sho e378 CHAPTER II. DIPHTHERIA. «© 2 2 6 6 8 8 8 8 8 8 we 8 8 ee 380 Chances against recovery . - - - + ee © ee ee ew ew + 382 A menace tocaretakers. . . 2 6 + + 6 © @ we oe © ew we ee e384 ERYSIPELAS . . . eS ish ca Ba la RS Sag Soap) ot Uh A ee RE Ge Se ey ee 285 Transmissible to MATE ad ode Cay chs RD Wek SS. Re ee ee Be a ge 5388 SMALL-POX . . . SRE Wa ee “ee RY eat ae a Ne se) lg) Se! Ge) ee 387 To be left to ‘ature of) Boots! ae Wee ME Be, Se cle, By te Ge es es ee 88 ACTINOMYCOSIS .. . gs et ing) Lap’ gabe See) “ad RO lee ei a 388 Characterized by fungus growthe. Be aE OR aE Ke he oa eter ee 389) Dropsy .. . gle OF ices Ge Se) ee Se) ee Sp 900 Peculiar tov caused byt a pansie ian NN, VAS 8 Cok lee ae Ges i mts AON OBESITY . . . a Bn A Ue) 8 ey a Gp 3 Female victims ruined fit breeding purposes fe Re RA a GE GB Ry a we BOB D1aBETES MELLITUS. . . gn) oe GB ah eek A A ao wae we Gp et a S04 Fortunately a rare disease He RGR ER Re Ge OR Se Ge ese BOG DIABETES INSIPIDUS. . . . ie ee) Ge) Sec Sep ne a ee Ge! Le! Ge ae“ 906 Outlook always diecourctaw eG sh ah BO a WE Se ae BOF SECTION XIV. EXTERNAL PARASITES, CHAPTER I. FLEAS, LICE, AND FLIES. «©. 6 6 1 eee ee ee ee ww ee 308 An effectuakdip: «+ & «8 «© # @ ss @ @ # 6 @ 8 w 2 2 eo got CONTENTS. XXI SECTION XV. SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF POISONING. CHAPTER I. . PAGE ESSENTIAL PRECAUTIONS . . 1 6 1 ee ee ee ee ee ee ew GOK! When giving medicines. 2. 2 1 1 1 ee ee ee ee ee ww 405 CHAPTER II. INTENTIONAL POISONING . . ee 6 ee ee ee ee ew ee we 407 A wise provision againstit. © 2... 6 2 6 we ew ee ew ee TO CHAPTER III. ACCIDENTAL POISONING «2. 6 eee ee ee ee ee eee ee A Danger inthe water supply . - . - - eee ee ee ee ee AIG INDEX. 606 ee ee ee ee ee ee ee eee AIG KENNEL DISEASES. PART FIRST. THE SICK-QUARTERS: THEIR GENERAL MANAGEMENT. CHAPTER I. PRACTICAL HINTS ON NURSING. Ir is safe to assert that in a very large proportion of attacks of acute diseases, also in not a few chronic cases, the recovery of dogs depends far more upon the nursing which they receive than upon the judicious selection and use of medicines. Considering the primary essentials, it is important that the room in which the patient is confined be clean, well ventilated, and of the right temperature. If his disease is infectious and he has mates, manifestly he should be taken from them and carefully isolated. As a rule, also, unless the sanitary condition of the kennels is well-nigh perfect, dogs ought not to remain in them while ill, but, instead, shculd be removed to other quarters that are above suspicion, and to rooms in the homes of their masters when possible, for at such times they sorely miss companionship and frequent expressions of concern. Those who assume the duty of nursing should be firm, gentle, and patient ; and these qualities invariably exhibited, obedience can generally be easily en- forced. Whereas roughness, which is often displayed, especially when medicines of very unpleasant taste are being given, has a serious effect on sensitive ani- mals. In truth, ministrations to them should be as gentle and persuasive as to members of the human family under like conditions, for tender solicitude, care- ful consideration, and a light touch are quite as grateful to a sick dog; while under harsh words and from coarse contact he as instinctively shrinks as his master or mistress must do when ill. 2 KENNEL DISEASES. The sick-room should be light and airy; and since the patient will likely be better contented if he can often see those to whom he is devoted, it is generally best to have him located near the family. During cold weather it ought to be heated up to not less than 60° F. Ventilation is always of much importance In warm weather there can be but little difficulty in securing an abundance of pure air, but in winter, to maintain proper ventilation is much less easy; and there must generally be a surplus of heat, that the air may be kept pure and still be at the right temperature. The floor should be covered with sawdust, and the bedding be of straw; both of which should be changed once, if not twice, daily. Whether or not there should be a sleeping-bench depends upon the nature of the attack. In some cases a climb of only a few inches would be a hardship; but when allowable it were better that a bench be in use, because of the draughts that circulate along the floor. In all attacks known or suspected to be of infectious diseases, disinfection should be thorough, and of the air at all times. This may be accomplished by employing dry powdered preparations of lime and carbolic acid, sawdust that has been saturated with some suitable agent, or slaking and boiling lime and water on the stove. Thus many of the spores of the germs of disease will be destroyed ; and not only will the chances of the patients recovering be increased, but the danger of their diseases spreading be largely prevented. In cases of infectious diseases also, the straw and sawdust ought to be burned as soon as removed ; and all dishes used in the sick-room be boiled in water, by which means they are rendered perfectly safe. After the sufferers from such diseases have recovered, or been removed by death, the rooms should be faith- fully disinfected. The floors, walls and ceiling, and everything therein that is movable, should be washed with a solution of corrosive sublimate, made by add- ing about one teaspoonful of the mercurial to a gallon of water; and afterward the plastered parts be treated to several coatings of whitewash. In all acute diseases of the lungs or of their covering, the pleura, jackets made of flannel or out of an old blanket, or of lighter material and quilted with cotton wadding, should constantly envelop the chest, to protect it from danger of chilling. Body blankets, abdominal bands, etc., should always be called into service if they can contribute to comfort or add to the chances of recovery. Drinking-water should not stand long in the sick-room without being changed, nor ought milk be left there in an open vessel, because both quickly absorb the impurities in the air, FEEDING THE SICK. 3 CHAPTER II. FPEEDING THE SICK. In the treatment of disease in the human family the present disposition of the most advanced physicians is largely to substitute food for medicine; and the same righteous tendency should exist among those who assume the care of dogs when ill. It cannot with truth be denied that many of the remedies in common use, even in recent years, have been of a nature more or less injurious to the organism, depressing and devitalizing it. The application of them has been in accordance with the Jesuit rule of doing a little evil that good may come. In the more modern practice, however, such chances have not been so freely taken, and the trend has been to do nothing but good to the patient. Hereafter the popular practice promises to be, to try to build up and keep up the sufferers from disease, and trust more to nature to effect a cure; while the classics and venerables, —as calomel, jalap, etc., — once counted by thousands, though pos- sibly used occasionally, will find but little favor. In other words, in the future when treating the sick, foods, not drugs, will be mainly relied upon. The kind of food needed for the sick is the most nutritious and easily diges- tible. Here it becomes necessary to digress for the purpose of contrasting briefly the digestive powers of man and the dog. In the former, digestion as a rule is much more rapid than in the latter. Consider, for instance, a moderate meal of fresh, uncooked meat. The average time required for digestion in the human stomach is from one hour to five hours, according to the kind of meat; pig’s feet occupying the shortest stated, and pork the longest. But for com- plete digestion, even of meat that is most easily disposed of, dogs require from nine to twelve hours. As regards the digestibility of the various meats, the same classification and order are alike applicable to both man and dog. Mani- festly a very large meal requires a somewhat longer time for digestion than a small one. Fat meat is harder to digest than the lean. With the skin, tendons or sinews, cartilage or gristle, and bones, dogs encounter the greatest difficulty in their attempts to dispose of them. The action of the stomach may be assisted or retarded by the forms in which meats are given. For instance, if they are in large pieces, it is much slower than it would be were they cut finely. A lean and tender meat that has been carefully minced, is digested more easily while in the raw state than it would be were it thoroughly cooked; but when not of that high quality, as a whole, meats are rendered more digestible 4 KENNEL DISEASES. by boiling or roasting. It is true that by those processes their fibres are always more or less hardened; but the connective tissue by which those fibres are held together, and which is firm and tough, is softened, so that they are more easily separable from each other, and consequently more accessible to the digestive fluids. In the human stomach cow’s milk is disposed of in about two hours, but in that of the dog its digestion occupies a much longer time. Of well-cooked starchy foods the dog disposes more quickly than of meat. If, for example, he be given a hearty meal of pure and well-boiled starch, in the course of an hour it will have been entirely digested and absorbed. The length of time, however, commonly required by dogs in health for the conversion and digestion of starchy foods generally, as rice and the various meals, is between eight and ten hours. Returning to a consideration of a dietary for the sick, experience has taught that generally the last food to be refused as the appetite disappears is finely minced, raw, lean beef; and it is safe to assume that for the dog no other form of nutriment is of higher value, nor digested with greater ease, even if the integrity of the stomach is somewhat impaired, unless, perhaps, it be when the lining membrane of that organ is very seriously inflamed. While it remains down — is not vomited — it can be allowed in any case, whatsoever the existing disease; and when it becomes necessary to force food into patients, it may rightly be mainly relied upon to nourish them. In such cases, after being minced as finely as possible, to favor its being given easily it should be rolled into balls of about the size of filberts; and if digestion is weak, as it often is in distemper, it will be advisable to dust over each ball a little of the sugar of pepsin, one even teaspoonful of which would be ample for a feeding. The whites of eggs require but little if any digestion, and are absorbed shortly after they enter the stomach. They are therefore indicated where the digestive powers are low, and especially if vomiting is frequent. Milk is generally considered an ideal food. That from cows, as previously stated, is more slowly digested by dogs than by man; and were it solely de- pended upon as a means of support, the stomach must be kept constantly over- loaded. Yet it is an admirable accessory food, and there can be no valid objection to its use in any case. If vomited, it can often be made to remain on the stomach by means of lime-water, which may be added to the milk in the proportion of one-fourth. Marvellous properties are ascribed to beef-tea; yet in the main, as ordinarily made, it is a stimulant, not a food, all the nutritive properties being thrown away, as valueless. In the section devoted to Distemper, a full description will be given of the proper method of so preparing it that it may have an actual food value. Liquid foods can often be used advantageously, especially in fevers and ab- dominal diseases; and it is unfortunate that the number of such that are of real FEEDING THE SICK. 5 nutritive worth is so very small. Aside from beef-tea and milk, there is beef-juice, which may be extracted with a common lemon-squeezer, if no better means is at hand. Of the so-called extracts of beef on the market, a few are of some value, but not great, while the majority are nearly worthless. Such being the case, only those recommended by physicians should be resorted to in feeding the sick. Chicken, veal, and mutton teas are prepared like beef-tea, by substituting one of those meats. They may do for a change, which, however, is not as necessary with dogs as with man. Broths are generally made by boiling the meats for about two hours in water; they are then strained, and the residue thrown away. Prepared in this way they are worse than useless, for the fluid left is a mere extract devoid of all nutritive properties; and it has been proved by a series of experiments that dogs fed on such broths really died more quickly than others entirely deprived of food. Broths should cook until the meats are reduced to a jelly, and never be strained. Only the bones should be removed; and that the liquid may be made more nutritious, it should be thickened with thoroughly cooked barley, rice, or oatmeal. A very appetizing dish may be made of a sheep’s head. This, first split lengthwise, should be boiled until the flesh has parted from the bones, and the tough tissues been reduced to gelatin. If much fat appears on the surface it should be skimmed off; and then the rich broth may be slightly thickened with toasted bread, crackers, oatmeal, or anything of the like. As a rule, dogs are not especially fond of fish; yet the most of them will eat of it readily now and then if properly put before them. Being free from stimu- lant properties, it constitutes an admirable change for those that have had too much meat; moreover, it is very easily digestible. Some dogs like it boiled and well mixed with vegetables, while others manifest a preference for chowders. The method of cooking is not important, and may be in accordance with individ- ual tastes. Gruels of oatmeal and Indian meal have some nourishing power when prop- erly made. In cases of great debility it would be advisable to fortify such foods by adding a little sherry or brandy. Gruels may be made more nutritious by cooking the meals in milk instead of water. Flour-gruel is of special value in obstinate diarrhoea. The flour used in making it should be first baked until quite brown. Raw eggs are among the most valuable resources in feeding the sick. They supply a liquid food which is not only highly nutritious but also easily digestible ; and when food must be forced into patients, they may be used quite constantly. Strangely, boiled liver is often recommended for its presumably remedial effect when the bowels are sluggish. It can only be digested and disposed of with exceeding difficulty, and, as a rule, its laxative action is simply the result of acute indigestion produced by it. Obviously, therefore, it cannot rightly appear on the list of foods for the sick. 6 KENNEL DISEASES. In attacks of sickness of only moderate intensity, nourishment can generally be properly given about three times daily; but in severe cases, in which the drain on the system is great, it would scarcely be safe to allow a longer interval between the feedings than four hours, and it may be even necessary to shorten it to two or three hours if the decline in vital powers is rapid and great. Alcohol and its preparations may without impropriety be alluded to here as accessory foods. Of course they are never to be given to dogs except in very severe cases, in which failure of the vital powers is likely to occur. It is well to bear in mind the fact that the susceptibility to their action is diminished by their frequent use, and after a time increased quantities are required to produce the same effect. Therefore, even where it seems as though they must soon be re- quired, their employment should be delayed as long as possible. In a case of distemper, for instance, in which the indications are that it will be a desperate one, and that stimulants must eventually be resorted to. Now, such being the outlook, the natural inclination would be to commence giving brandy too early ; and were that yielded to, the system of the dog might become accustomed to the stimulant, and consequently some of its virtues be lost at just the time when its most powerful and entire effects were most sorely needed. Therefore in all cases the rule should be to withhold stimulants as long as safe, and until they are clearly indicated; or if in doubt as to whether or not that point has been reached, and it is deemed best to commence their use, let the strongest — whis- key and brandy — be reserved against the time of greatest danger, and only wine be given. It is often a disturbing question, ‘‘ Which is the best in sickness, whiskey or brandy?” In this country it is far more difficult to obtain brandy in pure form than whiskey, therefore it were safer to trust to the latter. While of the different wines, sherry is likely to prove much the best. ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES. 7 CHAPTER III. MEDICINES AND THEIR ADMINISTRATION. MEDICINES may be introduced into the system in various ways, — through the skin, the mucous membrane, and the subcutaneous tissue. When simply placed in contact with the skin there is but very little absorption. That process is hastened somewhat when friction is employed; and it is much more rapid if the cuticle is removed. The introduction of medicinal agents by means of raw surfaces was formerly practised quite extensively, but at the present time it is seldom resorted to. The fact that more ready absorption occurs when the skin is off, has been wounded, or broken —as in eruptions — should be remem- bered in using ointments or lotions which have poisonous ingredients. Lini- ments should also be used cautiously when the skin is not perfect, for those commonly employed contain agents that are stimulating and irritating, even if not poisonous; and such must cause at least very painful smarting. Subcuta- neous or hypodermic injections are administered to relieve pain and when it is highly important that the effects of the medicines be obtained as soon as possi- ble. Dogs vomit with such exceeding ease, this method of using drugs which must remain in the system and can be so introduced recommends itself as most efficacious ; and all owners of large kennels may properly be encouraged to have always in their medicine-chests a hypodermic syringe, together with tablets of the medicines that are likely to be required in emergencies, especially apomorphine. Medicines introduced under the skin act more powerfully, as well as with greater rapidity, than in any other way; and the pain caused by the prick of the hollow needle of the syringe is but slight. Considering the first fact, mani- festly it would not be advisable to administer subcutaneously more than one- half the dose that could safely be given by the mouth. It is scarcely necessary to add that the hypodermic syringe is an instrument capable of doing the greatest possible harm, therefore it should never be resorted to by non-profes- sionals who have not been first properly instructed in its use; and even with them it should be restricted to desperate cases in which delay is likely to prove fatal. Some constitutional as well as local effects may be obtained from inhalation. In this way insensibility is induced by chloroform and ether, and spasms are relaxed by nitrate of amyl. Aside from these agents, there are but few that 8 KENNEL DISEASES. can be similarly employed, except by means of an atomizer, in the form of a spray. The most common mode of introducing medicines into the system is through the mucous membrane, and generally that of the stomach. They are taken in the solid state, as when in powders, pills, wafers, or capsules; in the form of mixtures, in which a solid is suspended in a liquid, or one liquid is mechanically mixed with another, in which it is insoluble; or in a state of solution, under which may be included the various forms of decoctions, infusions, wines, syrups, etc. For medical purposes very many drugs in common use are reduced to extracts. These contain much of the active principles of the substances from which they were obtained, the most of the inert matter having been removed in the process of evaporation. By this mode of concentration a very large propor- tion of the remedial agents can be given in the form of small pills, tablets, or granules; and such greatly favor convenience in the treatment of dogs, since they can be easily concealed and given in small toothsome morsels of meat, etc. When large doses are required, and of agents that are of very unpleasant taste or smell, they can be enclosed in wafers of rice-paper, or, better still, capsules of gelatin; either of which will dissolve readily, and liberate their contents in the stomach. In decoctions the soluble constituents of substances have been extracted by boiling in water. Infusions or teas are similar preparations made with hot or cold water, without boiling. Spirits are the alcoholic solutions of volatile principles, formerly, in general, procured by distillation, but now fre- quently prepared by simply dissolving such principles in alcohol of full strength or diluted. Tinctures are solutions of medicinal substances in strong or diluted alcohol. In fluid extracts are concentrated the active ingredients of drugs. A saturated solution is one that contains all of a given substance that can be dis- solved in the quantity of liquid used. An emulsion is a mixture of oil and water, made by using gum arabic, sugar, the yolk of an egg, or other like viscid matter. There are a few drugs that have a greater effect on dogs than on man; there are also some to which the former are decidedly less susceptible than the latter. Mercurials illustrate the first class, and opium, with its products, the other, — exceedingly large doses of that drug, which would be sure death to man, being often taken without any visible effect. Considering the relative doses of medicines generally appropriate for an adult, mature dogs of the largest size —as mastiffs and St. Bernards — may, as a rule, safely be given the same quantities; while about three-fourths of those quantities would be right for dogs of medium size, as setters and pointers, one-half for fox terriers and the like, and one-fourth for toys. The age is of course an important consideration in the use of drugs; puppies requiring much smaller doses than mature dogs to produce an equal effect, while the very aged cannot bear as large doses of powerful medicines as they might have ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES. 9 safely borne while in middle life. And indeed there are drugs, notably arsenic, which have such an unfavorable influence on old dogs, that unless all other means have been first tried and failed, they should not be resorted to. The foregoing rule governing doses is for mature dogs. While the maturing period differs in the various breeds, in graduating doses it is safe to consider as mature all that have passed the tenth month. Thus to a St. Bernard even only a few days over ten months of age can be given the same quantity or dose of a medicine that would be right for an adult. Habit materially modifies the effects of most medicines. That is, the system becomes accustomed to them, and after a time dogs can bear larger doses than at first. In this connection it is important to remember that when a medicine has been gradually increased, and then discontinued for two or three weeks, the system, soon renewing its susceptibility, is no longer tolerant of very large doses ; and if that same medicine is to be again given, a return should be made to the smallest and commencing dose, otherwise the result might be harmful. Almost all drugs act more powerfully on an empty stomach than when it holds solids or fluids; but some are too irritating to be so given. Arsenic, iron, and cod-liver oil should always be administered at the time of, or immediately after, eating, to mingle and be slowly absorbed with the food. When the directions are not ample, and one is in doubt as to the proper time for giving other medi- cines, let it be between meals, — neither just before nor just after feeding. Oil can generally be best administered while floating on milk. All pills, granules, or powders that can be concealed in a little meat, should be so treated. Fluids of strong taste should be invariably diluted with water; while the quantity of the latter used is a matter of no special consequence. Quinine coagulates milk, therefore it should not be given with that food, nor near the time of taking it. All mixtures should be shaken before the bottles containing them are opened. No liquid medicines should be allowed to stand uncorked. Time being often of the utmost importance, and since a simple remedy applied at once may avert grave results, it is advisable that all large kennels be provided with certain drugs with which to meet emergencies. Only a small number will be needed, and the boxes and bottles containing them should be conveniently arranged and distinctly labelled. Among the medicines which may properly be selected are, the powdered sulphate of copper, — an emetic, — half an ounce ; cas- tor oil and sweet oil, of each four ounces; a small piece of caustic fastened in a quill, and enclosed in a well-corked bottle; a mixture, of equal parts by weight, of Canada balsam and carbolic acid crystals, about half an ounce — for sudden breaking-out and intense itching; flowers of sulphur, half a pound; a small jar of vaselin or petrolatum; several light-colored areca nuts; a syringe, and clini- cal thermometer. After familiarizing himself with the measures recommended for the various diseases to be discussed hereafter, the reader may deem it wise to make a few additions to this list. 10 KENNEL DISEASES. In purchasing medicines, the most reliable dealers should be patronized. It is not economy to buy drugs where they are very cheap, for such purchases are quite sure to be old, of a low grade, or adulterated; while the compounding of prescriptions should be intrusted to apothecaries of known competency only. Let it be remembered that nearly all mixtures undergo changes in time; therefore it is wise always to have only small quantities prepared; also to throw away what remains of mixtures of medicines at once after their use is perma- nently stopped. As previously advised, if possible, medicines should be concealed in tooth- some morsels of meat or disguised in milk or broths. When this is not possible, and force must be used in their administration, if kindness and patience are exhibited, the operation ought not to prove difficult. Where the medicine to be given is in the form of a bolus or large pill, this method may be employed : Grasp the muzzle of the patient firmly with the left hand, the thumb and fore- finger on either side pressing in the upper lips, covering the teeth and thus pre- venting the dog from biting. His mouth being opened and head elevated, carry the pill back into the throat as far as possible, and shut the jaws. If he does not swallow immediately, he will do so as soon as his nostrils are closed and breathing through them is stopped. When liquids are to be administered, it is generally necessary to have an assistant. He who gives the medicine should sit on a chair, and have his clothing protected by means of a large napkin or apron. With the dog between his legs, back towards him, he should hold the animal’s head with his knees, and firmly grasp his muzzle with the left hand, so as to keep the jaws and teeth together. Now with the forefinger of his right hand he should gently pull out- ward the lower lip on the corresponding side, that it may form a pouch or sort of a funnel, into which the assistant is to pour the medicine. This he should do slowly and deliberately. The dog’s head being held by the knees, in a vice as it were, he cannot shake the medicine out. When the grasp on the muzzle is slightly relaxed he will at once extend his tongue and swallow. If all does not go down at a gulp, the muzzle should be quickly pinched for a moment, and again the grasp be relaxed. And this operation should be repeated until the medicine has all passed into the stomach. This same method may be employed in cases in which the dogs are uncon- scious and cannot be made to swallow, for the fluid will safely trickle down the throat if only a little at a time be dropped into the improvised funnel or cup. When the medicine is of very unpleasant taste it is advisable to keep the patient’s head elevated for several minutes, to prevent vomiting. To endeavor to give medicine from a glass bottle, the neck of the same being forced into the patient’s throat, is a somewhat dangerous practice, therefore can- not be recommended. Injections by the bowels are sometimes called for in obstinate constipation; ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES. II and they must generally be the form of treatment to be applied in convulsions. It may be necessary also to give injections of food and stimulants in cases of extreme debility and when the patient cannot be persuaded to take nourish- ment. Although syringes of glass, capable of holding about two tablespoonfuls of fluid, will commonly suffice for the giving of medicines, for general use a syringe made of hard rubber and of a capacity of from one-half to one cupful is the best, and indeed the most economical, because it cannot be easily broken. Water alone may relieve constipation, but soapsuds are more efficacious. Or olive oil may be used. The quantity of either is not important; and an ordi- nary syringeful may be injected, even if the instrument be quite large, for an injection of from half a pint to a pint cannot do any harm. Glycerin acts well in constipation. Of that large quantities are not required, and from two to four teaspoonfuls usually have the desired effect. All fluids injected should be about “blood-warm.” If turpentine injections are required, that medicine should be well beaten up with the white of one or more eggs. Any highly concentrated food can be given by injection if required. Milk, cream, strong beef-tea or beef juice, and raw eggs well beaten, are among the most suitable. Stimulants if needed can be given alone or with the nutriment; and a good injection is six tablespoonfuls of beef-tea, one tablespoonful of brandy, and the same quantity of cream. If nourishing injections are to be given continuously, one in five or six hours is often enough, and four ounces— eight tablespoonfuls — of liquid the largest quantity allowable. The bowel should be evacuated before nourish- ing injections are administered; but if they are to be given several times daily, an injection of warm water before the first will suffice for the day. When perfect quiet is enforced, the bowel soon becomes accustomed to the presence of the fluid injected and the expulsive tendency subsides; but for at least ten min- utes after an injection has been given the thumb should press firmly over the opening of the bowel, to prevent its contents from escaping. Suppositories are solid bodies for introduction into the bowel or passage to the uterus; and, as generally prepared, they contain a medicine the peculiar effect of which it is desirable to communicate to the neighboring organs or to the system at large. Cacao butter and wax are the substances of which sup- positories are principally composed, and in these are incorporated the medicines which it is desirable to use. When introduced into the bowel, after being well oiled, they should be pushed up the passage, at least one-half the length of the finger beyond the opening. PART SECOND. PRINCIPLES OF MEDICINES. CHAPTER I, SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE. ALTHOUGH descriptions of the symptoms will occupy a large part of the space devoted to individual diseases, that branch of study is so important that a pre- paratory discussion of it here, which may also properly include certain principles and general considerations of the natures and causes of diseases, is deemed advisable, since it must favor much better understanding of the subjects when reached. To define disease is difficult except by negation — which is to say what it is not, instead of what it is. The popular definition, therefore, is an absence or deficiency of health. No practical embarrassment, however, results from this difficulty to draw the line with precision; for each owner unconsciously fixes an individual standard for his dog, and variations from it constitute disease. In other words, by intimate association with his canine friend he soon knows what in him is the healthy state, and is able to promptly detect when he has left it and is ailing. In a general way in a healthy dog we note as follows: Eyes bright, the white usually clear, the fine red lines seen at times having no significance ; the lining of the lids a pink, rose tinge. Nose cold, moist, and slippery, except when the animal sleeps; then often hot and dry. Coat soft and smooth, and in long-haired dogs, glossy. Skin soft, easily moulded, and of a gentle heat. Tongue moist, pink in color, free from coating. Pulse full and strong, ranging from eighty to one hundred, varying in different breeds and natures. The larger animals have a lower rate than the smaller, the nervous a higher than the less easily excitable. Excretions from the bowels vary with the food given in consistency and color. Neither hard nor thin, they should be free from undigested matter, and not mark- edly offensive in odor. The urine should be pale yellowish, abundant, and freely and easily expelled. The fact may be properly emphasized here that the canine race, as a whole, is 12 SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE. .- 13 less susceptible of pain than mankind, and that many members of the former bear the use of the knife with a calm endurance that is simply marvellous. There are certain diseases also which are characterized by pain so intense and agonizing that man cannot possibly bear it, and must be kept constantly under the influence of the most powerful narcotics while it lasts; yet in some instances in which dogs are the victims of those diseases, and precisely the same morbid phenomena are occurring, they do not manifest any sign of severe pain. A notable illustration of this radical difference in constitution as to susceptibility of pain is peritonitis. In several cases also of intestinal stoppage and colic, so severe that death shortly resulted, the author has seen that peculiarity exhibited in marked degree. Al- though he remained constantly in the kennels of the sufferers until they died, the only evidence of pain that he could detect was a disposition to frequently get up, walk a few steps, and lie down again. A low degree of susceptibility to pain, is, however, by no means universal in the canine race. With members of the largest breeds it seems to be most pro- nounced and prevalent. Yet among such there are notable exceptions; and indeed some of them are so acutely sensitive that even a slight pain appears to drive them nearly frantic. This is evidently the rule, also, with pampered pets and the highly vitalized and delicately balanced classes, from which sporting dogs are drafted, and in which inbreeding is quite common. While on this peculiarity in the constitution of dogs, there suggests itself that very marked difference in the mental make-up of man which has a decided bear- ing on the subject under discussion. To the credit of mankind be it said that only a small proportion dislike dogs ; and fortunately they, individually and col- lectively, are actual nonentities, and duly recognized as such. Some others have merely a mild fancy for those most loyal of friends, and value them only as they are of use. There remains the by no means small class, made up of so-called “ dog-lovers,” who exhibit towards their humble comrades much of the right spirit of kindliness and devotion. Between dog and master of the latter class there exists a sympathy which, of course, varies more or less in intensity, in accordance with the moral constitution of the man, —as he is shallow and superficial, or capable of great depth of feeling. Let him be possessed of the most beneficent qualities of his dog, and the devotion be mutual, there will then exist between them such a strong sympathy that he must feel, intuitively almost, when his friend is not himself, even if he does not manifest any noticeable signs of trouble; while less fortunate masters, not capable of regard so intense, must very generally labor under serious disadvantage in like cases. Differences as regards severity and duration constitute a basis of the division of diseases into varieties. As a rule, the same disease may be “acute,’’ “sub- acute,” or “chronic.” In general an acute disease is of recent origin, it comes on suddenly, and is of sufficient intensity to practically disable the victim. A subacute variety of disease differs from this largely in intensity. It is of mild 14 KENNEL DISEASES. form; and while it lasts the patient might without impropriety be considered merely ailing — not seriously ill. A chronic disease is one that is subacute, and has persisted as such for a considerable period. Proverbially the signs of inflammation, as when a hand or foot is inflamed, are redness, heat, pain, and swelling. The redness is owing to the excess of blood; the heat to the same cause, with also, probably, some increase of chemi- cal change in the part. Pain is not quite so clearly to be accounted for. Pres- sure on a nerve is known to cause it; and the excess of blood beating on a part at whose centre is stagnation must induce considerable pressure. The swelling of an inflamed part is also due in considerable degree to the accumulation of blood in it; and under the pressure of the heightened circulation some of the watery portion of the blood escapes from the blood-vessels into the substance of the parts affected, and thus contributes to the swelling. The most common and prominent symptoms that are generally exhibited when an acute attack of disease is on or near are as follows: — Increase in rapidity of the pulse; a chill, or chilly sensations, and fever; the nose is dry and hot; frequently the eyes are reddened; there may be restlessness, but oftener there is depression and evidences of general weakness; the desire for food is slight, if the appetite is not wholly lost, which is the rule; thirst is almost always present, and the lips and tongue somewhat dry; and in many cases vomiting occurs at least once, while in some it is repeated several times at quite frequent intervals, the matter raised after the first attack consisting largely of mucus or “slime.” The quantity of urine discharged is less than in health, and the color of that excretion is darker than normal; occasionally there is diarrhoea, but commonly constipation exists. Some change in the general appearance of the body may take place; and even if an attack has been on but for a few hours it may seem somewhat shrunken, the abdomen be tucked up, the back arched, the head carried stiffly to one side, or other notable peculiarity be presented. The expression is usually greatly changed and indicative of distress. The eyes wear an anxious look, and plead piteously for relief; they also show resentment and even utter despondency when it is not afforded. Most acute attacks are more or less painful, and if the victims are pampered pets, or very delicately constructed dogs, they likely give evidence of their suf- fering by whining or short, sharp cries. In diseases located within the chest, the breathing is modified and generally quickened. In some cases also the respiration is what is termed restrained or cautious, inspiration being shortened by the pain it produces. In most acute attacks of great severity the condition of the coat and skin speedily changes, and the former, instead of being glossy and smooth, is more or less staring; while the skin, losing its natural softness and elasticity, is soon dry and hard. Aside from the foregoing symptoms, which, as stated, are exhibited in nearly SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE. 15 all acute attacks, oftentimes signs are manifested which point plainly to the parts or organs affected. Nearly all deviations from health affect at once two of the most important vital processes, namely, circulation and respiration. Perfect circulation depends upon the integrity of the heart and its blood-vessels, and to ascertain the condi- tion of that organ is the first important step to be taken in the attempt to deter- mine the existence of disease. The pulse is a guide; for its changes perfectly accord with those of the heart, of the action of which it is therefore an accurate index. It varies, however, so greatly even in health, under many different influ- ences, that more than a passing knowledge of its fluctuations is necessary before positive and infallible conclusions can be drawn from it. At birth the pulse is very rapid,— from 125 to 160. During the first three months the fall is but slight, and the pulse ranges from 115 to 135. Thereafter the decrease is more marked, and about the sixth month the rate is between 100 and 120. Near the ninth month it is between go and 100; while at one year the normal pulse is between 70 and go. Other facts of interest bearing on the pulse-rate are, that it falls low — be- tween 50 and 60 in the mature — during sleep. It is usually a little more rapid in males than in females; in small, than in large breeds ; also in dogs of excitable nature than in those of rather dull and sluggish habit ; while manifestly the rate is increased by exertion, and the effect of merely getting up is apparent on the pulse. From the foregoing it must be evident that a rapid pulse only, unless it has kept up several hours, cannot be of great significance in the absence of other symptoms, and especially fever. Clearly, also, by the untrained, but little is to be learned from the pulse of puppies before they are nearly a year old. The character as well as frequency of the pulse is subject to variations, and it is affected by nearly all abnormal conditions of the body. In some inflamma- tory affections the pulse is quick, full, bounding, and resists compression ; in others it is hard, sharp, and contracted, vibrating under the fingers like a cord. In prostration from disease, in severe disorders of long continuance, and troubles characterized by great nervous excitement, also under the influence of intense fright, it is rapid and weak. In certain brain affections in which there is com- pression, as apoplexy, the pulse falls much below the normal rate, and is full and throbbing. In diseases attended by marked debility it is soft, and yields readily to pressure. While in exhaustion, the pulse is thin and feels like a thread; and as death approaches it becomes flickering. In occasional cases it drops a beat at quite frequent intervals, every minute, or even two or three times during a minute, — and while this may indicate grave disease of the heart, as a rule it is merely a functional disturbance due to excessive nervousness, and disappears at once the cause is removed. There are yet other departures from the normal standard, but these already mentioned will suffice as illustrations of its variability. 16 KENNEL DISEASES. All who have dogs will do well to study the pulse in health, and become so familiar with it that they may be able to readily detect and appreciate the impor- tance of variations. There are several localities in which large arteries lie near the surface, and the pulse can be easily taken, especially the groin and inside of the fore leg, near the body. Or it can be taken while the hand is on the chest over the heart. To accurately determine the pulse and its character, two or three fingers should be lightly pressed over the artery, and the beats counted for a full minute. If the dog be excitable and a stranger to the operation, his pulse is quite sure to go up; therefore it should be repeated several times. In all instances of suspected ill-health, also, the pulse should be taken at intervals, for the purpose of determining positively whether or not the increase is only tem- porary and due to excitement, or is in consequence of disease, threatened or already on. The processes of circulation and respiration are so intimately connected that the influences which modify the pulse also affect the breathing. The number of respirations per minute in a healthy dog is about twenty; and the rate, as that of the pulse, is varied by age, sex, form, exertion, excitement, and many other influences. Not only the frequency but the character of the respiration is sub- ject to variations ; and among the terms in use expressive of the different modi- fications are “regular” and “irregular,” “easy” and “labored,” “quiet” and “noisy,” “deep” and “shallow.” “Wheezy respiration” is very common, and generally indicative of nasal obstruction. “Stertorous respiration” is noisy, each breath being accompanied by a snoring sound. In man it is an evidence of profound insensibility; but in some breeds of dogs, as pugs and bulldogs, whose nasal passages are very narrow, it cannot be considered an abnormal sign, while it may be produced in other breeds by nasal inflammation or accumula- tions of mucus. Cough is almost always associated with severe disturbances of the respiratory organs, and it may be somewhat suggestive of the existing disease, although not plainly indicative. Accumulations in the air passages are usually expelled dur- ing retching or vomiting, and their character would be of significance and assis- tance in making diagnoses were it possible to determine with certainty whether they came from the stomach or from the lungs. Much about the bodily temperature and use of the thermometer will appear in the discussion of Distemper. In health it varies slightly in different parts of the body, being about rox” F. in the rectum, roo° in the groin, and 984° in the mouth. Many disorders of the system are accompanied by decided elevations in temperature. In some these changes are among the earliest, if not the very first, symptoms manifested; and the most pronounced outward signs of them, aside from the heat of the skin, are trembling or shiverings, hot and dry nose, and thirst. In certain diseases, as pneumonia, the rise is rapid and sudden; while in others equally as serious, notably distemper, there may be at first only SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE. 17 slight elevation, and subsequently a gradual rise. Did the fevers from which the canine race suffers assume a regular type, with nearly uniform rise and fall of the temperature morning and evening, complications might be easily detected, evidence of the same appearing in any marked irregularities exhibited by the thermometer. As it is, however, the temperature is less instructive; and only when the thermometer makes sudden and quite long jumps upwards need there be apprehension, from the temperature alone, that there has been an extension of the existing disease, or that some other disorder has started up, to run with it, and make the case more serious. During the course of inflammatory affections, constipation usually sends up the temperature; and great excitement and a variety of other influences may have the same effect; while if pus forms in any considerable quantity, there is sure to be a sudden rise of several degrees. Chills and rigors, manifested by shivering and trembling, are nervous phe- nomena; and notwithstanding the victims feel cold, the temperature is rising, and there is fever. Perspiration, the office of which is, principally, to regulate the temperature of the body, is but rarely perceptible in dogs, unless very pro- fuse, when, as a rule, it is caused by extreme weakness. A very high tempera- ture while the skin is moist is much more alarming than the same degree of heat with a dry surface. The dog vomits easily, and he would seem to often do so even without good reason ; but doubtless by that means he saves himself many attacks of sickness, and keeps his stomach and associate organs in much better condition than would be possible without it. Vomiting, therefore, while it might mean much, generally means but little, and alone cannot be rightly considered a symptom of any decided significance unless it has been repeated several times within a short period, when, of course, it is likely serious, and highly suggestive of poisoning. The fault of attaching undue importance to the appetite in both man and dogs is almost universal. Let it be a little less hearty than usual, or a bit capri- cious, and straightway bitter tonics are administered, with the purpose of stimulating and correcting it. Whereas, in ninety-nine cases out of every hun- dred, all the man or dog requires is to be let severely alone for a time, and until his system has righted itself. When that goes wrong, one of the first moves of nature toward remedying the fault is to take away the appetite more or less completely; for not only is food not required then in the usual quantities, if at all, but harm is sure to result unless it be properly restricted or entirely withheld. She decrees a fast for a time; at the expiration of which, if not in- terfered with, she signifies that all is well by renewing the appetite. To drug for that alone cannot be required in any case if it be otherwise rightly managed, and certainly not in acute or recent attacks. If a dog taken ill suddenly has seemed to have lost his appetite, he should be merely tempted with some bland food, as milk, or possibly a little scraped raw beef, to determine positively whether the fast is designed to be complete or only partial; and the same 18 KENNEL DISEASES. method be repeated day after day, or possibly more than once daily. When the right point in the course of his disease has been reached he will eat ; nor will he ever require the assistance of bitters or tonics. As for loss of appetite in old chronic cases, there would never be any occasion for drugging on that account could every case be properly understood, the causes determined and removed, and the general management be right thereafter. For a capricious appetite or complete loss of appetite there is a cause; and it may be worms, trouble with the digestive organs, bad air, or any one of many possible faults in manage- ment. Now, while that cause exists, to give vegetable bitters, as gentian, cinchona, etc., — nux vomica, or anything of the sort, is the height of absurdity, and like merely closing the blinds when the furniture in a room is on fire. No great discernment is necessary to recognize the fact that the cause must first be removed. ‘That done, as a rule, the appetite will promptly return without the assistance of stimulants or medicines. Before proceeding further it is well to urge that when a dog seems to be ailing his owner or caretaker should study him leisurely, for confusion is quite liable to result from hurried efforts to discover the nature of the attack. He should take him to a room where they are not likely to be disturbed, and there sit down and watch him carefully while he moves about at will. And if he isa close observer, rarely will it be long before he detects some peculiar movement which suggests the character of the trouble, or about where it is located. In determining the existence of a particular disease, aside from the facts to be acquired by a study of the pulse, respiration, and temperature, there are other signs of considerable diagnostic importance to be noted. In the attitude of a dog there are often valuable indications. Thus, if suffering from colic, he will lie on his abdomen, pressure affording him slight relief. But the pain will not permit him to remain long in one position, therefore he soon gets up, takes but a few steps, and is down again. If a lung be affected, in lying down the sufferer usually chooses the diseased side ; while in desperate cases of lung trouble, he steadily maintains a sitting position, being unable to breathe when recumbent. The expression may be of some assistance. If only slightly changed from that habitually worn, the import is favorable, and the conclusion may be that the attack, if recent, is not very severe, at least as yet. In cases that have persisted long, however, the expression is not as a rule changed as much as in others of acute character. In very painful affections, evidence of the suffering experienced is seen in the expression. Rage is plainly depicted at times in rabies. Victims of great debility have a piteous and despondent look. When the mouth is drawn at the corners, the cheeks shrunken, the lips pale, and the eyes glassy, the end must be near; and the significance of these symptoms cannot be mistaken when the surface is cold and clammy to the touch, the respiration labored and gasping, and the pulse thin and thready. Indeed, to the close and intelligent observer, the expression of the dog in disease means much, and is often of very great assistance in reaching a diagnosis. SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE. 19 The eye of the dog in health is rightly said to be full of expression, and some of its changes in disease are suggestive. For instance, in severe attacks in which the fever has run high for several days, the eyes are generally bloodshot, thus showing that an unusual quantity of blood has been sent to the head; or, in other words, it is evidence of a fulness of blood there. When the liver is much at fault, the “whites ” of the eyes have a yellowish tint. In wasting diseases the eyes eventually seem to sink in their sockets. That they cannot bear the light is very evident in cases characterized by irritability of the brain. In inflammation of the brain, also in some other very serious diseases located elsewhere, the eyes are unusually brilliant, and described as glaring. With children, squinting commonly appears in disease of the brain. Very rarely, yet now and then, it is detected in dogs suffering from like trouble. A few hours before death the eyes lose their lustre. In advanced brain inflammation the pupils often contract and become very small. There is often, also, total loss of sight. Asarule, after death by the cyanide of potassium or Prussic acid, they are found widely dilated. In children one effect of large doses of santonin is to so change the sight that things look yellow. Now and then, after the drug has been given to pups they act a little strangely, and in ways that suggest that their eyes may have been similarly affected by it. Dogs often paw at the sides of their heads, and this act may be induced by ear trouble, as otitis, an insect or other foreign body in the passage, etc., or it may be prompted by pain or other disorder in the head. The sense of hearing seems to be preternaturally acute in some conditions of the brain, and often precedes wildness and delirium ; while defective hearing may be due to congestion or dis- ease of the ears, or to brain trouble. Considering further the symptoms connected with the senses, where tenderness appears on pressure, the common acceptation may be that there is inflammation, although it is present occasionally in neuralgic cases, possibly from inflammation of the sheaths of the nerves. Tired muscles may also be sore to the touch as well as on motion. Pain may sometimes be more or less relieved by pressure, as in colic; and in all cases in which it is so affected it may be confidently accepted that there is no inflammation, otherwise pressure would cause pain instead of relieving it. Loss of sensation occurring from disease constitutes one kind of paralysis, and loss of power to move the parts affected is the other form. The appearance of the teeth may have some, although scarcely great, impor- tance, for they are very generally neglected. When dogs are scantily fed or otherwise not properly managed, and consequently nutrition is disturbed and poor, the teeth tend to decay. The accumulation of tartar might be prevented were bones judiciously allowed with the food, but, as a rule, they are much too hard to serve their purpose ; moreover, teeth are often broken by them. Tartar forms between the teeth and the gums, gradually accumulating at the roots, and they are loosened in consequence, while much irritation is often induced. If his 20 KENNEL DISEASES. teeth are bad, the inference may be that the dog is not of very sound constitu- tion and high health, although the trouble may be, as intimated, due entirely to neglect. Sordes are a filthy and foul accumulation about the teeth. They are but rarely seen excepting in severe and long-continued inflammatory attacks. The tongue indexes not only the state of the digestive organs, but, to some extent at least, the condition of the whole system. In health it is moist and clean, and its covering of pink color. A pasty, white coating is seen in indiges- tion. In stomach or intestinal disorders of long continuance, but not of aggra- vated form, the tongue loses a little of its bright red color, and exhibits a whitish or light-brownish coating. In cases of anemia, or poverty of the blood, the tongue becomes pale. When the stomach is much inflamed, also in cases of poisoning by arsenic or other irritant, the tongue is of brighter red than natural. It is also dry, and may appear a little swollen. A dark brown and almost black tongue is seen in very desperate cases of distemper, and sometimes in other attacks characterized by high and long-persistent fever, also near the end from prostration. In acute affections much or all of the surface of the tongue is covered by the coating, while in chronic cases it is generally seen in spots. Cleaning up of the tongue and disappearance of the coat in disease is very gen- erally a favorable sign; although in some instances in which the course of the malady is a very long one, the tongue clears up, and then the coating forms again. In rabies the tongue becomes swollen, dry, hard, and purplish. When cracked and bleeding, the outlook is very discouraging indeed. While a clean, moist tongue of good color is generally an evidence of good health, there are. exceptions to this rule, and occasionally in dogs in poor condition the tongue may show up well. Swallowing is usually interfered with by slivers of bone in the throat, al- though it may be difficult in consequence of inflammation therein, or quite im- possible because of paralysis. In cases of poisoning by irritants, the lining membrane is of deeper red than normal, and it appears somewhat swollen. In diphtheria the false membrane may sometimes be seen in the throat, appearing like pieces of dirty white kid. The symptoms presented by the skin are often very instructive, and any con- siderable deviation from health can generally be easily detected. It is hot and dry in inflammatory affections. When dogs are out of condition and poor in health, even if not victims of any real disease, instead of being soft, smooth, and elastic, their skin becomes dry, hard, and no longer yielding; nor does it slip over the tissues beneath, but instead they are what is commonly termed hide- bound. The color of the skin may be changed considerably in disease. Thus it is paler than normal when the blood is poor or scanty. In jaundice and severe bilious troubles it is yellowish. In pneumonia of desperate type and when suffocation is threatened, it is dingy and purplish or blackish. The coat is never good while the health is poor, and often it exhibits the SYMPTOMS OF DISEASE. 21 first pronounced signs of loss of condition. While smooth, glossy, full of lustre, and it lays well, the health of a dog must be good, or if he exhibits any abnor- mal signs they must have been recent, and the chances are that his disturbance is a mild one, and will soon be over. If, on the other hand, his coat is harsh, dry, and staring, he is certainly not in good condition, and must be the victim of actual disease, disorder, or faulty management. Indeed, the coat is such a sure index of the state within, oftentimes seemingly very trifling causes are quite enough to throw it away off in condition. For instance, deny dogs sufficient good pure, fresh drinking-water, and they are certain to fall off in coat, no matter how well they are otherwise treated. Bluish-black spots, appearing during the course of diphtheria or other serious disease of long continuance, are ominous; indicating a hemorrhagic tendency. The passage of darker-colored urine during acute attacks means merely that that excretion is condensed and concentrated, an uncommon amount of the watery constituent being disposed of in the body by the unusual heat. An excessive amount of urine suggests diabetes. Straining while emptying the bladder may be due to inflammation of the same or to prostatic trouble. Retention of the urine may be caused by obstruction, or by loss of power, — paralysis. The appearance of the urine may change very greatly and yet the subject remain in good health. That is, it may be considerably darker than in health, or quite colorless, and he still keep well. But when any change has persisted for a considerable period, trouble may with good reason be suspected. The quantity being scanty for sev- eral weeks, unless it be during warm weather, there is a possibility of kidney dis- ease. Blood but rarely appears in the urine except after accidents, which must be serious indeed to produce such a change. Constipation during fevers may be due to dryness of the intestinal matters, the water in the same having been drawn out and disposed of by the heat. But even in fevers, diarrhoea is more common than constipation after the first days. The latter is quite constant where digestion is sluggish and poor, the diet consists almost wholly of meat, and not sufficient exercise is allowed; the discharges are then usually dry, hard, and round. In peritonitis, or so-called inflammation of the bowels, slight diarrhoea usually first occurs, but constipation soon sets in. The appearance of the evacuations is sometimes instructive. Thus, when about the color of clay, there is trouble in or about the liver, and generally the passage of the bile into the intestine is stopped for the time being. When bile is poured into that canal in unusual quantities, the evacuations are very dark, and greenish or blackish. Diarrhoea may be due to gastric or intestinal irritations or inflamma- tions, or it may result from exposure and chilling the surface, improper food, poisons from the outside or others formed within the system, hard work immediately after a hearty meal, or from many other influences. Blood is occasionally evacuated, and then, if bright red and accompanied by much straining, the chances are many that a sharp piece of bone is making its way out. Very offensive evacuations sug- 22 KENNEL DISEASES. gest disorder of the liver, digestive disturbance, or quite severe intestinal irritation or inflammation. Thus it would appear that by noting the appearance of the intestinal discharges, oftentimes information of much diagnostic importance may be acquired. A dog may occasionally emit a whine or cry to evince a pleasurable feeling, and if so its nature will be duly appreciated, and the difference between such expressions and any other be promptly recognized. As a rule, dogs seldom cry ex- cept when in trouble, and then the character of the sound will generally indicate whether or not that trouble is serious. A short and high-pitched cry is heard in diseases of the head, also oftentimes when a convulsion is coming on; and to those who hear it for the first time it is suggestive of a crazed and disordered brain. A hoarse, croupy, blended howl and wail is peculiar to rabies; while in attacks of sharp and severe pain the cry is one that must at once excite a suspicion of the real and true cause. A dog may act wildly and be really “out of his head,” and the trouble be only transitory, as when caused by intense heat or after a convulsion ; but such condi- tion should be treated as a serious matter, and the sufferer so placed that it will not be possible for him to do any harm. If a dog responds very slowly when called, he should be at once allowed to return to his kennel, and after a time visited there, and his movements watched carefully. His delay in responding may be due to physical disability or to dul- ness. If it is seemingly difficult for him to get up, the trouble may be the conse- quence of an injury, general weakness, inflammation of the joints, paralysis, etc., the precise nature of which, of course, must be determined; while if any of his senses are less acute than normal, the fact ought to be easily made clear by a few simple tests. The general appearance of the body is indicative of the state of nutrition. In nearly all long-persisting diseases fat is lost and emaciation results. In affections of the digestive organs the reduction in weight is slow, while in diabetes it is rapid. An increase in size in certain parts of the body, attended with general emaciation, is an ominous sign of grave, defective nutrition. In the foregoing some of the most common symptoms appearing in disease, with their usual significance, have been briefly mentioned. Compared to the pos- sible manifestations, however, they represent but a small proportion. A disease is but rarely, if ever, twice ushered in with identically the same symptoms, nor does it run its course with unvarying phenomena. This fact must be accepted by the reader, who might, without a knowledge of it, anticipate finding in each case all the signs typical of the existing affection. Of this somewhat rambling discussion the purpose has been to familiarize the reader with the essential manner of proceeding from one point to another, to reach what is called a diagnosis of a case; which will often be difficult, but only rarely impossible to a close and intelligent observer. NATURE OF DISEASES. 23 CHAPTER II. NATURE OF DISEASES. Tue disorders which may occur in either sex and at any period of life consist of disturbances of the action of some organ or organs by morbid causes, or alter- ations of the structure or substance of one or more organs, which also induce changes in the action of the same. The first of these are termed “ functional dis- orders,” the others are “organic diseases.” So intimate is the relation existing between all of its parts, that only mild and very limited affections can occur with- out the whole system becoming involved and sharing in the disturbance. On the other hand, when a disorder first affects the blood, and is therefore of general character, nearly if not quite always one or more important organs are very soon deranged. In the first instance, in which the trouble begins in particular organs and chiefly affects them, the cases belong to the so-called local disorders or dis- eases; whereas those that start in the blood and involve the body in its many functions are termed general diseases. Among the terms in use and applied to various affections of organs of the body are irritation, congestion, inflammation, mortification, degeneration, atrophy, hypertrophy, and morbid growths. In the action of a mustard-plaster, the con- ditions covered by several of these terms appear. Very soon after it has been applied, the skin is stimulated and the circulation quickened in the parts imme- diately beneath the plaster. Thus far the action may be said to be a healthy one. If, however, the mustard be allowed to remain on a short time longer, and until it has caused pain and soreness, then the condition exists which well illus- trates irritation. Now have it remain on still a while longer, and it will produce inflammation. The terms congestion and hyperemia are synonymous, the latter being more in use among physicians. It means, literally, an excessive amount of blood in certain vessels, especially the smallest, called the capillaries. Hyperaemia, or con- gestion, exists when more blood than usual is flowing through a part, — it is then termed active hypereemia,— or when there is a collection of more than the normal amount of blood in a part, the same being as it were stagnant and not circulating actively, which condition is known as passive hyperemia. In con- tradistinction with this there is the term local anemia, which is a deficiency of blood in the part to which the term is applied. When a part becomes red, swollen, and painful, and there is unusual heat in 24 KENNEL DISEASES. the same, it is inflamed. As the evidences of inflammation disappear, what is termed resolution is taking place. After that process, in some instances no notable change in the affected part remains ; but often when there is inflammation a so-called effusion of lymph occurs, which, if not soon absorbed, glues together the movable tissues involved, and thus the parts are left more or less stiffened. In some inflammations, also, as of the covering of the lung known as the pleura, there is an effusion of serum, which is a thin fluid constituent of the blood that separates from the clot in coagulation. Suppuration is the formation of what is commonly called “matter,” but prop- erly termed pus. This is seldom absorbed, and only when the quantity is small. If left to itself it is quite sure to force its way out, and in doing so it takes the course in which it meets with the least obstruction. Using a finger as an illus- tration, pus forming in that finds an opening on the surface very difficult because of the thickness and toughness of the skin, therefore it burrows backward into the palm of the hand, where it will be easier to effect an opening. Pyzmia, sometimes termed purulent fever, is a traumatic, infectious disease, characterized by the poisoning of the blood by pus, a tendency towards the forma- tion of abscesses or collections of pus in different organs, fever and very great prostration. Septicemia, or septic wound fever, is a general disorder of the system caused by the poisoning of it by putrid or decaying matters absorbed from an unhealthy wound. Mortification, also called gangrene, is the actual death of a part. It does not often follow inflammation unless the same is of exceeding intensity, or the subject is very greatly debilitated; and where it occurs it is generally after the affected part has been literally and directly killed by cold. In gunshot wounds there is also a special liability of the occurrence of mortification. The term chronic inflammation is often used when redness, heat, pain, and some swelling have been of long standing; but there is reason for the belief that in many cases so designated, instead of the affected parts being inflamed, they are merely in an irritable condition. When an organ or part becomes enlarged from overgrowth only, in the absence of any essential change in its nature, it is said to be hypertrophied. In disease of the heart, for example, where one of its valves is imperfect and that organ must labor harder than it otherwise would be obliged to do to keep the blood circulating as it ought, it grows thicker and more powerful, or, in other words, it becomes hypertrophied. This increase in size continues up to a cer- tain point and then stops; and thereafter, although the heart really grows larger, it is not because its walls have thickened and become more powerful, as in the first instance. There has occurred an essential change in the nature of the organ, and the enlargement is due to dilatation, —to a stretching and thinning of the walls. Atrophy is the reverse of hypertrophy. Under certain conditions organs and parts shrink in size, and even the entire body may experience like CAUSES OF DISEASE. 25 change or atrophy, as in old age. Want of blood, of nervous energy, or of use, are the common causes. Degeneration may be said to have occurred in an organ or a part of the body when there has been a change in its substance, Thus fat, by taking the place of the muscular tissue, may cause the heart to degenerate. Or the arteries may become degenerated in consequence of the intrusion of a bone-like material and the displacement by it of their proper sub- stance. In degeneration also there may be a hardening or softening of the parts affected. Morbid growths include warts, wens, bony enlargements, tumors, etc. The use of the term is generally restricted to growths which do not endanger life, and which are also called innocent; while others, like cancers, are designated malignant. CAUSES OF DISEASE. A knowledge of the causes of disease is not only necessary as a basis of pre- vention, but in many instances it is of much importance in effecting recovery. If the disease-producing agencies are known, their disturbing influences can, in a great measure, be obviated. After giving rise to disease the cause frequently continues active, and before a cure can be effected its removal is imperative. The essential causes and precise nature of many morbid conditions have been discovered, but progress in that direction is slow, and the field yet to be covered by investigators is wide. A growing understanding and an accumulation of facts and individual experiences, are materials from which, at some future period, will be developed truer perception and a more accurate knowledge of the causal con- nections of disease, and their conformity with fixed laws. As generally defined, causes are internal or external. The former are devel- oped within the animal economy, and are the results of impairments of certain vital processes. For instance, when the kidneys act imperfectly, urea, a poison- ous constituent of the urine, is retained in the blood and disease excited. Among the external causes are infectious and contagious matters, the different poisons, also wounds, injuries, and all harmful influences which exist independent of the animal organism yet are active agencies in inducing disease. Causes have also been distinguished as ordinary, and special or specific. Or- dinary causes are those to which all dogs are more or less exposed, each giving rise to certain forms of disease. They may also be termed unavoidable, and in- clude heredity, age, and sex. Special or specific causes are those which are only now and then encountered; and each cause gives rise invariably to but one form of disease. There is no satisfactory evidence that any of these causes ever arise spontaneously; in every case the pre-existence of the specific poison or organism is necessary. Tetanus and, beyond doubt, distemper, illustrate the diseases which 26 KENNEL DISEASES. are produced by special or specific causes. In fact, that the cause is specific is to be inferred if the disease it gives rise to can be transmitted from one dog to another, or, in other words, is “catching,” and the special germ or poison develops that same malady always, and no other. Infectious diseases are known, or at least confidently believed, to originate through the infection of the system with certain peculiar poisonous matters, and the same are mainly distinguished from ordinary poisons by their ability to repro- duce themselves, under favorable conditions, to an unlimited extent. The pecu- liarity of this class of diseases is their specificness, which is evident in the fact that a given kind of disease is solely due to a given kind of morbid agent or cause. In this respect they are essentially different from diseases propagated by ordinary causes. Of the latter class exposure to cold is an illustration, and that may oc- casion different affections in different subjects. Thus, in one dog it may give rise to bronchitis, and in another to colic or diarrhcea. On the other hand, infection from a dog suffering from distemper primarily produces that disease, and never any other. Strictly defined, contagion is the conveyance of disease by touch or contact. But some disorders, not all, however, which may be transmitted by actual touch, are yet capable of passing a short distance through the air and doing their evil work. Infectious diseases are communicable and contagious. They are not all alike propagated by immediate, direct, or personal contact. In some such dis- eases the contagious element is fixed close to the body affected, or is attached to objects once in contact with the body. In some others the poison which causes them is more volatile; it is dissipated from the body, and disseminated to a greater distance through the air. In still others it is the discharges from the intestines which chiefly convey the contagion, to finally infect the soil, and through that or sewage canals, by filtration, to great distances, the drinking- water. To breathe infected air or drink infected water, though distant from the focus of infection, suffices to engender some maladies. The contagion of others, of which diphtheria is an example, must be lodged upon the mucous membrane; while that of rabies, the virus of venomous animals, and of a few other maladies, to produce infection must be inoculated into the very blood itself. Certain infectious diseases are termed ,miasmatic. Miasm, in its original and broadest sense, is the name of any material contained in the air that can produce disease. The term is now used in a far narrower sense, and in contra- distinction with the term contagion. The latter being accepted to be a specific excitant of disease which originates in the organism suffering from the specific disease, miasm is used to designate a specific excitant of disease which propa- gates itself outside of and entirely separable from a previously diseased organ- ism. Contagion can be conveyed by contact from a diseased dog to a sound one, produce the disease in him, and then reproduce itself. Miasm originates CAUSES OF DISEASE. 27 from without; taken up into the body, it can call a specific disease into action, but it cannot spread that malady any farther by conveying it from a diseased to a sound dog. Disease-producing poisons are termed volatile and fixed. The so-called germ theory of disease now explains the causation of some of the infectious diseases, and without doubt additions to the number will be constant, although necessarily slow. To discuss that theory comprehensively herein would not be possible, far too much space being required; it will there- fore be touched on only very lightly. The organisms which produce disease are called bacteria. This name, which properly belongs to a peculiar species and has been generalized, covers the smallest and at the same time simplest and lowest, of all living forms. They either constitute the boundary line of life or are indeed very near it. Notwith- standing the colossal amplification of microscopes of the present, the smallest bacteria do not appear larger than the points and commas of good print; and the smallest has not inaptly been compared with man about as a grain of sand to Mont Blanc. The part played by bacteria in nature is an important one. They exist everywhere, and have their use in the general economy. They are nourished at the expense of organic substances when in a state of putrefaction, and reduce the complex constituents of the same into those which are simpler, —into the soluble mineral substances which return to the soil from which the plants are derived, and thus serve afresh for the nourishment of similar plants. In this way they clear the surface of the earth from dead bodies and filth, from all the dead and useless substances which are the refuse of life, and so unite animals and plants in an endless chain. But besides these useful bacteria or microbes there are others which are injurious to mankind and the lower orders of animals, while they fulfil the physiological destiny marked out for them by nature. Such are the microbes which produce most of the changes in food and industrial substances, and a large number of the diseases to which man and domestic animals are subject. The germs of these diseases, which are only the spores or seeds of the microbes, float in the air breathed and in the drinking- water, and thus penetrate to the interior of bodies. Certain causes of disease are distinguished as traumatic, and the affections produced by them are termed traumatic diseases. Anything which occasions an injury or wound of a part, and consequently disease of that part, is a traumatic cause. Puppies are seldom born with transmitted diseases, but where either of the parents is the victim of disease or constitutional infirmities, the offspring very generally exhibit strong tendencies to those same or other defects; and such generally appear in them about the time of life that their parents first suffered, unless their coming is hastened by improper feeding or other faults in man- agement. 28 KENNEL DISEASES. Causes are said to be predisposing and exciting. While the former are influ- ential in increasing the susceptibility to disease, the kind of disease and its occurrence are determined only by the latter causes. The term vulnerability is used in contradistinction to predisposition. While the latter denotes a tendency to a particular form of disease, the former is expressive of a general susceptibil- ity to all disease-producing influences. The causative influence of age is very considerable. Thus, during early puppyhood the stomach is comparatively delicate, and the power of the system to resist disease and disease-producing agencies, as exposure, etc., is very low. Previous to maturity, inflammatory disorders, with but few exceptions, are most liable to occur. The old exhibit increasing debility and infirmity. The common tendency is to grow fat and unwieldy. There is then an especial liability to fatty degenerations of certain vital organs, and to chronic catarrhal affections. DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS. The term diagnosis means the discrimination of diseases; that is, determin- ing their character and situation. It is obvious that treatment cannot be success- fully employed until their nature and location have been made out, or in other words, a diagnosis has been reached. A symptom is diagnostic when it occurs more frequently in connection with a particular disease than with other diseases. Symptoms are of variable signifi- cance. There are a few which are inseparable from a disease, — being found in that and no other, — and these are distinguished as pathognomonic. As an illustration, a rusty-colored, semi-transparent, and adhesive matter is expelled from the air-passages in pneumonia only; and this, therefore, invariably denotes the existence of that disease. Some symptoms are said to be highly diagnostic; for while not conclusive evidence of particular diseases, they occur in them so often that when noted the chances are many that those diseases are present. Unfortunately only a very small number of diseases exhibit pathognomonic symptoms. Another important fact to be remembered is that all the symptoms typical of a disease are but rarely present in a single attack. Some that are common to certain diseases may be absent altogether ; others that are not con- sidered important are now and then very prominent; and in no small number of cases there appear foreign symptoms, that is, symptoms that are not usually manifested by, nor indicative of, the existing diseases. All of which, of course, tend to mystify and embarrass the investigator, and render diagnoses more diffi- cult. Each case therefore must be carefully studied; and a decision should not be based on a few individual symptoms merely, but all observed should be duly weighed, and conclusions drawn from them as a whole. DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS. 29 In attempting to reach a diagnosis it is generally necessary to have the pre- vious history. Obviously a knowledge of the duration of the symptoms will materially assist in determining whether an existing affection is of acute or chronic character. Were a dog recently to all appearances in good health, and the attack more or less sudden in its invasion, the disease from which he is suf- fering is probably of acute character; whereas, if for a long time he has been exhibiting signs of ailing, and the disturbing symptoms are much the same as those he has had, only more severe, then nearly all the chances are that his affection is chronic and of long standing. The reader will doubtless meet cases in which it will not be possible for him to make a correct diagnosis. Nor is it reasonable to suppose that in any one work on the subjects to which this is devoted, notwithstanding the same be an exhaustive treatise, can be embodied all the principles of medicine and teachings necessary to make a skilled diagnostician of a layman. Even physicians of the highest practical endowments often err in their attempts to discriminate between diseases ; and that diagnosis involves more embarrassment than the treatment of disease should be appreciated by all. A highly effective method of making a diagnosis is called “reasoning by way of exclusion.” In a case of doubt the disturbing problem is generally to decide be- tween a small number of diseases. From the symptoms noted it is evident that the disease to be dealt with is one of two, three, or more, all of which have some - resemblance. Now, if it be impossible to determine positively which of those diseases is present, it may be practicable to decide that one, two, or more of them cannot be the right disease, because certain symptoms are absent. By such pro- cess of elimination the number of possible diseases may be reduced even to one. The application of this method may be illustrated as follows: — A dog does not respond to the usual call, and is sought for in his kennel. He is found unable to leave it, and to present these symptoms: His breathing is rapid and labored; his manner exceedingly dull; he opens his eyes only to close them at once; hangs his head, and it falls as though he slept, but he raises it from time to time as he seems to waken or is disturbed by a dry, hacking cough, or possibly “gagging,” a result of which now and then is the expulsion of a little rust-colored sputa. His nose and body are very hot. He lies down, but soon assumes a sitting position, with fore legs quite widely apart and braced. The trouble may possibly be in the throat, but it is evidently in the chest. As he has been well up to the present time, and the attack was sudden, his disease must be acute, therefore all chronic affections may be at once excluded. Mani- festly, also, his trouble must be either laryngitis, bronchitis, asthma, pleurisy, or pneumonia. An examination of the throat dispels the doubt respecting laryngitis. No knowledge of a previous attack, and in the absence of wheezing respiration and husky, barking cough, asthma is reasonably excluded. In bronchitis, so early-in 30 KENNEL DISEASES. the disease, such marked constitutional symptoms could not be expected, and while some fever would probably be observed, it would scarcely run so high; again, while the breathing is often accelerated, it lacks, in the early stages at least, that labored character. Pain in bronchitis is evident when the patient coughs, and is less apparent in the interval. His discomfort would tend to make him restless, and on lying down he would assume no unusual position. These facts considered render bronchitis improbable. Uneasiness of the animal is one of the marked symptoms of pleurisy. That indication is absent in this patient. The breathing, too, is different. While in pleurisy it is labored, it is also unmistakably painful, and inspiration is shortened in consequence. A dog affected with that disease would seem to avoid taking more air into his lungs than absolutely possible. There would be a restraint in the working of the muscles of the chest that plainly told of pain. This, too, would be shown in the cough, dry and shortened, with little or nothing raised. While fever is present in pleurisy, it is seldom notable in the early stage, or runs as high as observed in this case. If these differences in symptoms noted are insufficient, an examination of the chest by the ear will remove what doubts remain. Pleurisy finally excluded, the only disease remaining is pneumonia, and that is the correct diagnosis. Prognosis is prediction of the course and final result of a disease as indi- cated by its symptoms. This is an important division of medicine, for obviously a correct estimate of the course that a disease will take must be measurably influential on its treatment. In making a prognosis the symptoms are not alone to be relied on; there are other circumstances and conditions which it is necessary to consider in its connection. Some dogs are less able to safely bear up under and overcome disease than others; and recovery might take place in one instance, while in another a disease of the same intensity and severity |might prove fatal. The circumstances connected with diseases upon which a prognosis is based are termed prognostic. In predicting the course of a disease, all the symptoms present should be carefully weighed, as often one, which alone would be insig- nificant, becomes, in its relation with others, of grave importance. A clear understanding of the complications which might arise in the course of a disease is also important in reaching a prognosis. It must be plainly evident that in a kennel which is habitually badly man- aged, the chances of a very sick dog making a good fight against any severe malady would be less than when such grave fault did not exist. The weather is an important factor, especially in acute diseases which involve the air-passages, The reparative powers of old dogs are comparatively low; hence age must often be influential. The effects of previous impairment of health must also be un- favorable in many attacks. Pneumonia occurring as a complication of distem- per is but rarely recovered from. Great irritability, wildness, delirium, or other DIAGNOSIS AND PROGNOSIS. 31 brain symptoms, are very generally of grave significance, and a fatal result may be anticipated in most cases if such symptoms persist even for a few hours. Notable emaciation is not so very important in acute diseases, but in all chronic affections the outlook is always very serious indeed. Emaciation alone, also when the cause cannat be determined, is a very discouraging symptom. When convulsions have lasted for half an hour, or recurred after an interval of free- dom from them produced by chloral, ether, or chloroform, they may be regarded as almost certain to prove fatal. A rapid, flickering, and feeble pulse is a very unfavorable sign. When the temperature of the body falls three or four degrees below the normal, and remains down, speedy death may be apprehended; a rise of more than five degrees above the normal is also of grave significance unless a fall soon occurs. Death approaches through one of the three vital organs, the heart, lungs, or brain ; the first to falter in its action governs the train of symptoms which follows. Among the signs of a dying state are coldness of the feet and legs, a sudden pinching of the expression, sinking and fixedness of the eyes, blueness of the lips and tongue, cold and clammy perspiration, dropping of the jaw, muscular twitchings, stupor, and a jerking inspiration, if not dependent upon diseases of the lungs. Death itself, as vital force departs, is not painful, even though intense suffering may have preceded it. PART THIRD. THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE. SECTION I. DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM. CHAPTER I. . INTRODUCTORY. In treating of each disease there will be duly considered the symptoms, known or probable causes, intrinsic tendencies as regards termination in recov- ery or death, and the complications which are likely to occur, together with their probable consequences. The consideration of treatment will embrace not only the indications for the use of medicines, but of hygienic measures, which are of scarcely less importance. The means of prevention and of removing or obviating the causes of disease, being intimately connected with the study of treatment, will claim due attention. Before entering upon the consideration of individual diseases it is advisable to briefly touch at a few points of distinction which are of practical importance. Some diseases run a definite course, are but slightly affected by treatment, and naturally tend to end after a certain time. These are distinguished as se//- limited. The term expectant will be occasionally used. The treatment of disease by expectation consists in watching carefully its progress and meeting, with appro- priate measures, unfavorable symptoms as they appear; in fact, in withholding active treatment until the need of it is plainly evident. The so-called abortive measures are those employed to arrest the progress of a disease or cut it short in the first stage. Pad/iative measures are employed to relieve pain or suffering. Sustaining or supportive measures consist of tonics, stimulants, and food, and are especially required in acute attacks of great inten- sity, which threaten life by prostration of the vital forces. In prescribing drugs simplicity will be observed, and when possible, concen- 32 TION OF THE LUNGS. INFLAMMA we 1SM. TE RHEUMAT AcuU ACUTE CORYZA. 33 trated remedies be advised, since they are generally more easily borne on the stomach and less difficult to administer. To withhold medicine is quite as important in some cases as its free use in others. The indications in disease should be carefully studied, and active treat- ment instituted only when the need is manifested. The efficacy of other measures aside from the employment of drugs should be appreciated, and every known influence, dietetic, hygienic, or other, be called to assist in the cure of the sick. ACUTE CORYZA. Ir is popularly supposed that the term catarrh is applicable merely to a chronic irritation of the lining membrane of the nasal passages ; whereas rightly it means an affection of any mucous membrane, whether of the nostrils, bron- chial tubes, or elsewhere, in which acute inflammation is followed by a flow of mucus, or phlegm, as it is commonly called. But acute catarrhs of all impor- tant membranes are considered herein as distinct diseases, — for instance, bron- chitis, or bronchial catarrh, enteritis, or intestinal catarrh, etc., — consequently the term here might be restricted to an affection of the nasal passages, yet it is objectionable and likely to invite confusion ; hence it is advisable to substitute for it coryza, a term in use by physicians, and the meaning of which is well understood by laymen. Coryza, then, is an acute inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the nasal cavities, or, popularly speaking, simply “a cold in the head.” The changes which characterize it are identical with those which occur in man. That is, there is first dryness and swelling of the nasal mucous mem- brane, in consequence of which the nostrils are more or less obstructed. The lining of the tear-passages and the membrane covering the eyes also share in this inflammation. In the course of two or three days the affected membranes seem to recover themselves somewhat, and endeavor to effect a cure by washing away the trouble, as it were; for they pour out their natural secretion, mucus, in abundance. There is then no longer any dryness, nor nearly as much heat, while the swelling also begins to subside. This flow of mucus persists, but lessens steadily until the affected membrane is back to its former healthy ‘condition. In the majority of cases coryza is due to “catching cold” by too sudden cooling of the body after being over-heated or lying in a draught. Very rarely it is caused by the pentastoma tznioides, a small parasite which has some resem- blance to the tapeworm. This locates itself in the upper nasal passages and «cavities of the forehead, but sometimes appears in the throat. Coryza is one of the most constant symptoms of distemper. It may also 34 KENNEL DISEASES. result from the inhalation of irritants, as dust, smoke, fumes from chemicals, etc. ; and occurring as it does in epidemics, and being often contagious and con- veyed from one to another, it is certainly reasonable to infer that it is at times of microbic origin. In ordinary cases the earliest symptoms of the affection are watery dis- charges from the nose, with evident obstruction to breathing through it, sneezing, and redness of the eyes, which are also watery. Dogs presenting these signs wipe their nose with their paws, and are usually somewhat languid, and not inclined to eat nearly as much as usual. They may also have slight fever, but the temper- ature is seldom more than one or two degrees above the normal in this affection alone. Nor is there considerable quickening of the pulse. Finally, there occurs the more or less abundant muco-purulent discharge, and recovery has commenced. When produced by the teenia-like parasite the symptoms are somewhat modi- fied. In simple coryza due to other causes there is but rarely indeed any bleed- ing at the nose; but when the parasite is present, the nasal discharge is more or less bloody. It contains more purulent matter, and has a very offensive odor. The general system also is more disturbed in such cases; and it is even possible for the inflammation caused by the parasite to extend and involve the coverings of the brain, and so terminate fatally. The symptoms then are those of acute meningitis ; or there may appear a tendency to snap and bite, as in rabies. To add to the resemblance of the symptoms of that malady, paralysis of the lower jaw may occur, as in the dumb form. The natural tendency of the ordinary inflammation in the nose is to extend down the throat and into the bronchial tubes. On reaching the former it is pharyngitis and laryngitis, and in the latter bronchitis; all of which will be duly discussed elsewhere. F Coryza alone and uncomplicated is not a common disease in mature dogs, for it usually merges into bronchitis ; but very young puppies are quite frequently vic- tims of it, and with them it almost always runs its course and ends as such, — that is, the inflammation is confined throughout to the nose. Frequently occurring attacks of acute coryza might produce the chronic form, commonly termed chronic nasal catarrh, that is also sometimes found in old dogs whose lungs are unsound, and consequently their systems are steadily breaking down. Other cases justify the belief that this chronic trouble is sometimes caused by a peculiar germ. In ordinary attacks of coryza, to give a purge as soon as the first symptoms appear, feed lightly for a week, and keep the patient in comfortable quarters, is the treatment advisable for older puppies and mature dogs; and it will generally suffice. If, however, the attacks are very intense, and the victims seem quite ill, the following might be obtained: Sulphate of quinine, three grains; fluid ex- tract of belladonna, two minims; salicylate of sodium, thirty grains; camphor, three grains. When the patient is of medium or largest-size breed this mixture LARYNGITIS. 35 should be made into ten tablets or pills, one of which may be given every hour. If, however, he is of smaller size, the number of tablets or pills should be in- creased to twenty, and one be given every hour. In pups only two or three weeks old the nasal trouble interferes with the nurs- ing and prevents sleep, yet but little can be safely done for them. Some relief may be afforded by lubricating their nostrils with vaselin, fresh lard, or the like. If danger seems to be threatened, a soothing inhalation should be tried as follows: Place the pups on a chair having a cane seat, and raise over it an umbrella, al- lowing the same to fall as low as possible. Into a pint of boiling water put two teaspoonfuls of the compound tincture of benzoin. Let this be in a shallow pan under the chair. In order to generate a vapor, heat stones about half the size of the fist, and put one into the pan. Follow this with others as often as necessary, for fifteen or twenty minutes. In cases caused by the parasite described, and the patient an old pup or ma- ture dog, it is advisable to first open well the nasal passages by means of a five per cent solution of cocaine. A little of this can be thrown in by a spray-pro- ducer, or introduced on a small bit of cotton securely fastened to the end of a large strong straw taken from a broom. ‘Then the passages should be syringed with the peroxide of hydrogen diluted with three parts of water. Thus the para- site should be at once destroyed. It sometimes, however, as stated, penetrates to the cavities of the forehead, where it is possible to reach it only after the operation of trephining has been performed. LARYNGITIS. The larynx is the vocal part of the windpipe, located in the throat at the base of the tongue, and an inflammation of the mucous membrane which lines it is termed laryngitis. In general character it closely resembles the same affection in man, and may run a course so mild that it be insignificant; or the inflammation may be intense and excite other changes, which render it very serious, and even a menace to life. It may also be acute or chronic ; but the latter is very uncom- mon, consequently the former only deserves to be considered at any length. Acute laryngitis may be caused by exposure to sudden and great changes in temperature, and this is the rule in man; but in dogs the common causes are me- chanical injuries, as from slivers of bone lodged in the throat, irritant inhalations, or prolonged barking. Indeed, it is very often induced by the latter during dog shows. External injuries to the neck may also excite it, as tugging at the chain; and pugs and other small pet dogs which their owners exercise under restraint are frequent victims. In these instances, fortunately, the affection is usually of short duration. Of the various irritants, smoke is the most active one likely to 36 KENNEL DISEASES. be inhaled. Ammoniac gases arising from refuse under stables may, however, render the larynx very irritable, in which condition acute inflammation is easily excited by exposure to cold and wet. Again, this affection may be but an exten- sion of a similar inflammation in the nasal passages, i.e., coryza. Finally, it is almost always present in severe attacks of distemper. Hoarseness in barking is the most prominent symptom. A hoarse, brassy cough may also generally be excited by outward pressure over the upper part of the windpipe when the larynx is inflamed. There is often present some impedi- ment in swallowing, and perhaps in respiration. As a rule, but little, if any, fever is appreciable, and the pulse is scarcely quickened. Yet now and then are en- countered cases in which all these symptoms are severe and threatening; and in them the inflammation, instead of being superficial, is quite deep, and there is an effusion of serum—the fluid portion of the blood—beneath the mucous membrane of certain portions of the larynx. The trouble is then what physicians call cedema of the glottis. This seriously interferes with respiration, and may even produce suffocation if not promptly relieved. The breathing is very harsh and noisy, rapid and jerking; in fact, it is identical with that observed in chil- dren suffering with true croup. As in this, one of the gravest maladies of child- hood, there are at times spasms in the larynx which nearly close the windpipe, and cause distress that is terrible to witness. When laryngitis occurs with coryza the symptoms of the latter are of course present, and do not differ from the ordinary, excepting that the discharge from the nose is bubbling or frothy if there is much impediment to swallowing. Chronic laryngitis is seldom persistent; that is, the inflammation is rarely continuously of sufficient intensity to give rise to appreciable signs. As a rule, it is scarcely more than an irritation. In other words, the lining of the larynx is irritable, and easily inflamed by barking, exposure to cold, and other influences which are capable of exciting the acute form. But when it follows distemper, and the voice does not return as the general health is restored, it generally proves obstinate; and in some instances a cure is never effected, because the trouble is complicated with partial paralysis of the vocal cords. Only very few deaths result from laryngitis alone, and never from the chronic merely ; while in the acute form recovery is almost certain to take place unless the throat has been badly lacerated, as by a bone, or the trouble caused by inhala- tions of a powerful irritant. As previously stated, smoke is the irritant most likely to reach dogs; and let one be caught in a burning building where it is dense, if not soon rescued, even if not otherwise injured by the fire, the outlook is that he will die within thirty-six hours unless he is very skilfully treated. Mild cases of acute laryngitis do not require any active treatment. Confined in a room well ventilated and heated uniformly, and fed lightly for a few days, recovery will usually take place speedily. In cases which threaten to be severe, a purge should be promptly given. BRONCHITIS. 37 The neck may also wisely be bandaged with a flannel wet with kerosene oil, over which there should be placed another, but dry, flannel. Or if the respira- tion is much impeded, it will be advisable to attempt to relieve the congestion or spasm within by the means of a large sponge wrung out in hot water. This should be applied to the front of the neck, lightly bound with a napkin, and changed every few minutes. Internal medication is not easy, owing to the resistance offered, and should therefore be attempted only where it seems urgently demanded. Of the various agents which act well in this affection, the oil of copaiba is one of the very best; and it can be given in doses of fifteen drops as often as every third hour if the attack is severe. It should be emulsified as follows: Add a teaspoonful of it to a raw egg, beat well with a fork, and give one-fourth of the entire quantity at each dose. Where suffocation is threatened, inhalations of steam may relax the affected parts and so open the larynx a little ; and in order to apply them, the dog should be put into a small room in which there is a common washing-tub holding water to the depth of one or two inches. In this a hot flatiron or brick should be dropped every few minutes. When suffocation is imminent and all other means have proved futile, the operation known as tracheotomy is the only chance remaining. In this the operator cuts through the neck into the windpipe and below the swollen larynx. But it is truly a forlorn hope; moreover, there are but few men outside of the surgical profession who can rightly undertake it; and should it become neces- sary, the best surgeon within reach should be obtained. The owner will do well to tell him, if he has never performed the operation on a dog, that he must make his way very carefully; and at best he is likely to have troublesome hemorrhage. It is important to remember that a symptom which is considered highly characteristic of rabies, and one that usually appears early in the disease, is the peculiar alteration in the tone of the voice. The bark is described as a sound between a bark and a howl, uttered in a rough, hoarse tone, which might be called croupy, and is attributed by some to a swollen condition of the pharynx and larynx. Chronic laryngitis scarcely requires other than hygienic treatment. BRONCHITIS. An inflammation of the lining membrane of the bronchial tubes constitutes bronchitis. It may be acute or chronic. Both forms can properly be considered together, for reasons that will appear anon. ‘The acute is rightly designated a 38 KENNEL DISEASES. “severe cold on the chest.” It may originate in the bronchial tubes themselves, but with rare exceptions it follows and is a direct extension of a catarrhal inflam. mation in the nose and throat. The membrane involved is swollen and red- dened; its natural secretion is lessened or entirely absent for a time, and then becomes much more abundant than in health, also yellowish, from the presence of pus. This has led to a division of the disease into two stages, the dry and the moist, which are defined by these changes. The first usually lasts about two days, and the second and final stage until recovery has occurred. This disease may be primary or secondary ; that is, an attack may be acute bronchitis from the first, and developed in the usual way, or, as stated, it may be associated with other affections of the air-passages. It is also of frequent occur- rence in distemper. Chronic bronchitis may likewise occur alone or as a compli- cation of other chronic diseases of the lungs, as tuberculosis. Again, bronchitis may be sub-acute, or, in other words, merely of mild intensity and short duration. It is generally accepted that acute bronchitis is usually the direct manifesta- tion of chilling of the surface of the body or breathing cold air while overheated. Of course pampered pets that hug, as it were, kitchen stoves, or are permitted to constantly lie near registers, when they go into very cold air are in a condition specially favorable for the occurrence of acute bronchitis ; but in dogs differently placed it is not likely that exposure to cold is the cause in any considerable pro- portion of attacks. Indeed, many must be attributed to some special atmos- pheric influence not understood, and probably bacterial; for not infrequently the disease prevails as an epidemic. Moreover, where dogs have been quartered together, oftentimes several have been attacked in turn. Unless much heated or fatigued by a hard run, a healthy dog is not liable to yield to and be made ill by exposure to cold or other hardships of the weather, and bronchitis rarely attacks him. On the other hand, the dog that has a delicate con- stitution, which is either natural or has been acquired under debilitating influences, as those existing in ill-ventilated, damp, and unclean kennels, is comparatively an easy victim. Another fact which deserves emphasis is that the liability to contract this and other acute pulmonary affections is influenced greatly by the feeding and amount of. exercise taken. For instance, feed generously and keep a dog much confined, and he will be especially liable to take cold on exposure; whereas he that is fed rightly and has constant liberty is practically safe from such danger. The explanation is easy. Where there is insufficient exercise, and es- pecially if the quantity of food is in excess of nature’s requirements, the system is choked with waste material which should have been eliminated. More or less of this waste, which is poisonous, is in the blood, and the workings of all vital organs are in considerable degree affected by it. They are then more liable to become inflamed ; and this is especially true of the lungs. Inhalations of irritating gases are capable of causing this disease ; but dogs are rarely exposed to such,—that is, to gases sufficiently potent, unless it be BRONCHITIS. 39 smoke, which must be thick, or the exposure quite protracted, to have the harm- ful effect. As said, bronchitis generally follows a similar inflammation in the nose and throat, therefore, as a rule, there is first acute coryza. But the inflammation ex- tends downward so rapidly that the throat is seldom more than lightly touched by it, consequently the trouble there is scarcely noticeable. Usually the coryza has existed for about two days when the cough is first heard, and then it is short, dry, and dull; but ere long it is easier and “looser.” An inflammation in the chest must necessarily be attended with greater general disturbance than a similar trouble confined merely to the nasal passage, therefore, in bronchitis the disinclination to active movements is more marked. The victim is somewhat depressed and spiritless ; he has but little if any appe- tite. Pressure on his chest causes him to cough. He likely shivers at times, and has some fever, which is higher, while the pulse is more rapid, than in simple coryza. It is a significant fact, however, that the rise in temperature and pulse- rate is never considerable in bronchitis. With this in mind there should not be much danger of confounding it with that serious disease pneumonia. In simple acute bronchitis the respiration is not quickened, but it may be wheezing. There is, however, a form in which the breathing is very rapid indeed, namely, the so-called capillary, bronchitis, in which the disease invades the very small bronchial tubes. But fortunately this, a fatal malady, is very rare in dogs. Ordinary bronchitis, when occurring independently of other affections, may be considered trifling, as it does not endanger life, nor is it likely to become chronic; and as a rule, recovery takes place in the course of one or two weeks. As for chronic bronchitis, a cough persistent for a month or more may be considered evidence of that affection if the victim seems otherwise healthy. But it is seldem noted in dogs, even among those well advanced in life, who are the most inclined to it; and generally, is not of any importance. There is yet another form of bronchitis which deserves passing mention, although but few cases of it have been recorded, namely, “verminous bron- chitis,” which, as its name implies, is caused by worms, reputed, in the best authenticated cases, to be of the genus strongylus. Simple acute bronchitis rarely requires medicinal treatment ; for naturally its tendencies are all towards recovery, and, as a rule, the patient will do quite well, if not much better, when not interfered with. But of course to guard him against taking more cold is always necessary, and a comfortably warm and well-venti- lated room indicated. This afforded, and the diet kept low for a few days, about all required will have been done. The cough is salutary, for it keeps the bronchial tubes free; and when the affected membrane is right, this symptom will disappear voluntarily. If, how- 40 KENNEL DISEASES. ever, it were very severe or persistent, it would be expedient to give one table- spoonful of cod-liver oil three times daily, alone or with the food. That would not only have a tonic effect, but tend to “loosen” the cough; and should the affection prove obstinate or become chronic, the oil is the very best remedy. This is the only general treatment that can properly be advised, and rarely, if ever, will any other be required. PNEUMONIA. 4! CHAPTER II. PNEUMONIA. Tue lungs are rightly termed “ spongy organs,” for they abound in cavities, and have but comparatively little weight. In fact, a healthy lung will float on water; and it has been estimated that the number of air-cells in the lungs of a man is not less than six hundred millions. Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung substance, characterized by pecu- liar changes which enable it to be divided into three distinct stages. In the first, that portion of the lung affected is engorged with blood and con- gested, and there commences an exudation, something like clotted blood, into the air-cells and little tubes. In the second, these air-cells and tubes are quickly filled with this exudation, which is now abundant; and by the means of it that part of the lung inflamed is rendered solid and impervious to air. Physicians term this the stage of “red hepatization,” because of the color of the lung involved, and its resemblance to liver. In the third stage, termed resolution, the coagulable exudation dissolves, as it were, and is absorbed. When this change goes on favorably and is com- pleted, the lung is restored to its natural condition; but if the resolving process is interfered with, or does not take place, the affected lung-substance may undergo a purulent change, as when abscesses form, which result in its destruc- tion or death of the sufferer. Another possible accident is gangrenous degenera- tion or gangrene of the lungs. And still another is chronic pneumonia, in which there eventually takes place hypertrophy of certain tissues of the lungs. But none of these changes often occur in dogs; and with them the rule is that either recovery or death speedily results. Pneumonia may be limited to a small area, but soon, if not at first, from one- third to one-half of a lung is generally included in the inflammation. Less often an entire lung is involved; and much more rarely are portions of both lungs inflamed during the same attack. Generally, also, there is a decided ten- dency for the inflammation to extend. That is, although only one-third or one- half of a lung be first affected, the remaining portion of it is quite liable to become inflamed and experience the same changes as the part first invaded. To ascribe this disease to accidental causes, especially to a sudden chill in consequence of wet and cold, is traditionary ; consequently when the theory was ! 42 KENNEL DISEASES. advanced that the disease is caused by a micro-organism, it was for a long time stoutly resisted. However, at the present time this is generally accepted. Yet there are many physicians who are not wholly reconciled to it ; and while believ- ing that the vast majority of cases of pneumonia are of germ production, these think that there are occasional instances in which the disease, varying some- what, perhaps, in character, is caused by other influences, as a sudden fall in temperature, mechanical injuries, etc. The advocates of the germ theory meet such objections with the plea of susceptibility; that is, that cold, damp, sudden changes in temperature, electri- cal influences, etc., all of which have been considered exciting causes of pneu- monia, are not so, but simply what physicians term predisposing causes. In other words, those influences render all more susceptible to the disease, the lungs then being a more fertile soil for the special germ. This theory that pneumonia is a germ disease and therefore infectious is by far the most probable one, and evidence to support it is steadily accumulating. Certainly in no other way is it easy to explain epidemics, or the resemblance between the pneumonia of man and the contagious pneumonia of cattle, which is well known to be essentially epidemic and transmissible by contact and inoculation. Very evidently cases of pneumonia differ much in the matter of infectious- ness, and that some are far more infectious than others. Cases differ greatly also in intensity, some of the attacks being mild and quickly recovered from, while in others death occurs within two or three days. If pneumonia is a germ disease, the reason for this variability would appear, for where germs are the cause, the grade of the disease is largely in accordance with their number and virulence ; and in mild cases it may be accepted that the patients have taken into their systems either a small number of germs or germs not especially virulent, or their susceptibility to the germs is not great. No small number of scientists in their practice among mankind have for some years made careful investigations, and found a peculiar bacillus always present in their cases of pneumonia. This has been cultivated and experimented with by some, who claim that an outbreak of pneumonia may be prevented by protective inoculations; while the disease, even when it has been on for a time, may be cured by the same means. IE this is so, — and there is scarcely reason to doubt it, — microscopic researches will likely soon uncover the germ of pneumonia of dogs, and prevention and cure be as possible with them by like methods. While the question as to the nature of pneumonia is under discussion, the reader will do well to assume that it is infectious, and set his course accordingly, if he is so unfortunate as to be called upon to care for a case of the disease. At the same time he can safely accept that it is not markedly so in any instance ; and that even in the most virulent cases there is but little danger of its being transmitted if a few reasonable precautions are taken. PNEUMONIA. 43 The first stage of pneumonia‘generally lasts nearly two days, but it may be shorter or longer. Usually the first symptom to attract attention is shivering ; and this often persists for several hours. Soon there is apparent a change in demeanor, the victim being decidedly dull and sluggish, and inclined to keep near the fire if quartered in the house and the weather is cold; while if in his kennel and called, he comes rather reluctantly, also walks hesitatingly and stiffly. In the course of two or three hours his nose is warm, and likely hot and dry ; his eyes somewhat bloodshot; pulse rapid and scarcely below 130; and if the hand be placed between the fore leg and chest, as high as possible, there is no mistaking that he has fever; while if a thermometer is used, it stands near 105° F., and may be as high as 106.° Thus far his symptoms are merely indicative of a cold; but by the following day, if not before, chest trouble is quite evident, for his breathing has quickened, and there is a short, dry cough at occasional intervals. The expression has also changed; and whereas at first it seemed dull merely, it is now anxious, and it plainly tells that the poor dog is really quite ill. This impression is strength- ened when solid food is offered him and rejected. But liquids, like milk, he will generally drink, and with evident thirst. Very likely for twenty-four hours more there is no great change in his symp- toms. They certainly do not improve, and if anything increase in severity. But that period having passed and the second stage entered, evidence that the lungs are affected is much stronger. The breathing is decidedly more affected. The patient is also restless and seems unable to find a comfortable position. The cough is more frequent, but its character continues much the same. The fever is still high, although it may, possibly, have lessened slightly, and the pulse con- tinuesrapid. Appetite is totally wanting. The patient will take fluids, however; but although evidently thirsty, he laps sluggishly, halting to “catch his breath ” each time that he does so. The stage of the disease he is now in, consolidation, as a rule, lasts from three to seven days; and until he has passed it, change for the better is not likely to be noticed, that is, if the attack is very severe. The fever, however, in many instances soon declines a little, but rarely falls below 103°. The pulse, on the other hand, seldom falls during this stage, and usually gains somewhat in rapid- ity, ranging from 130 to 160. The difficulty in breathing continues, and gener- ally increases perceptibly, while all other signs of distress are more and more pronounced as each day passes. The patient may lie down, but only for a mo- ment, because breathing is more difficult when he is in that position, and much of the time he sits on his haunches, with fore legs as widely apart as possible. His eyes grow more and more bloodshot each day, and there forms in them a secretion which flows over and dries, glueing the lids at the corners and the hairs beneath. Except he drops into a doze, when he nods and wakes with a jerk, his head is extended. His mouth is seldom closed for more than an instant, 44 KENNEL DISEASES. and his lips and tongue are usually dry, or if not so, they are coated with a thick slime. The breathing in this stage is generally more distressing than in the first, and it is scarcely possible even for a novice to mistake that the lungs are crippled. It is not merely rapid, as after a hard run, but is labored and noisy, and very evidently requires much effort. Moreover, this difficulty is attended with such significant signs as blowing out of the cheeks and dilation of the nostrils. Another evidence that the lungs are affected is noted in the lips and tongue and lining membrane of the mouth, all of which, in very severe cases, instead of being red in color become more or less dingy or purplish. In severe cases the strength fails each day; the expression grows more anxious and pitiful; the eyes sink deeper; and the flesh seemingly melts away, until at last, when the crisis is reached, the poor dog is scarcely a shadow of his former self. But as a rule, along about the fifth or sixth day from the appearance of the first symptom, if the patient is to recover there comes a change for the better, although at first it is scarcely perceptible, and the earliest indication of it is gen- erally a lessening of the fever. The third stage is now entered, and convalescence begun. The breathing is a little less distressing, and improves almost hourly. There is a marked improvement in the pulse. The cough is less frequent, and decidedly easier. The mouth and tongue, if previously dry, become moist; while if coated with thick slime, that deposit is being replaced by the natural secretion. A good nap is also a most favorable sign. When this has been taken, the patient is generally ready to try a little broth or a bit of raw beef; and from now on the gain is steady and quite rapid. In cases which progress unfavorably and to a fatal termination, the end usu- ally comes about the fourth or fifth day, although it may be earlier, and it may be delayed several days. In such the most threatening sign appears in the res- piration, which is gasping, and clearly suggests that suffocation is imminent. Another very unfavorable symptom is the deepening of the purplish hue of the lips and tongue ; and still another is a rapid and great loss of strength. When death comes, it is often quite suddenly; but in some cases the lamp burns low and slowly dies out, the unfortunate having for many hours exhibited signs that the end was inevitable. Those are inability to sit upright; a peculiar sickening odor to the breath; breathing in short gasps ; and coldness of the ears and extremities. Convulsions sometimes set in during attacks of pneumonia, and may be ac- cepted as evidence of great danger. Delirium can also be detected in a small proportion of cases, but scarcely except by an experienced eye, for it is of a low type. This may be classed with convulsions as a very unfavorable sign. The presence of pneumonia in severe form ought never be mistaken, for the existing signs all point to the lungs as the seat of the trouble; and while some PNEUMONIA. 45 of them appear in acute pleurisy, no intelligent person ought to confound these diseases. Pleurisy is very rare among dogs, whereas they are frequent victims of pneumonia. Again, in the former the fever is seldom high, and it soon falls ; moreover, the breathing almost always becomes easier in the course of twenty- four hours. Finally, these diseases differ greatly in severity ; and a dog suffering from pneumonia is unmistakably very ill, while one with pleurisy, at least at first presents no such positive signs. Since to recognize a case of pneumonia from the symptoms described is easy, it is not necessary to dwell long upon the physicians’ means of diagnosis, auscul- tation and percussion. Were a case examined early, an educated ear might de- tect a crackling sound. But this is not loud; moreover, when the ear is at the chest, the hair under it gives off a sound which is almost identical with that emitted by a pneumonic lung. As for percussion, when applied to the chest over a lung that is solidified, as in pneumonia, the sound heard is flat, whereas there is resonance over a healthy lung. But notwithstanding this means of diagnosis is usually emphasized as highly important, and the impression conveyed that its application is easy, as a matter of fact it is far from being so. Furthermore, it is not required in a case presenting the symptoms already described. There is one sign which can be considered positive of pneumonia. This may appear if the cough is severe and causes the patient to “gag,” and there is mucus expelled. If now that mucus or slime has a reddish tint, the color being due to the presence of blood, it may be accepted as indubitable evidence of pneumonia ; that is, if the other symptoms indicative of the disease accompany it. But this so-called “rusty sputa” is not often seen in dogs, for the reason that the mucus secretion in the affected lung is thick and tenacious, and not only is it with diffi- culty “raised” by the patient, but if it comes up out, of the bronchial tube, it generally clings to the throat and is swallowed; moreover, the reddish tint may be wanting, or too faint to be appreciable. Where the disease is likely to pursue an unfavorable course, signs that are significant often appear early. If at first the temperature is about 105°, and con- tinues as high for several days, the chances are decidedly against the patient. A slight acceleration of the pulse each day may be expected; but if after the third or fourth day it rises very considerably and keeps up, the outlook is un- favorable. The same is true if the breathing, very rapid at first, at no time exhibits any improvement, or increases in rapidity daily. Finally, the danger is always greater when this disease occurs with other diseases, and especially with distemper. Once pneumonia fixes itself, it must run its course. Its severity may however in some cases be greatly lessened by appropriate remedies, and the patient’s symp- toms thereafter be scarcely more pronounced and distressing than those of a severe cold; but still the disease must pass through its various stages. 46 KENNEL DISEASES. The only medicinal treatment which can be properly advised here is on this line, for the purpose of confining the inflammation to narrow limits ; but it can be effectual only during the second, or possibly the third day, while thereafter the caretaker must rely mainly, if not wholly, on good nursing. It is well to add that were this done in all cases, the mortality would be much less than now, when the rule is to drug from the beginning to the end. When a dog presents symptoms which point to the lungs as the cause, he should be at once removed from his mates, if he has any, and put into a room by himself; the same being large, well lighted, and capable of good ventilation. Assuming him to be of medium or largest size breed, pills of quinine, each containing five grains, and freshly prepared, should then be obtained, and one given in a thin slice of raw meat, which must be forced far into the throat if the patient will not take it voluntarily. In the course of two hours there ought to be decidedly less fever, but if it keeps up, another pill should be administered; and this dose must be repeated again after a like interval if there is still high fever. If the patient is of smaller breed, instead of pills containing five grains of quinine, granules of one grain each should be obtained ; and of these three would be the right dose for dogs of the size of fox-terriers, while one would be suitable for the smallest toys, as Yorkshires. The doses should also be repeated twice, after intervals of two hours, unless the fever has abated. The favorable action of quinine is very pronounced in a large proportion of cases. It not only greatly reduces the fever, but seemingly arrests the progress of the inflammation in the lungs. In some instances, such is its happy effect, in less than twelve hours the patient suffers scarcely more than he would from a common cold; and although he continues ailing for four or five days, recovery is very speedy. Where the symptoms are strongly indicative of pneumonia it is always advi- sable to put onto the patient a cotton jacket, for the purpose of keeping the chest warm, relieving the discomfort within somewhat, and obviating danger from cold. To construct such is easy. Take a piece of cotton cloth, flannel, or other ser- viceable material, long enough to go around the chest and lap three or four inches, and wide enough to cover from the neck to the loins. Estimate the dis- tance between the legs, allow about one inch for the wadding, and cut holes for them. Now put on the cloth and shape it round the neck with pins, after the custom of dressmakers ; but no nice fit should be attempted, for the jacket must be padded. This done, remove it, sew the gathers at the neck, and pad with cotton wadding, preferably the glazed, using several sheets. After basting well, put the jacket on again, and sew it at the top. But while it should be snug, it must not be tight; for were it so it would be oppressive, and interfere with the patient’s breathing and movements. This is all that is required in the way of external applications. As for poul- PNEUMONIA. 47 tices of flaxseed meal or mustard, tincture of iodine, or stimulating liniments, they would all be worse than useless. He is wise who, in the absence of a thoroughly competent veterinary skilled in canine diseases, calls in his family physician. Professional assistance denied, the caretaker must rely on good nursing to pull the patient through, foregoing entirely the use of drugs. The need to emphasize this fact is imperative; for there is every reason for the belief that a far greater number of victims of pneumonia are killed by medi- cine than by the disease. To reduce the fever by means of aconite, antifebrin, phenacetin, acetanilid, or similar agents is generally held the very first essential, and with such the patients are usually dosed, not only during the first days but in many cases throughout the attack. Yet these so-called antipyretics, while they would likely lessen the fever, are hazardous; for, as a rule, they have an unfavor- able action on the heart. In pneumonia that vital organ is the danger-point, and the liability of its fail- ing is always great in severe cases. Aconite, it is true, when rightly used, is practically harmless; and in fact, combined with veratrum viride, it will likely lessen the danger of heart failure; but still it is not an agent which one unskilled in the use of medicine should trifle with, especially in this disease; and the same may be said of digitalis and all other powerful drugs. To assist nature by the means of nourishment, good nursing, and stimulants, if necessary, should be the purpose always; and the fact should be in sight that if the patient’s strength can be kept up until the crisis is reached, and no acci- dents happen, the chances are about all in favor of recovery. To well nourish, therefore, from the first should be the rule. As for the foods to be given, buttermilk is by far the best in this disease; and while the patient will drink voluntarily, it should be freely allowed him. But if he turns from it, he may have meat broths and raw meat in suitable quantities. As long as he will take nourishment enough the caretaker can be content. But sooner or later forced feeding will be imperative ; and then sound judgment, patience, and faithfulness must be exhibited. From the first it is well to add to the buttermilk one or two raw eggs, lightly beaten. The appetite being wholly lost, the foods must be concentrated; be- cause of the difficult breathing the unfortunate cannot swallow easily, and it will scarcely be possible to make him take any considerable quantities. One raw egg in half a cupful of buttermilk every two hours should well sus- tain the strength of a large dog. Instead of broths, meat juice is preferable, and for such a dog two or three tablespoonfuls at like intervals would be as sup- portive. Failure of the vital powers is always rapid in this disease ; and if a caretaker is at all negligent his charge will probably slip from him. He must administer food or stimulants at regular intervals, and every two hours in desperate cases,, 48 KENNEL DISEASES. while three hours in all others should be the rule. Each feeding, also, should be divided, and in from teaspoonful to tablespoonful doses, otherwise the breathing must be rendered much more difficult by the administration. In severe cases there is quite sure to come a time when stimulants will be required. This may be reached early, but generally not before the third or fourth day. Great prostration is one evidence that it is at hand. So, too, is a purplish hue of the lips and tongue. But when there is doubt as to the ne- cessity of stimulants, they should be given. Unless the signs are very threatening, small doses at first should be the rule. Whiskey or brandy is right if the quality is the best; and a teaspoonful in each feeding will be sufficient to commence with, even where the patient is of large size. But when the system is struggling under disease it soon becomes accus- tomed to agents of this sort, and greater quantities must be given each day than on previous days to have uniform effect. Therefore, in the absence of very ur- gent signs, it is always well to increase the dose every twenty-four hours by about one-half the commencing dose. But if at any time prostration is rapid or suffo- cation seems imminent, the stimulants must be pushed; and if the occasion is the fourth or fifth day, there is scarcely any danger of over-stimulation. For a large dog, one or even two tablespoonfuls of brandy or whiskey every two hours in milk can be none too much then. Where there is prostration, alcoholic stimulants are the best; but when circu- lation is threatened, as indicated by purplish lips, or there are signs of suffoca- tion, to combine them with the aromatic spirit of ammonia is advisable. The correct dose of that is one-half a teaspoonful ; and it should be administered in the whiskey or brandy, the quantity of which at each dose will not be affected by the ammonia, but be the same as when given alone. A word further as to the use of drugs. Opium in some form has been rec- ommended by nearly all writers on canine diseases, and some advise the use of nervines, as bromide of potassium. The latter is of no value whatsoever in pneumonia. As for the former, in some cases, were it administered with exceed- ing care and judgment, it would probably do some good, yet as a rule, patients are far better without it. It is generally given by caretakers on their own re- sponsibility, under the conviction that the sufferer should be “ eased,” and made to sleep at times. The theory is good, but the practice is attended with danger, and far better that the patient retain all his sensibilities than be benumbed by opiates. Therefore, let him fight for breath as long as he is hard driven for it. As for the cough, the more there is of it the better; consequently it would be folly to attempt to stop it. The quarters of the patient should be well ventilated always. Pressed for air, he should have that which is pure; and since his chest is well protected by the jacket, a window can be opened frequently if not continuously. An even temperature is also necessary, and about 60° F. desirable. PNEUMONIA. 49 In view of the probable fact that pneumonia is contagious, also that disin- fectants must have a favorable influence on patients whose blood holds the poi- son of the disease, it is advisable that some one of them be constantly employed in the quarters of the sick. Possibly the best is creosote, which may be conve- niently used as follows: Select a shallow tin basin and put into it a quart of boiling water. Add to the same one teaspoonful of creosote. Now if there be a fire in the room, let the basin stand on the stove where its contents will con- stantly boil gently. In the absence of a fire, place the basin as near the patient as he will permit, and into it from time to time drop a hot stone. By this means a steam will be generated. During the process, which should be resorted to every few hours, the windows and doors should be closed; or over the patient and basin, a sheet being used, a tent can be raised that will hold the vapor until much of it has entered his lungs. Caretakers should not allow discharges from the nose and mouth to accumu- late, but frequently bathe the parts with a solution made by adding about fifteen drops of creosote to a pint of water. 50 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER III. ACUTE PLEURISY. BETWEEN the lungs and chest walls, on each side, there is a cavity which is lined by an exceedingly delicate membrane called the pleura. The free surface of this is smooth and polished, and kept moistened by a thin, watery fluid, which prevents friction as the lungs alternately fill and empty. In acute inflammation of this membrane, which constitutes acute pleurisy, the fluid in question disappears, and the smooth surfaces become dry and roughened ; and as a natural consequence, there is pain when they come in contact, as they must with every inspiration. The dryness, however, rarely exists longer than twenty-four hours, when there occurs an effusion of a watery huid, known as serum, into the cavity, and this for the time being separates the pleura. The pain is then much less severe or has wholly disappeared. The quantity of effusion varies in different cases ; and while it might be suffi- cient to compress the lung and render it temporarily valueless, rarely is it of considerable amount. Where the disease pursues from the first a favorable course, the absorption commences in a few days after the fluid has reached its maximum, and recovery occurs within two or three weeks. Absorption may, however, be considerably delayed, and if so for a month or more the pleurisy is then chronic. The fluid may even in time change to pus; in which event the disease is no longer pleu- risy, but empyema. Acute pleurisy may be produced by a severe blow upon the chest, and espe- cially if the ribs are fractured. It is also quite certain to speedily follow wounds that have penetrated the chest walls. But in most instances it occurs in conse- quence of sudden exposure to cold, or is due to extension of inflammation from the lungs or adjacent organs or parts, as in pneumonia, pericarditis, peritonitis; hepatitis, etc. Attacks are usually sudden, and the first noticeable signs are, shivering, indi- cative of a chill; some fever; small, weak, and quickened pulse; restlessness, with movements that suggest that the patients are stiff and sore; appetite capri- cious or wholly wanting; nose hot and dry; eyes reddened and watery; lining of the mouth dry, reddened, and congested, with urgent thirst; bowels and kidneys inactive; dry, short, hacking, and evidently painful cough; quite rapid breath- ing, which may also be termed superficial, restrained and jerking, as the inspira- ACUTE PLEURISY. SI tions are cut short. The breathing is also abdominal, the muscles of the flanks heaving, while the chest walls seem nearly fixed ; and in very severe attacks, in which the patients seem to be threatened with smothering, they assume the sit- ting position, with fore legs apart, which is characteristic of pneumonia. These are the most pronounced symptoms of the first stage of the disease. During the next, which begins with the effusion of serum into the pleural cavity, the evidences of pain are not so marked, the breathing is less rapid, and the inspi- rations are deeper, unless the quantity of fluid is great, when the symptoms are much the same as at first; while if it is small, the breathing seems quite natural as long as the animal is quiet and lying down, but quickens on exertion. A large effusion threatens suffocation, the signs of which cannot be mistaken. It also seriously interferes with circulation, and in consequence the lips and tongue become purplish, and the feet and legs more or less swollen, in the course of two or three days. It is never easy even for an expert to determine positively the presence of this disease. During the first stage the only purely diagnostic sign is a slight sound caused by the dry and roughened opposing surfaces of the pleura as they rub in inspiration. A trained ear at the chest might detect this sound in some instances, but only in a few; for it is too slight and short, ending almost as soon as it has commenced. As for a positive diagnosis during the second stage, one could scarcely be reached were the quantity of fluid small; but if very considerable, its presence might be determined by percussion, which is performed as follows: Press the palm and fingers of the left hand firmly against the side of the chest, and tap lightly on one finger with the second finger of the right hand, giving sharp, quick blows. If the sound resulting is dead and flat, like that heard when one per- forms this operation on his own thigh, it denotes an absence of air in the part of the chest beneath the finger; whereas were the conditions normal, — all within the suspected side of the chest healthy, — the sound emitted would be much like that heard in percussion of the top of a table. And the absence of air in the chest, or a considerable diminution of the usual amount, indicates either the presence of a fluid in the pleural cavity or solidification of the lung, as in pneumonia. Another means of diagnosis is auscultation or listening while the ear is firmly pressed against the chest. In health the respiratory sound is distinctly heard in this position ; but in pleurisy it is either unappreciable or only feeble, excepting in cases in which the quantity of fluid is sufficient to compress the lung so that air cannot enter it — when the sound heard is even louder than on the unaffected side, and is much like that appreciable when the ear is placed to the front of the neck of the sufferer. An evidence of the presence of a very large effusion is a bulging between the ribs. 52 KENNEL DISEASES. During the first twenty-four hours the symptoms of acute pleurisy and those of pneumonia, in the majority of cases, bear some resemblance. But there is seldom high fever in the former, and the thermometer rarely shows a higher degree than 102°. Moreover, it usually falls to near the normal the second or third day of the attack; whereas in the latter, even in mild cases, the tempera- ture generally ranges from 104° to 105°, and continues high for nearly a week, or more. Acute pleurisy alone is likely to endanger life only where the amount of effu- sion is very great or the general health was poor at the time of the attack. As stated, a large effusion threatens suffocation, but such rarely forms unless the fluid becomes pus; while empyema is seldom encountered even by the most experienced. Acute pleurisy sometimes becomes chronic, but that result is not at all likely if the victim is fairly strong and under good hygienic conditions. Very evidently the effusion of fluid is conservative ; for did it not occur, the inflammation in the pleura would not only persist for a long time but be inten- sified by the surfaces rubbing together, and the pain and danger of life be corre- spondingly greater. And even were recovery to take place, — which is doubtful, — the opposing sides of the affected membrane would grow together, as it were, and the lung be considerably crippled ; while the affected side of the chest would be more or less retracted or sunken in. In some cases the inflamed pleural surfaces become somewhat adherent to each other, but seldom if ever, excepting here and there by occasional bands or attachments, which merely limit somewhat the lung’s expansion. Since this disease is so very uncommon, it is not advisable to dwell long on treatment. Ifa diagnosis is possible, to apply dry, hot flannels to the affected side, restrict the diet to liquids, and keep the patient in a comfortably warm, well-ven- tilated room, is about all that will be required in most cases. If an effusion of considerable quantity occurs, it will generally disappear under careful nursing ; or should it not do so, it will be necessary to tap the chest and evacuate the fluid — an operation which must be intrusted to skilled hands only. In every case in which it is impossible to determine whether the patient is affected with pleurisy or pneumonia, it should be assumed that he has the latter, and he be treated accordingly until the fact is evident that a mistake has been made. Observing this rule, if one is at fault no harm can result; while to delay the proper treatment in the severer malady, or apply to it the measures suitable for the milder, would be serious indeed, and the chances of the victim greatly lessened thereby. EMPYEMA. 53 CHRONIC PLEURISY. An acute pleurisy may become chronic, but there is only slight danger of its doing so except in feeble subjects; and as a rule, chronic pleurisy is such from the first, the pleural inflammation developing imperceptibly. This disease sometimes occurs in dogs, but it is very rare ; moreover, its detec- tion is even more difficult than that of acute pleurisy, consequently merely a brief consideration is warranted. The same influences which excite the acute may give rise to the chronic form; but usually the latter fixes itself upon subjects in whom the health is considerably impaired ; and the direct causes are then not easily determined. Generally the symptoms are very obscure, and only point to the lungs in a small proportion of cases. The conditions of the pleura somewhat resemble those in acute pleurisy, but the inflammation is of a low or mild type; there is but little if any fever; pain is not appreciable, and the breathing scarcely affected except on active movements, when it becomes quicker than in health. There may be some effusion; while the pleural surfaces are even more inclined to become adherent than in the acute form of the disease, and the adhesions cripple to some extent the lung, causing the chest wall to permanently flatten or sink in. Recovery from this disease is possible, but it is not likely to take place except in dogs having strong constitutions and that are very healthfully placed. The tule is, once the disease occurs, the health is slowly and steadily undermined. The lung being crippled, circulation is implicated, and ultimately the victim worn out with resulting complications of all the vital organs. Were the symptoms so pronounced that the disease could be clearly made out, and there was a large amount of effusion, the proper course to pursue would be to tap the chest. But cases of large effusions are extremely rare, while patients in whom a positive diagnosis is possible are rarer still; consequently the only general line of treatment which can properly be advised here is purely hygienic; that is, it consists of good, wholesome food, healthy quarters, and a reasonable amount of easy exercise each day. EMPYEMA. While dogs are not exempt from this disease, it is by far the rarest of chest affections, and never likely to occur excepting where the walls have been punctured, as by a shot, or the lungs are much diseased, as in tuberculosis. It is practically pleurisy in which the effusion of serum has changed to pus, and the affected side of the chest become a huge abscess. ‘This fluid must be evacuated or recovery cannot take place; and while the disease in man generally 54 KENNEL DISEASES. requires that an opening be made in the chest wall, by means of a knife, for-the escape of the pus, in dogs a spontaneous opening is likely to occur early, and before a positive diagnosis can be made. Great loss of weight and strength, quickened breathing, some cough, fever at times every day and alternating with chills, are the most prominent symptoms ; and, as it will appear later on, they are identical with those of tuberculosis. When a pleural cavity contains much pus, the victim shows by his manner that the affected side is heavier than the other. There is also bulging between the ribs, and this is marked at the point where perforation is to take place or the pus break through. As for treatment, a consideration is not necessary ; for even were the pus evac- uated, the chances of recovery would be small indeed; while if it took place, the patient would be practically ruined. ASTHMA. It is quite the custom to term asthmatic all attacks of difficult breathing oc- curring suddenly without apparent cause, and in dogs apparently otherwise well. Yet, although they are not exempt from it, true asthma is very rare indeed among them. Itis a spasmodic affection of the bronchial tubes, which narrows them and greatly obstructs the passage of air. While its actual and direct cause is in dispute, the accepted theory is that it is due to reflex nervous action; also, that this in turn may be excited by certain irritant inhalations, growths or peculiar morbid conditions in the nose, and possibly by intestinal disorders. But when it occurs in dogs, although other causes have been assigned, it is very generally attributable to worms which have made their way up from the stomach. What are usually termed asthmatic paroxysms are often noted in pets that are exercised on the chain and tug at the same; but in such cases the trouble is not asthma, nor is it in the bronchial tubes, but it is confined to the larynx, in which there is spasm caused by the pressure of the collar, and in consequence the air-passage is greatly narrowed. In a word, it is identical with the false croup of children. Very old dogs generally, and others loaded down with fat, are “short winded; ” and on considerable exertion their respiration is labored and wheezing. But obviously this is not asthma, although often termed such. In cases in which circulation in the lung, and perhaps generally, as in heart disease, is impeded, paroxysms of asthma sometimes occur. They are also pos- sible in long-standing and severe cases of bronchitis, in which the lining of the bronchial tubes is thickened from congestion. In these instances the affection has been termed “congestive asthma.” TUBERCULOSIS. §5 Asthmatic paroxysms can scarcely be mistaken. They occur suddenly ; the respiration is not increased in frequency, in fact, at times, it is less rapid than in health; the inspirations are jerking, and the expirations wheezing; and with these symptoms are associated the usual signs of the existing sense of suffoca- tion, as a piteous and anxious expression, etc. The significance of such attacks depends upon the causes and conditions which induce them. Alone they do not threaten life. But once they occur, the chances are that they will appear again and again; although, as a rule, only at long intervals. Ordinary attacks scarcely require treatment, for generally they end in the course of ten or fifteen minutes. If, however, they persist, or are very severe from the first, the victim should be placed in a small room and treated to the fumes of stramonium leaves and nitrate of potassa, the same being well mixed, in proportions of one ounce of the former to one dram of the latter, and thrown onto a pan of coals. Considering the quantity of this that ought to be used, a teaspoonful should be burned every five minutes until the patient is relieved or the attendant has grown dizzy. An emetic will also afford prompt relief in the majority of cases; and either ipecac, common salt, or the sulphate of zinc may be employed. As for curative treatment — that is, to remove the cause and prevent attacks —there is nothing in the way of medicine which promises well, and reliance must be placed on hygienic and dieletic means. If the victims are badly housed, and especially in stables, they should be put into out-of-door kennels or be other- wise as healthfullv placed ; while the diet must be greatly reduced and simplified if they are fat and disinclined to exercise. TUBERCULOSIS. Pulmonary tuberculosis, popularly termed consumption, is a disease charac- terized by the presence of morbid deposits called tubercles. These are scat- tered more or less abundantly throughout the substance of the lungs, and appear as small, grayish granules about the size of millet seeds. In time they generally unite, and form nodules or bunches, which vary in size. The parts adjacent to them are inflamed ; the tubercles tend to soften, break down, and become lique- fied; ulcerations follow; the lung tissue affected is destroyed, and cavities form. It is now very generally accepted that the real cause of tubercle, of every form, is a microbe, to which the name bacillus tuberculosis has been given; also that whereas once this disease was supposed to be caused directly by bad air, un- wholesome food, close confinement, in-and-in breeding, neglected colds, and the 56 KENNEL DISEASES. like, the prevalent belief is that these influences cannot of themselves cause tuberculosis, but are capable merely of rendering the tissues susceptible to the invasion, and favorable to the growth of the microbe in question. In other words, a healthy lung does not attract this germ, nor are its conditions right for propa- gation. On the other hand, a lung that is not healthy, because of the unfavor- able influences mentioned, is good soil for the bacillus, and in it that germ will thrive and multiply. It is held by some that tuberculosis in the dog is an extreme rarity ; but this notion has been ably refuted by investigators, one of whom has reported that out of 7,000 dogs examined 27 were tuberculous, or 1 in 250. It has also been dem- onstrated that in these animals the lungs are the organs most frequently affected; and after them come the liver, serous membranes and kidneys. It may, moreover, be accepted that the direct cause of this disease in dogs is the same as that of tuberculosis in man, for the bacilli in both are identical. Furthermore, since in not a few instances dogs belonging to tuberculous people have died with tuberculosis, it is fair to assume that they were directly infected by those people. Considering certain natural peculiarities, their great lung powers and tenden- cies to keep them vigorous by exercise, it may indeed be accepted that tubercu- losis is never likely to occur among dogs unless they acquire the disease from the human family. And even when exposed to it, if they are much at liberty, their quarters are healthy, and food sufficient in quantity and wholesome, the danger of infection is very slight, because their lungs and other vulnerable parts of their systems will resist the bacillus of the disease. On the other hand, if dogs under unhygienic influence are exposed to tuberculous people, their chances of “taking” the disease are very much greater. For the purpose of illustration, it is assumed that the dog is a toy and his mis- tress a victim of this grave malady. He has but little exercise, is over weight, and otherwise his powers of resistance against disease are decidedly below the normal. Much of the time he passes on the bed of the patient. He is given her food remnants, and laps her plates and saucers. All these must, of course, be more or less contaminated with the bacilli of her disease, either through her lips, spoons, forks, or possibly knives. Her sputa may now and then drop on the floor, and the chances are that he laps it. Beyond this, a great pet and company for his poor mistress in long weary hours, he doubtless “kisses” her often. He also sleeps in her arms at times and breathes the expired air loaded with the microbes of her disease. Assuredly a dog so placed would likely be directly infected with tuberculosis, either through his alimentary canal or respiratory passages; and if he failed, wasted away, and followed his mistress to the “ great unknown” within a year, the conclusion would be justified that he had succumbed to the same disease. Indeed, dogs should never be admitted to the rooms of persons suffering from Ea TUBERCULOSIS. 57 tuberculosis ; and were such rule never violated, this disease, in their kind, would be one of the greatest of rarities. But of course dogs can acquire it from other lower animals. The tuberculosis of cows, for instance, is believed to be identi- cal with that of the canine and human races. But manifestly the chances for infection from these lower animals are less than from man; although were dogs fed continuously or even frequently on milk from cows well advanced in tuberculosis, there would be great danger of their ultimately becoming tuber- culous. The importance of excluding dogs from the rooms of sufferers from this lung disease rests not alone on the danger of immediate infection. Surely there is even the graver danger of the bacilli being conveyed back to other members of the family. First the sufferer dies. The dog does not show signs of the same fatal disease possibly for several months afterward, during which period he may be passing his nights on the bed of some other member. And when he fails, naturally he is the object of greater solicitude, and petted and fondled even more than when well. Now it is a lamentable fact that the cause and methods of infection of tuber- culosis are not generally understood; moreover, the germ theory is stoutly re- sisted by people generally, and in only comparatively few cases of this disease in mankind are the measures of prevention faithfully applied. Consequently it continues to exist ; whereas it might be nearly if not quite stamped out were rea- sonable and comparatively easy precautions taken, such as cleanliness and good ventilation of the sick-room, proper disposition of the infectious excreta, disinfec- tion of articles in use, and destruction of all germs of the disease after death by the free use of proper chemicals, whitewashing, etc., in the infected apartments. But this is seldom done, consequently when one member of a family dies others occupying the same quarters are likely to fail in health somewhat, if not in turn succumb to the disease. Now add to their possible sources of infection a tuber- culous dog, and it would indeed be surprising did he not greatly intensify the danger, especially for young and puny children. He would also likely directly infect some of his people who otherwise might not be susceptible to the malig- nant germs left in the cracks of the sick-room floor, wails, or ceiling. Therefore, to exclude dogs from tuberculous people should be the invariable rule. Here another rule, no less important, can be laid down, namely, exclude from the house all dogs which have been exposed to tuberculosis with good chances of contracting the disease, and destroy them at once on the appearance of signs that they have been infected. It is not necessary to dwell long on the symptoms of this disease, since they so closely resemble those which appear in human sufferers. A persistent al- though slight cough in a dog that has been exposed to a tuberculous person or animal should be held a very suspicious sign. Beyond this, were his appetite poor, did he lose vitality and flesh steadily, his coat become dry and rough and . 58 KENNEL DISEASES. fall out, and attacks of shivering followed by fever occur almost daily, then it might rightly be assumed that he had tuberculosis. Considering the very evident fact that a victim of this disease is a source of great danger to his people as well as his mates, undeniably he should be promptly destroyed. While a cure in the early stage might be possible, it should not be attempted ; for the chances of it are too small, and the dangers of infection too great. ULCERATIONS IN THE NASAL CAVITIES. 59 CHAPTER IV. INFLUENZA. INFLUENZA, as it generally manifests itself, is a combination of coryza and bronchitis, attended by more severe constitutional disturbance than usually exists when these diseases occur together. For instance, there is much depres- sion, which often in time becomes great prostration, soreness throughout the body and limbs sufficient to suggest rheumatism, complete loss of appetite, and high fever. In fact, this disease is a veritable acute catarrh of considerable extent and great intensity; and it might, without impropriety, be called a “hard cold all over.” It runs the course of the nasal and bronchial affections named, and their various changes characterize it; but while in some instances recovery takes place as speedily in this disease as in them, as a rule it is slower, and may be delayed for several weeks, or possibly months. Although the etiology is still uncertain, considering that it appears as an epidemic and is not dependent on bad weather or exposure, beyond doubt its direct cause is a germ. ; It only rarely attacks dogs. When one falls a victim to it, others in the neigh- borhood are sure to be attacked ; consequently its real character soon becomes known, and there is but slight danger of its being mistaken for pneumonia, to which, from its high fever and great prostration, it bears some resemblance. But seldom does recovery fail to occur; and in fatal cases there is almost always some serious complication, and generally pneumonia. The best medicinal remedy, efficacy and safety combined, is the sulphate of quinine; and this should be administered in the same doses, repeated as often, and after the same intervals, as in pneumonia. Reliance should afterward be on good nursing, stimulants being given if there is very great prostration, but not otherwise. To feed generously from the first, employing force if necessary, should also be the rule in very severe cases. ULCERATIONS IN THE NASAL CAVITIES. When ulcers form in the nasal cavities the affection is often mistaken for ozena, to which, however, it is not related, notwithstanding in some of its most 60 KENNEL DISEASES. prominent symptoms there is a striking resemblance. Such ulcerations are very rare indeed in dogs; and when occurring in them they are almost always due to foreign bodies lodged in the nose, or to injuries, as from a blow, in which bones or cartilages therein are broken, and there is necrosis or death of the former. A purulent, foul-smelling discharge, offensive breath, and more or less ob- struction to breathing through the nose, are the symptoms indicative of this trouble. There is also, as a rule, notable impairment of the general health. As the actual cause can rarely be determined except by thorough examina- tion of the nasal passages, the services of a professional will be required, and treatment should be left to him; but even an unskilled person would be justi- fied in exploring the nasal passages for the purpose of determining if there is an obstruction, provided always he used a piece of small rubber tubing, such as that attached to certain kinds of infants’ nursing-bottles. With it he could not do harm. He ought, moreover, be able to detect obstruction ; and where the same is a foreign body and not deeply embedded in swollen tissues, he might possibly push it back into the throat, from which it would be speedily expelled. In any case in which professional assistance cannot be obtained, it would be advisable to explore the nasal passages by this means, and follow the opera- tion with daily injections of the peroxide of hydrogen, as recommended when worms are lodged in the nose. OZANA. Ozzena, often termed stink-nose, is a chronic disease, which is generally classed as one of the varieties of nasal catarrh, but scarcely with propriety, for its source is not in the nasal passages, but in adjacent cavities, although it manifests itself by an extremely fetid, offensive discharge from the former. This complaint has its origin in a catarrhal inflammation in some one of the stated cavities. The secretion in the same soon becomes pus, which, being re- tained, undergoes degeneration. Escaping from the place of formation, it runs into the nasal passages, where it accumulates and forms foul-smelling masses, which are only expelled with difficulty, and but rarely until they have been retained four or five days. And as soon as they are removed, other masses speedily fill their places. This discharge and an equally offensive breath are the pronounced symptoms of the disease ; and with them there is generally quite persistent sneezing. The breathing through the nose may be obstructed, but not necessarily at all times ; for after the accumulated masses have'been discharged there is seldom any con- siderable impediment to breathing through the nose until others are formed. Nor is careful examination of the nasal passages, which some authors urge should be WORMS IN THE NOSE. 61 made, likely to reveal the cause; for it is not located in them, but, as stated, in some accessory cavity, and therefore out of sight. Fortunately this disease is but rarely encountered among dogs; also, that it can scarcely be mistaken ; for although offensive discharges from the nose are characteristic of “ Ulcerations in the Nasal Cavities,” and ‘“‘ Worms in the Nose,” those affections have peculiarities which are quite distinctive. If the disease is of recent origin it can be cured, but the gain will be slow; whereas if it has existed long the outlook is very unfavorable. It is believed by some able investigators that the actual cause of this disease is a specific organism or germ, and one of them has recently claimed to have es- tablished its identity. But the question of etiology must remain an open one until experiments have proved this or similar claims. However, the germ theory is highly probable, and treatment can rightly be applied in accordance with it. The peroxide of hydrogen promises best, and should be used — in solution of the same strength and as often — as advised for “ Worms in the Nose.” WORMS IN THE NOSE. Now and then worms make their way out of the stomach and up into the nasal passages. But such accidents are extremely rare. Another, also very rare, is the appearance of the maggots in these cavities. In the first instance, sneezing, pawing at the nose, and similar evidences that it is seriously disturbed, are the signs manifested ; and very generally the intruders are quickly dislodged by the vigorous efforts of the host. Not so, however, with maggots or so-called screw- worms, which fasten themselves to the mucous membrane, and considerable force is required to detach them. When fully developed, the screw-worm is three-quarters of an inch long and about an eighth of an inch thick. It is made up of segments, between which there are rings of bristles. These cause some resemblance to a screw; hence the name. Where the worms have invaded the nose they have been found in large num- bers, — over three hundred in one instance. After a time they usually set up a bleeding, which proves very obstinate, and exhibits a very decided tendency to recur at frequent intervals, if not persist. When this is absent there is a con- stant discharge of a malodorous, watery fluid from the nose and mouth. The eyes are usually swollen, and perhaps nearly closed; while the parts anterior to them are puffed out, rendering the expression hideous. They are immediately killed by chloroform applied by means of an atomizer, but a highly efficacious treatment is syringing the nose with the peroxide of hydrogen. This should be diluted with three parts water; for were it used full strength the foaming caused might choke the patient. 62 KENNEL DISEASES. As a rule, only two or three such applications will be required, and on suc- cessive days; but they should be kept up, once daily, as long as the maggots are being discharged. The parasite pentastoma tenioides sometimes invades the nose ; and while gen- erally it causes a severe form of coryza, it may be present in the sinuses of the forehead and excite grave brain symptoms and death without producing any noticeable nasal trouble. Such brain symptoms also usually bear a close resem- blance to the most pronounced signs of rabies, —as intense excitement, snap- ping and biting, and even paralysis of the lower jaw. Their essential treatment has been described in the discussion of Coryza. NASAL POLYPUS. A mucous or gelatinous polypus is a tumor which springs from some small point on the lining membrane of the nasal cavity, and grows with more or less rapidity until it fills the nasal passage and closes the opening. It is a soft and jelly-like mass of a grayish color, and mainly composed of mucin, the principal constituent of mucus. In extremely rare instances dogs are victims of these tumors; and when so the fact is readily perceived if they are of goodly size, for they-protrude from the nostrils, and especially in damp weather, when they absorb moisture and swell considerably. Small polypi, however, are not easily made out; but obstructed respiration through the nose, stuffiness, frequent sneezing, and a constant dis- charge of clear watery fluid from one nostril, would suggest their presence. Removal by means of wire snares is the proper treatment for nasal polypus in man; but an expert is required for the operation, which if not skilfully per- formed will seldom prove effectual, for unless the tumor is all removed it gener- ally reproduces itself. Such operation, however, and as successful, in a dog is almost wholly out of the question ; and the treatment advisable is to inject into the tumor, with a hypodermic syringe, a solution of tannin and water — twenty grains to a drachm — which will generally cause it to shrivel, dry up, and even- tually come away. SECTION II. DISEASES OF THE BLOOD AND CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. CHAPTER I. ANZGMIA. ANMIA, commonly termed poverty of the blood, is an abnormal condition characterized either by a diminution in the quantity of the blood or a deficiency in one or more of its constituents. It is often found in poorly arranged or badly managed kennels — particularly among the young, delicate, and highly bred — where the atmosphere is damp or vitiated by filth, sunlight cannot enter as it ought, or there are displayed careless and erratic methods, and especially poor judgment in feeding. An excess of starchy foods and insufficient meat, prolonged suckling of litters, too frequent whelpings, imperfect digestion, and lack of exercise, are a few of the many influences that are capable of producing anemia. To this list may be added short and severe or long-continued but slight hemorrhages, persistent diarrhoea, or attacks of other debilitating affections ; also parasites, both external and internal, the former slowly undermining the general health by their constant annoyance, and the latter abstracting no small part of the nutriment which should go to nourish their hosts. In dogs affected with anemia the mucous membranes of the mouth, gums, and lips have lost their bright red color and become pale ; the tongue is no longer moist, as in health. Its color also has changed and become pale or light pinkish. In severe cases the temperature of the body is below the normal; the action of the heart is feeble and irregular; consequently the pulse is small, unsteady, weak, and quite rapid. The respiration is more frequent, and even comparatively slight exertion causes distress and panting. There is loss of strength; and now and then it would seem as though but little power remained in the legs, because of a decided tendency to drag the feet instead of lift them fairly. The manner of the victim is languid, indifferent, and listless; his skin is dry, and has lost its smooth- ness and elasticity, while his coat is harsh and rough, his urine scanty, and bow- els are quite generally sluggish and inactive. There is, moreover, a lack of functional energy in all important organs of the body, also in vital processes, as 63 * 64 KENNEL DISEASES. digestion, which is decidedly impaired. Unusual excitability of the nervous system exists, and consequently convulsions are easily induced. Anzmia may be associated with and dependent upon other diseases which involve an undue expenditure of blood constituents, and manifestly they must be duly considered in adjusting the treatment. In simple, uncomplicated anemia the patient should be as healthfully placed as possible, —in dry, clean, well- lighted and well-ventilated quarters. His food should be nutritious and easily digestible, also generous in quantity; and, as a rule, it should consist largely of meat, a goodly proportion of which should be fed raw. Vegetables need not, however, be withheld; indeed, considering the sluggish condition of his kidneys and bowels, greens especially are indicated for their peculiar effects. Fish and eggs are wholesome accessory foods. Good rich milk may be allowed now and then, but if given often and in large quantities its effect would be prejudicial. Of the various tonics the iron preparations are the most serviceable in this affection. The tincture of iron may be given in the following doses, three times daily with the food :— For largest breeds, twenty drops; medium size, fifteen drops; fox-terriers and the like, ten drops; toys, five drops. Each dose should be diluted in from one to two tablespoonfuls of water. Where the appetite is poor, the addition of quinine is advisable, and the tonic may wisely be the citrate of iron and quinine in doses as follows : — For largest breeds, five grains; medium size, three grains; fox-terriers and the like, two grains; toys, one grain. Each dose ought to be in pill form; and one pill three times daily with the food should be the rule. In very high-strung and nervous subjects the elixir of calisaya, iron, and strychnia is indicated, and may be given three times daily, with the food, in the following doses : — For largest breeds, one teaspoonful; medium size, three-fourths of a tea- spoonful; fox-terriers and such, one-half a teaspoonful ; toys, fifteen drops. Of ferruginous preparations quite the best are those in which the iron is combined with manganese, because they are well borne by the stomach, which is not the case with many other forms of iron. Such combinations are on the mar- ket under various names, and a wise choice can be easily made with the assis- tance of the druggists patronized. The dose can also be readily adjusted. If it is one tablespoonful for adults, the same may be given to largest breeds; three- fourths to dogs of medium size; one-half to fox-terriers and the like; one-fourth to toys. Another very excellent preparation, when honestly made, is the beef, iron, and wine ; and it is especially adapted to very delicate subjects, to which it may be given every three hours. Eczema is present in many cases of anemia, and for such the arseniate of ¥ PLETHORA. 65 iron promises well. Pills of various strengths can be obtained ; and those con- taining about one-eighth of a grain will be right for largest breeds, about one- fifteenth for medium size; one-thirtieth for fox-terriers and the like; one-fiftieth for toys. It should be given three times daily with the food. Faithful grooming, massage, and ample exercise in pure air, assist much in enriching the blood and restoring the health. PLETHORA. In general terms plethora is the opposite of anemia. That is, instead of too little blood or a deficiency of some of its normal constituents, there is too much blood or it is too rich in certain of its component parts, as red corpuscles or hemoglobin. A plethoric dog is round and plump but not necessarily fat. His blood-ves- sels are full, and the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose are continually of that deep red color which ordinarily appears only after long runs. His heart’s action is unusually powerful, and pulse full and strong ; while, as a rule, he has a dull, heavy, indolent, or sluggish manner, and is decidedly averse to making much exertion. Such a dog in early life is more liable than others to fall a victim to acute inflammatory diseases, and after middle age, to various chronic diseases, and especially cancer. Dogs that have strong digestion are apt to become plethoric if they eat too much, and the chances of that change are greater if hard work is not done. It is among the largest breeds that this trouble is most often found, because they are the least active ; and although they may exercise much, they rarely do so vio- lently, and the slow work, as walking, they get really favors their acquiring an -over-abundance of blood; whereas the medium size or small breeds walk but little and often run hard and fast, unless of course they are pampered house-pets. Thus in them the waste is greater, and even if food is taken in excess it is used ‘up or carried out of the system, instead of being left to unduly augment blood and tissues. , Aside from its tendency to cause congestions and favor indolent habits, plethora has certain penalties, one of the most serious of which is the liability to skin eruptions, notably eczema. Indigestion and so-called biliousness are also likely in time to be associated. To remedy the trouble is easy. The daily amount of food allowed should be of reasonable quantity only ; and if the diet has consisted too largely of meat, which is generally the case, the proportion should be reduced somewhat, and vegetables, especially greens, substituted. In the beginning of the treatment a laxative may be required. 66 KENNEL DISEASES. Ample exercise is of great importance, but it must be properly regulated ; not be too severe at first, and increased gradually, for otherwise the consequences might be disastrous. HEART-DISEASES. The heart is a hollow, muscular organ, the engine of circulation, or the for- cing-pump which keeps the current of blood in motion. It is partitioned to con- tain four chambers or cavities. The two on each side communicate with each other, but there is no connection between the sides. Each chamber has two openings, an inlet and an outlet; and these are provided with valves, which open to admit the entrance of the blood, and close tightly to prevent its return. The passage of the blood through the heart is easily described. It returns by the veins from the different parts of the body and enters the upper cavity on the right side. When that is filled its walls contract and impel its contents into the lower cavity; the walls of which in turn contract and force the blood into and along the great artery of the lungs. That blood, which was dark and impure when it entered the lungs, soon leaves them bright and pure, and returns to the heart; this time entering it on the left side. From the upper to the lower cavity it passes, as on the other side, and is then delivered into the arteries and dis- tributed throughout the body. Thus the movement of the blood through the - heart is accomplished by alternate contractions and relaxations of its muscular walls, and each of these successive movements is called a beat or pulsation. The base of this vital organ is so attached that it is securely held in place, while its tip or apex is freely movable and knocks gently against the inside of the chest. To avoid friction it is enclosed in a sack called the pericardium, formed by two layers of a thin membrane, the inner surfaces of which are as smooth as satin, and ‘at all times made slippery by a fluid that is poured upon them. If the ear be placed to the chest directly over the apex of the heart, when the beat is felt two sounds will be heard. These are believed to be caused by the closure of the valves. The first is louder and stronger than the second. This and other differences in character between them are attributed to the differ- ences in the arrangement of the two sets of valves. In disease of the heart, during the course of or following which either of the valves become defective, the heart-sounds in question are changed. There is a slight difference in the sound made by the shutting of the valves, due to imperfect closure of them, or an unnatural sound is added; and this is produced by the current of blood as it passes through one or more of the orifices of the heart at which the valves are located, and is in consequence of those openings being diminished in size. That narrowing of the openings is one of the products of disease, and generally due VALVULAR DISEASE. 67 to atrophy, calcareous degeneration, or calcareous or fibrinous deposits on the lining membrane. The difficulties in the way of detection of heart-disease with near certainty are great, for the evidence is mainly in the heart-sounds; and only a very slight modification may be positive proof of a fatal malady. The ear, therefore, must be relied upon in making a diagnosis, and it must necessarily be very highly trained. In man one sound is fairly sharp and distinct; the other is compara- tively dull and prolonged. First provided with a good anatomical and physio- logical knowledge of the heart, and afforded abundant material and opportunity to listen to and study different hearts in healthy men, one after a time becomes able to detect abnormalities in the sounds and draw right conclusions ; but such advance is slow, tedious and far from easy. Yet the study of the heart of dogs is attended with far greater difficulties than that of man, for in the former, even during perfect health, the sounds are indistinct and incomplete. It cannot, therefore, be encouraged, or this discussion be rightly more than a brief and passing notice. VALVULAR DISEASE. Inflammation of the heart affects chiefly either its lining membrane or the membrane that covers it, to which allusion has been made, called the pericardium. The former is termed endocarditis and the latter pericarditis. Both forms of heart inflammation occur most often during acute inflammatory rheumatism. En- docarditis generally affects the valves of the left side of the heart; and one or both of them may be so distorted that they either do not close perfectly or the openings they control become contracted. In consequence of imperfect closure of a valve, more or less of the blood that has passed through it flows back; while a contraction of an orifice retards the passage of blood. Such defects interfere with circulation, and to compensate for them the heart must work harder or . faster, or both. As a result it first undergoes hypertrophy; and after the limit of that change has been reached, the walls of the organ become dilated, and con- sequently weakened. In the meantime the entire organism is more or less dis- turbed by the cardiac abnormality, although it may exist for a long time without causing grave symptoms. Endocarditis is now believed by many to be of germ origin, one or more germs being invariably accountable for its production. When following inflammatory rheumatism, valvular changes may begin within a few months and progress quite rapidly ; but, as a rule, it is not until several years after the rheumatic attack that little growths, somewhat like warts, spring up from the lining membrane on or near the valves, or the openings they guard commence tonarrow. These changes well advanced, the symptoms induced are unduly quick- 68 KENNEL DISEASES. ened and labored heart action after exertion, also hurried and difficult respiration, blueness of the lips and mucous membranes elsewhere, digestive and nutritive dis- turbances, and finally kidney complication and dropsy. Notwithstanding serious defects in the valves and obstructions in circulation, for which there is no cure, the victim may live and be in seemingly fair health for several years. HYPERTROPHY OF THE HEART. As previously stated, when its valves are defective or there is resistanee to the passage of the blood, the heart is forced to work harder to maintain proper circulation ; and to enable it to meet the increased demands it slowly enlarges or undergoes hypertrophy, up to a certain point. Hypertrophy may, however, result from habitually excessive exertion, as in coursing and jumping. Quite invariably this change is at first uniform, all parts alike undergoing enlargement; and if the heart were not forced to over-labor very hard, it would likely remain merely larger than normal, and not experience any change that could lessen its powers or be prejudicial to health. In other words, were it well nourished, allowed in- tervals of rest, —the excessive exertion occurring only occasionally and not habit- ually, —and the increased demands stopped within certain limits, like any other muscle the heart would grow with exercise, and there be nothing really abnormal in its enlargement. But, as a rule, when forced to labor unduly, and always where the blood does not circulate as it ought because of valvular obstruction, the trouble that occasions the overwork grows steadily more pronounced and serious; therefore the enlargement must continue after the safety-lines have been reached. It is then not limited to muscular growth and thickening of the walls. . The latter become steadily thinner, and the heart is stretched or dilated, and in corresponding degree it weakens continuously. Only a professional can determine when hypertrophy of the heart exists. Manifestly the proper treatment for it is to lessen the amount of work and exercise. FATTY DEGENERATION OF THE HEART. When dogs become obese, fat is deposited throughout the system, no part being exempt from the infliction. In the heart, as well as in the kidneys, liver and other organs, it is embedded, and invariably seriously weakens if its amount is considerable and sufficient to interfere with organic workings. It is a well- known fact that a lean muscle is stronger and more enduring than one that has had a considerable proportion of its fibres displaced by oil globules or fat; and PERICARDITIS. 69 certainly the heart is no exception. A small amount of infiltration may not have serious effect; but beyond limits, reached when the subject is much over-weight and the change has long existed, the heart is very liable to give way if any un- usual and excessive demand is made upon it, as when a dog is forced to follow for considerable distance a rapidly moving team. Fatty degeneration may occur previous to middle life, but until then it is rarely of import so serious that sudden death is liable to occur from failure of the heart or rupture of its walls under intense strain. Occurring in early life and with general obesity, the fat can be withdrawn from the heart and its ill effects largely obviated, provided it has not been very long there. The essential treatment is the same as that demanded in obesity, exercise being carefully adjusted during its application. PALPITATION OF THE HEART. In some breews oftener than in others, and especially in dogs that have been much inbred, the heart beats much more rapidly and violently under exercise than it ought, considering the exertion and excitement. Oftentimes also in such subjects there is rapid heart action without apparent cause. This condi- tion existing in the absence of disease of the heart, the trouble is a functional disturbance merely, which in mankind is termed palpitation. Dogs exhibiting it are, as a rule, excessively nervous and easily thrown into convulsions. It is therefore advisable to manage such differently than others not similarly affected. There is always a danger of allowing them too much meat, and the quantity should be carefully restricted, while vegetables and starchy food should be largely relied upon. Manifesting as they do a general tendency to immoderation, in the matter of exercise especially they should be under wholesome restraint. While medicines may not appear necessary, cod-liver oil, one of the best nerve-foods, can always be wisely given for several weeks; and under its use the subjects are quite sure to “steady down” somewhat, and greatly improve generally. PERICARDITIS. While inflammation of the pericardium generally occurs with acute rheuma- tism, it may result from cold, injury to the chest, — as from a kick or blow,— or arise as a complication of any severe infectious or inflammatory attack, espe- cially pleuritis and pleuro-pneumonia. 7O KENNEL DISEASES. In the first stage of the disease the affected membrane is inflamed, hot and dry, and its surfaces are no longer slippery as in health. After one or two days an unusual quantity of fluid is poured over them into the sack. If great, this effusion interferes with the action of the heart, which is also often displaced by it. The breathing is difficult and labored, and there is generally quite high fever. If the ear is then placed to the chest the heart-sounds either cannot be heard or are muffled, and appreciable only with difficulty. The pulse is soft, weak and irregular ; there is frequent sighing, the lips are purplish, while in extreme cases the legs soon become dropsical. In such, also, the chest in the region of the heart may be puffed with dropsical swelling. True dropsy of the pericardium, termed hydro-pericardium, frequently occurs with dropsical effusions elsewhere, in valvular diseases of the heart, diseases of the kidney and liver, intense anemia, and occasionally late in severe distemper. After the inflammation has set in, and until the effusion has taken place, the dry surfaces of the membrane constituting the sack give off a friction-sound, as they rub together with each pulsation and movement of the heart. This sound disappears as soon as the effusion forms. In dropsy of the pericardium, how- ever, this rubbing-sound and fever are absent. Even were it possible for a non-professional to detect with certainty the pres- ence of pericarditis, professional assistance would be required in treatment, for in the majority of cases it is necessary to draw out the fluid by means of a trocar and canula. The former is a pointed, rod-like instrument, usually about one- fourth of an inch in diameter and some three inches in length. The canula isa thin tube which is fitted over the trocar as tightly as possible and yet be easily removable. Both are driven into the cavity to be tapped. Then the trocar is withdrawn, while the canula is left in the puncture to conduct off the fluid. If the professional assistant be a physician who is not well up in the anatomy of the dog, it will likely be necessary to advise him that during the operation the dog should be on his feet, or at least on his forefeet, and that the point at which the trocar should be entered is generally between the seventh and eighth ribs, quite near the median line. In health the heart commonly reaches to the seventh rib, but in pericarditis it is more or less deplaced, while the sack enclosing it is distended. Therefore the place of puncture stated ought to be right. If, how- ever, it is not so, the fact can be easily determined by percussion. Were a mild case of pericarditis encountered, in which the effusion was not great, surgical interference might not be demanded, and medical treatment alone suffice. In such it would be necessary to paint the chest over the heart with the tincture of iodine, or apply blisters, and administer a preparation that is laxative and includes digitalis in some form; the special object being to render the kidneys and bowels more active. ANEURISM. 71 ANEURISM. An enlargement of a part of an artery from the bursting of its inner and middle coats is termed aneurism. The outer, fibrous coat stretching, a sack is formed, in which a portion of the blood coagulates solidly. This may happen on any artery, yet the accident is very rare in dogs. In consequence of disease, the inner coats of the affected artery may become weakened, when they rupture more easily ; but in most cases the cause of their giving way is a sudden and great strain, such as may occur from a fall from a considerable height, or be the result of intense effort, as a long, hard run. Aneurism is but rarely detected during life. Its progress is slow, occupying generally several years before its fatal end; and but little can be done to stay its progress. SECTION III. AFFECTIONS OF THE MOUTH AND TONGUE. CHAPTER I. DENTITION. In puppies the eruption of the teeth is not attended by any of those disturbing symptoms so often noted in children. Commencing soon after birth, it goes on rapidly, and generally by the end of the first month the temporary or milk-teeth are through. These are twenty-eight in number, and consist of twelve incisors, four canines, and twelve molars, evenly divided between the jaws. Like the first teeth of children, they are much less dense and durable than those which come later; moreover, they are smaller and sharper, and set wider apart. The shedding of these teeth commences about the fourth month, and they may all be replaced by the permanent set in the course of a month or six weeks; but generally this final dentition ends in the sixth month, although in some instances it is not completed before the eighth month. The permanent teeth are forty-two in number; and in the upper jaw there are six incisors, two canines, and twelve molars ; while in the lower jaw there is the same number of each kind, excepting the molars, of which there are two more, or fourteen. But the number of permanent teeth may exceed forty-two ; indeed, as many as eight supernumeraries have appeared irregularly in the jaws; but this is far from common, and seldom are more than one or two such found. AFFECTIONS OF THE TEETH. That the teeth are but a part of the one great system, and, like all organs and functions, to some extent at least, they share in the general health and in- firmities, is a fact which many people fail to appreciate until pain has forced it upon them. Strangely, ere that they evidently consider these highly important parts as separable, and incapable of injury excepting when it is inflicted directly 72 AFFECTIONS OF THE TEETH. 73 upon them. Yet there are infinitely many influences, seemingly far removed, which may seriously affect them and cause early decay. A healthy dog, properly cared for, should have good, sound teeth until well into the evening of life; but let him acquire a serious constitutional defect which persists, then impairment of them is certain. It is also assured if the food is not wisely chosen during puppyhood ; for that which is of right quality is quite as urgently needed for good tooth-bone and enamel as for other and seemingly more important parts of the body structure. Even after maturity, if the food is for a long time deficient in certain elements, the integrity of the teeth must decline. Again, there are elements which in excess will in time produce the same result. As for instance, a dog fed much on sweets can scarcely escape indigestion, and with that trouble, some of the starch and sugar of the food must undergo ace- tous fermentation; and the acid resulting, finding its way into the mouth and remaining there for a time, is sure to act very unpleasantly on the tooth-enamel. It has been customary for writers to urge that bones be given dogs fre- quently, that by the means of them their teeth may be kept clean; but, unfortu- nately, the majority have failed to emphasize the fact that bones suitable for the purpose are those only which are porous and capable of being easily crushed, while on the dense and hard, the teeth are broken or worn away, as on stones. Such is the shape of the teeth of dogs, they are not very favorable for the lodgment of particles of food, and any that may happen to be retained be- tween them is likely to be soon displaced by gnawing. But if allowed only soft foods, fibres of meat and vegetable substances get between the teeth, and these, undergoing partial decay, become nests, as it were, for parasites that make their home on the surfaces and in the depressions and cracks of the teeth. Likewise by degrees is formed tartar, which is largely made up of lime salts. If this deposit is allowed to accumulate it causes inflammation and softening of the gums ; and extending toward the roots, the teeth in time are loosened by it. As intimated, it is a serious mistake to give dogs hard bones, for they will persistently gnaw on them; and all the wear being on the ends of the front teeth, they must in time be worn down to a level with the gums, and more than likely some of them will be broken off. Soft bones or others that he can crush easily, as the ribs and backbones of sheep, etc., constitute the dog’s natural toothbrush, and such alone should be given him. Kept clean by them, the teeth will remain sound for many years if the general health continues good. When tartar forms it should be removed, and this can easily be done by means of a penknife. If decay has begun its progress may be materially ob- structed if thereafter the food is wisely chosen and the victim placed under good hygienic conditions. Should extraction of a tooth seem demanded, let the opera- tion be invariably performed by a dentist. Toothache is indicated by restlessness and irritability. The victim eats slowly, 74 KENNEL DISEASES. and either rejects the hard pieces of his food or swallows them in haste without mastication. There is more or less dribbling from the corners of his mouth. He is decidedly opposed to an examination, and resists if one is attempted. Sometimes the gum around the aching tooth is swollen, or pus exudes ; but if no outward sign appears, the offender is easily located by means of a blunt piece of metal, as an ordinary key or anything of the sort. Tapping the teeth gently with this, when the right one is struck the dog will wince or struggle to break away, and likely howl with pain, while for a time afterward he will go about with his mouth open. STOMATITIS. Catarrhal stomatitis is an acute inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth, manifested by redness, heat, swelling, and at first dryness, but soon thereafter by greatly increased secretion. It may be limited to the lips and gums, or the lining of the whole mouth may be inflamed, and even the coated tongue be considerably swollen. With extensive and severe inflammation there usually appears minute blisters inside the swollen cheeks and lips, which sub- sequently burst and leave small superficial ulcers. In rare instances this affection is attributable to teething. Quite often it is an accompaniment of long and exhausting fevers, digestive disorders, and throat troubles ; but generally it is caused by sharp splinters of bones, decayed teeth, or caustic poisons. The victim of it eats slowly and carefully, and usually leaves untouched the large and hard pieces of his food ; while from the corners of his mouth there is a constant dribbling of saliva or mucus. To effect a cure it is necessary for a time to limit the diet to liquid or very soft foods that do not require mastication. The same should also be bland and easily digestible, as milk, beef-tea, boiled rice, etc. Oftentimes half a tea- spoonful of powdered sulphur, dropped between the lips and gums every two hours, reduces the inflammation very speedily ; and it should be tried. It is also advisable to swab or paint, twice daily, all inflamed parts with a solution made by adding two teaspoonfuls of the tincture of myrrh to a teacupful of water. This being non-poisonous, it can be used freely. A more potent application, which should be resorted to if simple measures have failed, is the glycerite of tannin, which should be applied twice daily with a camel’s-hair brush. Aphthous stomatitis is a variety of the catarrhal form, characterized by the eruption of vesicles or blisters upon the edge of the tongue, lips, or inside of the cheeks. These rupture in the course of a day or two, leaving aphthous ulcers, which are usually of about the size of peas, slightly raised, and surrounded by yellowish-white bases, circling each of which is a narrow red ring. In some STOMATITIS. 75 cases the number of ulcers is small, — only two or three, — but generally there: are fifteen or twenty, or even more. Catarrhal stomatitis is associated with this form, and appears in patches which encompass the ulcers; or the lining of the whole mouth may be inflamed. The ulcers are reluctant to heal, and rarely do so within a week; while generally they resist treatment for two or three weeks. They are evidently quite painful, and in consequence the victims must be persuaded to take food. The tongue is furred; the digestive organs as a rule are more or less disordered; constipation commonly alternates with diarrhcea; there is often slight fevers in severe cases ; dribbling of saliva is constant ; and the breath very offensive. Puppies much oftener suffer from aphthous stomatitis than mature dogs ; and it exhibits a very decided preference for those that are but indifferently cared for, and are therefore ill nourished and weakly. Of the causation nothing positive is known. The trouble is generally ac- cepted to be due directly to mechanical or chemical irritation, or possibly to poisons developed by germs ; while malnutrition, teething, disorders of the organs concerned in digestion, poor blood, and impairment of the health generally, are numbered among the predisposing causes. The blandest foods, liquid or soft, are indicated, and of them the poorly nour- ished should be persuaded to eat as heartily as possible. To promote healing of the ulcers, it is advisable to first very lightly touch them with stick nitrate of sil- ver. Afterward the treatment may be the same as that advised for catarrhal stomatitis. In most cases medicines to correct digestive or other derangements will be required. Ulcerative or fetid stomatitis is a much more serious affection than either of the forms of stomatitis just described. It is characterized by a specific ulcera- tive inflammation of the gums and mucous membrane of the mouth, which tends to extend widely and deeply, and is attended with a very offensive odor of the breath. The disease starts, as a rule, at the edge of the gums opposite the lower in- cisor teeth, and gradually spreads backward. The gums are swollen, deeply red, painful to the touch, and bleed easily. In the course of two or three days the inflamed parts change in color and become dark purplish and greenish ; there is constant oozing of blood from them, and abscesses form. These break and leave deep and ragged ulcers surrounding the necks of the teeth. This inflam- mation, which is gangrenous, persisting, the teeth loosen and may fall out; while in protracted cases the covering of the jaw-bone is likely to become inflamed, and necrosis or death of portions of the bone occur. There is profuse salivation, the discharge of mucus being offensive, while the breath is very foul. The tongue is heavily coated, but only in exceptional cases is it swollen ; while the neighboring tissues are commonly involved by the inflammation. Hemorrhages 76 KENNEL DISEASES. from the gums are frequent. Aphthous ulcers are sometimes present, and the glands of the neck, under the jaw, are generally much enlarged. The appetite evidently continues fairly good, but comparatively little is eaten, however, owing to the difficulty in mastication and swallowing; and when food is taken, it is generally bolted in haste. Constitutional signs, seldom absent, are those of a lowered state of vitality. The evidence of malnutrition is plain, there is loss in weight, and the coat is dry and rough. Attacks of vomiting or an offensive diarrhcea occur now and then, and they appear due to swallowing the putrid fluids of the mouth. Ulcerative stomatitis generally attacks old dogs having badly decayed teeth, although young dogs are not exempt from the malady. Among the causes as- signed are general neglect, unhygienic conditions, insufficient or unsuitable nourishment, and like influences detrimental to health. It has followed severe attacks of infectious diseases; and occurring in epidemics, that it is sometimes of microbic origin is easily believed. In young dogs a cure may be expected under proper treatment, but in old subjects the outlook is not good, especially if there has been necrosis of the jaw-bone. Generally tonics are indicated. In all cases the food should be as nutritious as possible, also generous in quantities. To combat the offensive odor, the mouth should be swabbed with a solution of permanganate of potas- sium, — four grains, to water, one ounce, — or with the peroxide of hydrogen di- luted with three or four parts of water. The glycerite of tannin may be wisely applied quite generously to the gums; and if the ulcerations are very reluctant to heal, it will be advisable to occasionally paint them with a solution of the nitrate of silver —ten grains, to water, one ounce. Internally the following may be given: Chlorate of potassium, two drachms; dilute hydrochloric acid, one drachm; water, four ounces. This should be administered every two hours; and in teaspoonful doses to all excepting toys, for which one-half a teaspoonful will be sufficient. Another form of stomatitis, even more severe than the ulcerative, is the gan- grenous, which is termed “canker of the mouth” by some writers on canine diseases. This sometimes starts in a swelling on the jaw,—a “gumboil,” as commonly called. It may also appear first on the inside of the cheek as a nod- ule or “bunch.” Wherever located, the swelling increases rapidly, and soon rupture occurs and there is a discharge of blood and pus having an exceedingly offensive odor. The swelling subsides somewhat, but there is left a dark, ragged and sloughing ulcer, which spreads quite rapidly, and discharges shreds of decayed tissues. Located on the inside of the cheek, it soon “eats” its way through the same, presenting a most unhealthy wound. Considering its peculiar appearance and the most intolerable stench emitted, there is no mistaking its gangrenous char- acter; while the general symptoms stamp it a malady of exceeding gravity. SWOLLEN GUMS. a7 It runs a very rapid course, and almost always to a fatal end. The exciting cause is probably microbic. Mercurial stomatitis sometimes occurs in dogs as a result of too large doses of calomel or other mercurials, too protracted treatment with small doses, or absorption from applications containing them. It is first of catarrhal form, and may end in that, or it may become ulcerative stomatitis; this, however, is but very rarely the result. SWOLLEN GUMS. In occasional instances the gums are swollen, soft, spongy, sensitive, and disposed to bleed easily. A like condition in man indicates scurvy, and in the dog it is evidence that the general health is much below the normal; also, as a tule, that he is not properly fed or otherwise rightly cared for. In such cases the breath is usually offensive, in consequence of digestive dis- turbances, and especially that rather vague condition commonly known as bil- iousness. There is also a change in demeanor, the victims being rather dull and listless, if not obstinate and sulky, while the appetite is poor. The trouble is but rarely encountered except in house-pets, fed unwisely and to excess, and deprived of sufficient exercise. In this fact appears the essen- tials in the way of treatment. It should begin with a generous cathartic, as mag- nesia or the syrup of buckthorn. For several days afterward the diet should be of the starvation sort; that is, but little food and only at long intervals. Two meals daily will be ample, and the first may rightly consist of new milk or butter-milk — the latter for choice; while for the heartiest meal of the day — at night— lean meat, either raw or cooked, chopped fine, and in quantity about one-fourth the proportion of other foods would be right. As for the other in- gredients, they should be rice, Graham bread or crackers, and vegetables that grow above ground, if they can be obtained, as the various “ greens,” cabbage, etc. Exercise should be strictly enforced, the dog being obliged to walk a mile each day at first, then two miles, and so on until in condition for good long runs behind a horse. Of course, as he becomes stronger his food may be more gen- erous, and the proportion of meat considerably increased. Unless there are accumulations of tartar, which must be removed, local treat- ment will scarcely be required; yet it can do no harm, and may do some good, to rub the gums each day with tincture of myrrh. The remonstrance against the use of this will be, however, very energetic after the first application. 78 ‘KENNEL DISEASES. WARTS ON THE LIPS. Growths having the appearance and of the nature of warts frequently appear on the lips, and extend even to the gums. They are of various sizes, and tend to unite in groups. When in large numbers, usually a fetid odor is emitted. They bleed easily, and once wounded, the bleeding quite obstinately persists. Small warts, standing alone, can be safely removed by snipping with scissors; but in consequence of the bleeding tendency, it is generally necessary to lightly touch the stumps or wounds left with the nitrate of silver. Large growths had best be ligatured with silk or fine elastic cord; the ligature being tightly tied at the base, that it may cut its way through and the excrescences fall off. When in groups, two or three of the growths forming the same could be cut off each day,| until all were removed ; or they might be burned with caustic potassa or carbolic acid of full strength; the latter being usually the safest in the hands of the inexperienced, who should apply the acid in minute quantity by means of a sharpened pine stick or very small camel’s-hair brush. Another and even better method of treatment where the growths are of considerable size or in groups is to apply the following: Salicylic acid, one-half a drachm ; alcohol, one- half a drachm; sulphuric ether, one-half a drachm ; collodion, two and one-half drachms. By pressure with a soft cloth the growths should be first thoroughly dried, and then painted with this preparation, a small camel’s-hair brush being used. The applications should be made twice daily, and the mouth be kept open, with the lips apart, for several minutes, — until the “paint” is dry. Afterwards, over the parts treated, dry powdered sulphur should be freely dusted. Under this treatment, in the course of three or four days, the vitality of the excrescences ought to be destroyed ; and it should then be possible to pick them off, or easily pare them away with a knife. If the growths return, the following should be given internally: Precipitated sulphur, two drachms ; solution of arseniate of sodium, one and one-half drachms ; mucilage, one and one-half ounces; water, sufficient to make six ounces. Shake well, Dose: Two teaspoonfuls, morning and night, to dog of medium size ; three teaspoonfuls to largest breeds ; one teaspoonful to fox-terriers and the like ; and one-half a teaspoonful to toys. GLOSSITIS. Acute glossitis is an acute parenchymatous inflammation of the tongue, which comes on suddenly, usually with much severity and danger, and occasionally ends in abscess. The swelling is rapid; and although in some cases it is not GLOSSITIS. 79 very great, generally in the course of a few hours the tongue is double its nat- ural size, if not swollen sufficiently to threaten suffocation. Of deep red color and glistening at first, ere long it becomes purplish, and in time its covering is likely cracked and ulcerated. The lining membrane of the mouth shares in the inflammation, during the first stages of which it is very dry, and consequently the suffering greatly intensified ; but soon the salivary glands begin to pour out their secretion in generous qnantities ; and indeed, the salivation may be so pro- fuse that swallowing and even breathing are rendered difficult and distressing. The inflammation may reach its height in the course of three or four days and the swelling begin to subside, in which event it will have generally all dis- appeared by the end of a week; or suppuration may occur and abscesses form. These are usually located in the lower part of the tongue; and owing to its peculiar structure, they are never clearly defined, and except the persisting swell- ing, often there is no indication of their presence up to the time that they burst and discharge. Acute glossitis is generally caused by the stings or bites of insects, by wounds on the tongue produced by sharp slivers of bone, or by the action of corrosives. It is reasonable to assume that it may follow even slight injuries and lacerations of the tongue if through the latter there happen to be introduced inflammatory poisons or microbes. Where the swelling is great and consequently swallowing is difficult, it will generally be necessary to employ a rubber tube in feeding and administering medicines, the same being passed in over the tongue and down into the gullet. By this means, if not possible in the ordinary way, a brisk purge should be given as soon as the nature of the attack is evident. The mouth should then be con- stantly drenched with ice-water for several hours at least; and it would be advi- sable always to persist in this treatment if possible until the swelling begins to subside. If the suffering be very great or suffocation threatened, blood must be drawn from the tongue, the services of a professional being sought, who should be advised to “stab” it in several places with a knife having quite a narrow blade, if deep scarifications do not appear necessary. The swelling on the wane, the only treatment required will probably be the use of some soothing mouth-wash, as borax and water. Abscesses are serious complications. They should be opened early and washed out with some antiseptic solution. Milk and raw eggs must be mainly relied upon in feeding. The tongue is sometimes bitten during an attack of convulsions. Such in- juries and others of comparatively trifling character scarcely require treatment if inflammation does not set in, because repair goes on quickly in the mouth, but it may be advisable to paint the wounds a few times with the compound tincture of benzoin. 80 KENNEL DISEASES. Very rarely indeed does the tongue suffer from chronic inflammation or glos- sitis, and in nearly all, if not quite all, cases of it, the trouble is largely or wholly the consequence of inability to close the mouth, as after fracture of the jaw and faulty adjustment of the broken ends of the bone. The tongue is then habitu- ally quite dry, and its surface somewhat uneven and furrowed. There are on it also, between the furrows, patches of various size that are smooth and shiny. PARALYSIS OF THE TONGUE. Paralysis of the tongue without loss of power elsewhere is rare; but since it occurs, attention should be drawn to it, because when of considerable extent its innocent victims present really the most prominent sign of dumb rabies. More- over, the impairment is very depressing, and perverting the disposition of un- fortunates, it generally causes them in time to become dispirited, dull and sullen. Thus they are made to even more closely resemble sufferers from rabies. With only one-half of the tongue paralyzed, as is sometimes the case, it is carried to one side; but the loss being bilateral, — that is, on both sides, —it is always protruding ; and, constantly exposed to the air, it becomes dry and hard, also accumulates dirt, stray bits of wood, straw, etc. As a rule, the paralysis is due to some local change in structure, hence a cure is impossible ; and the outlook is equally unfavorable if it has existed more than a month and a gain under treatment has not taken place, for then the integrity of the affected muscles or nerves has become permanently injured. The only remedy which promises well is strychnia; yet rarely will that even have any notable effect. BLAIN. Blain is an acute affection of the tongue which is quite closely identified with, but not wholly confined to, horses and cattle, for now and then, but not often, it occurs in dogs. It is characterized by quite a severe inflammation of the tongue and an eruption of blisters on its sides and under surface. The blis- ters, or properly vesicles, which are bright red in color, remain as such for seve- ral days, then rupture and ulcers form in their places. These enlarge, tend to become indolent, or even gangrenous; and in time they discharge a purulent bloody matter that has a peculiar and very disagreeable odor. The flow of saliva and mucus is profuse. In some instances the tissues forming the floor of the mouth are involved and abscesses form there. Often also the glands of the neck are enlarged and painful. BLAIN. 81 This affection has generally been attributed to improper feeding, neglect, exposure, and like influences; but there are good grounds for the belief that the real cause in some, if not all, cases is a micro-organism; since the disease exhibits a decided preference for certain seasons of the year and occurs in epidemics. The treatment must be largely local, and powders are preferable to fluids as applications, for the reason that they remain longer in the mouth. Dry pow- dered sulphur, mixed with an equal quantity of white sugar, acts well, and half a teaspoonful of it can wisely be thrown well back under the tongue, three or four times daily, after the mouth has been cleaned by sponging. Borax is another serviceable remedy when mixed with four times its quantity of white sugar, and a “pinch” of goodly size could be dropped onto the sides of the tongue every half hour or hour, Should these simple measures prove ineffective, it will be advisable to seek the aid of a physician, who will rightly first “swab” the ulcers with a solution of cocaine, and then cauterize them. After which either of the powders mentioned may be used as before. Four or five days having passed without improvement, the cocaine and caus- tic should be again tried. Internal remedies addressed directly to the local trouble are rarely necessary, but if indicated, the mixture of chlorate of potassium recommended in Ulcerative Stomatitis may be administered. Considering the reluctance to take food in sufficient quantity, owing to the pain produced, it should be as concentrated and highly nourishing as possible, also given at shorter intervals than usual; while if the general health be im- paired, tonics must of course be resorted to. §2 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER II. PAROTITIS. Tue parotid glands are situated one on each side of the neck below the ear. Inflammation of them is rare excepting in cases in which they have been injured, as by a severe blow or kick; but sometimes they are the seat of an acute inflam- mation which presents many of the characteristics of mumps in man, including the indications of microbic origin. When attacked by inflammation, these glands, which in health can neither be seen nor felt, swell rapidly and become very painful. Soon they are much enlarged, while other glands of the neck are also generally more or less swollen sympathetically, and the shape of the stiffened neck is greatly changed. The head would seem to have grown much heavier, for it hangs low, and but rarely are attempts made to raise it. There is usually some but not high fever. Only little is eaten, evidently because of the difficulty in swallowing, and of solids all large pieces of food are rejected. The other salivary glands are usually involved in the inflammation, and the secretions increased ; but instead of being thin, as in ordinary salivation, the discharge from the mouth is thick and ropy. The duration of the disease is commonly about one week, after which, if complications do not occur, the swelling begins to subside, and has generally en- tirely disappeared before the end of the second week. But in some instances, instead of such favorable result, an abscess is formed in the gland, which runs the usual course, and finally ruptures if not interfered with. By this complication recovery is of course delayed and the suffering intensified, for the adjacent tis- sues share in the inflammation. It is advisable always to administer a purge early in the attack. To keep the patient quiet, in a comfortably heated and well-ventilated room, support him with bland liquid foods, and bathe his neck either with warm applications or some simple liniment, as soap liniment, is about all that is required in uncomplicated cases. If an abscess forms it should be opened by an knife when the right time comes ; and since all incisions in its locality tend to heal very quickly, it is gen- erally advisable to insert a drainage-tube to keep the cut open. If abscesses form in any other of the swollen salivary glands they should be treated in like manner. OBSTRUCTION OF THE G@SOPHAGUS. 83 RANULA. Tumors of various kinds may be found in the mouths of dogs, but the com- monest are the so-called encysted tumors, containing a thick, glairy liquid. They may form on the inner surface of the lips, but usually exist in the lower part of the mouth, under the tongue, where they are called ranula. When not disturbed by treatment they may reach considerable size and displace the tongue. They then interfere with swallowing, and even respiration. Their contents change in time, and become thick and cheese-like, or quite hard and dense. If these cysts cannot be entirely extirpated, which is best always, at least their contents and as much of their walls as possible should be removed. An- other process of treatment which may prove effectual is to make in them large openings, evacute their contents, and then inject into the sacks the tincture of iodine or a strong solution of one of the caustics, and thus cause them to shrivel, and their walls to unite. OBSTRUCTION OF THE CiSOPHAGUS. The pharynx is the upper part of what is sometimes termed the “ swallowing throat,” or passage from the mouth to the stomach, while the other and lower ‘part is the cesophagus. Together they constitute the so-called gullet. This tube or passage is sometimes narrowed by abscesses, enlarged glands, polypi, or other tumors pressing upon it; but in most instances in which it is obstructed it is by foreign bodies, and generally splinters of bones, fish-bones, or large pieces of meat, although attempts to swallow small stones, pieces of glass, and bits of wood are often made; while now and then corks, needles, buttons, and various other domestic articles find their way into the food when the same consists largely of waste and scraps from the table. When anything has stuck in the throat, as a rule, a sense of choking and fits of suffocative cough are produced ; -while if the substance is lodged lower down, the victim moves about restlessly, with his head and neck extended, and paws frequently at his neck over the place at which the trouble is located. Very gen- erally foreign bodies in the pharynx are rapidly coated with mucus, and either soon dislodged and expelled during fits of “ gagging” or vomiting, or they settle down a short distance into the cesophagus. The urgent signs of choking then subsides ; but the unfortunate is still very restless, and if the offending substance is large, he refuses to attempt to eat or drink. The lining of the throat is speedily inflamed by an obstructing body, and ulceration soon follows. Its removal is then more difficult; while in conse- 84 KENNEL DISEASES. quence of the distress, deprivation of food and drink, etc., general depression and weakness are steadily increasing. Anything in the throat can usually be felt inside or on the outside ; obstruc- tions can also generally be made out in the neck, unless they are quite low down in the passage and near the stomach. He who examines the inside of the throat should do so cautiously, lest he push the troublesome substance deeper into the passage; whereas not being firmly fixed, it might have been possible to easily remove it by way of the mouth. If, however, it be a large piece of meat or something equally as soft, or it cannot be reached and pulled out, it should be, if possible, pushed downward into the stomach. When it is found impossible to dislodge a foreign body upwards by means of the fingers or forceps, it is generally advisable to produce violent vomiting ; and if an emetic cannot be administered, a dose of apomorphia might be given sub- cutaneously, as recommended in cases of poisoning. Vomiting being ineffectual, and satisfied that its removal upwards is not pos- sible, efforts should be made to push the obstruction downward into the stomach. For this purpose the best means for a layman to employ is a flexible catheter or piece of rubber tubing of about the same diameter; for with it no harm can be done, whereas to use anything stiffer might be dangerous. While passing it, the mouth should be held wide open and the head extended. The instrument, having first been well lubricated with fresh lard, vaselin, or sweet oil, while being intro- duced should be kept against the roof of the mouth and back wall of the throat, that it may clear the larynx, which lies in front. The obstruction reached, if a tube is employed, it will be advisable to pass down through it a small quantity of sweet oil ; and then firm pressure should be kept up until the substance yields, or the fact is clear that it is too firmly impacted to be moved. When an obstruction can neither be dislodged upward nor downward, noth- ing remains but the operation known as cesophagotomy; which consists of cut- ting through the neck directly over the foreign body, and removing it by way of the incision. To a surgeon this would prove a very easy operation. He would not get union by first intention, therefore it would be useless to try for it; and it were best to keep the outer wound open for about a day. The patient should be deprived of food for at least forty hours. PHARYNGITIS. Only rarely is the pharynx the seat of disease, and then very generally the trouble is inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines it, known as pharyn- gitis. This affection is quite invariably of acute character; it is also in most PHARYNGITIS. 85 cases an extension of inflammation in the mouth, nasal passages, or larynx, be- hind which the pharynx is located. Occurring alone, as an individual affection, it iscommonly caused by some foreign body, as a sharp splinter of bone. A part of an inflammation elsewhere, the usual causes are those which give rise to the associated coryza, stomatitis, laryngitis, etc. The symptoms excited by any- thing unusual in the throat have been described in the discussion of obstruc- tions of the cesophagus. If a substance is lodged there, and especially if the same is sharp and cutting, the lining membrane is soon congested ; and then, although the most urgent of the symptoms disappear on its removal, some usually linger for a short time ; and those remaining may be quite severe enough to justify the fear that the offending body has not been dislodged. But having really been so, the inflammation produced by it will likely have all subsided in the course of two or three days. ; In pharyngitis without obstruction, and the attack severe, there is generally frequent hawking, drooling at the corners of the mouth, possibly a peculiar throat cough, enlargement of the glands of the neck, and difficulty in swallowing. The last mentioned, however, and a careful avoidance of large pieces of food, especially the hard, are sometimes the only notable signs. Further evidence of the throat trouble can then, usually, be developed by firmly pressing the neck immediately under the jaw; when if there is much inflammation within, the patient shrinks as though in pain, and for a moment coughs hoarsely. On examination of the throat, its lining appears brighter red than normal, and coated here and there with small yellowish-white clots. Excepting in mild cases, the throat seems narrowed because of the swelling, which, as a rule, affects the tonsils, and causes them to stand out quite prominently. In diphtheria the false membrane generally forms in some part of the phar- ynx ; and when in sight there is but little danger of mistaking its identity. Between the throat and adjacent parts and the stomach there exists such a decided sympathy that in case the former becomes inflamed the latter is simi- larly affected or much disordered. Excepting there be an obstruction in the throat, when of course the same ought to be removed as soon as possible, only rarely will treatment be demanded in pharyngitis, so speedy is its natural tendency to recovery ; but now and then the inflammation is so severe, hot applications to the front of the throat are neces- sary. After a faithful use of them for ten or fifteen minutes, it will be well to rub onto the neck either camphor or soap liniments, and swathe it with flannel or cotton wadding. If the inflammation within is very severe and the throat much swollen, all affected parts inside should be carefully painted, every two or three hours, with a mixture of chloral hydrate five grains, and glycerin one ounce. No internal treatment will likely be required. In all cases it is advisable to restrict the diet to warm liquids, as milk and broths, containing well-soaked bread. 86 KENNEL DISEASES. Sometimes, but only very rarely, abscesses form in the back part of the phar- ynx. Their presence may be suspected if pharyngitis has existed for several days, and the patient carries his head extended, fixed and immovable on his neck. Before leaving this subject, attention can properly be called to the fact that the first signs of trouble manifested by some rabid dogs are symptoms identical with those which would be produced by a fish-bone or other foreign body in the throat. Therefore when a strange dog acts as though something had stuck there, he should be handled carefully, and gloves ought to be worn during the ex- amination. SECTION IV. DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. CHAPTER I. DIGESTION. Nicety of expression would likely invite confusion, and indeed it is quite sufficient to say that the lean portions of meat are very largely digested in the stomach. This process does not, however, go on as rapidly in the dog as in man; and while in the latter it would ordinarily be completed in the course of three or four hours, in the former the end would scarcely be reached before the eleventh or twelfth hour. The starchy elements of vegetables do not have, to any degree worth men- tioning, the helpful influence of the saliva towards their digestion, nor is the stomach much, if any, concerned in the process; and soon after they reach it they begin to pass downward into the intestines, where they are converted into sugar by its fluids, and at once absorbed. Pure starch itself is rapidly digested. Indeed, under experiment it has been found that three-quarters of an hour after a moderately full meal of boiled starch and meat, all traces of the starch and sugar had disappeared from both the stomach and intestines. The conversion of some starchy foods, however, seems to be quite slow. For example, potatoes, when well cooked and mashed, disappear in the course of two or three hours, but if not broken up they remain five or six hours. The digestion of boiled rice commences at once, but its conversion is slow, and traces of it can generally be found even at the seventh or eighth hour. Although milk is considered one of the most easily digestible of foods, as a matter of fact its digestion is compara- tively a slow process. The fats or oily matters in foods are not digested in the stomach, but, melted by its warmth and the tissues containing them being partially broken up and digested by the gastric juice, they pass into the intestines, where the oil globules are freed, and then emulsified ; or, in other words, they are minutely subdivided, so that they are capable of being absorbed. This, practically, is the extent of their digestion. As stated in substance, when the food is meat, stomach digestion, if normal, 87 88 KENNEL DISEASES. generally occupies eleven or twelve hours; and within this period an ordinary meal of lean beef, cut in small pieces, should be nearly all, if not quite all, dis- posed of, Were the meal unusually large, however, digestion would be slower, and possibly not entirely completed before the fourteenth or fifteenth hour. Again, the length of time digestion requires depends much upon the kind of meat. For example, pork is notoriously hard to digest, and but slowly yields to the process ; while tripe is easy, and soon disposed of. Normal digestion is not attended by any disturbing sensations attributable thereto. Indeed, on the contrary, after a full meal, feelings of comfort and con- tentment are plainly evident. But when the health is not good, or there suddenly occurs some disturbing and depressing influence, digestion is retarded or alto- gether arrested, and the contents of the stomach excite irritation of its walls, and cause a sense of weight and discomfort. If stomach digestion is stopped or is going on too slowly, the foods retained undergo fermentation, decomposition takes place, harmful acids and gases are formed, and the victim suffers from “bloating” and an increase of all the dis- turbing sensations previously felt. Frequently vomiting occurs and the stomach is emptied ; but generally its contents pass downward, still undigested, into the intestines. Even where digestion is normal, not all the meat taken into the stomach is digested therein. Small portions of it enter the intestines, where the gastric juice, which goes with them, continues to act for a time, and the intestinal fluids prac- tically finish the work. But while the digestion of meat fibres extends into the intestines, beyond the stomach it is anything but vigorous, and in fact it is com- paratively weak, and only very small quantities can then be disposed of after that organ has been left. Now let the undigested portions of food be in considerable quantity, as always where stomach digestion has been delayed or altogether arrested, they must prove too much for the intestinal fluids, and act on the intestinal walls as they did on the walls of the stomach, and irritate them — also give rise to a feel- ing of discomfort if not actual pain. The intestines in turn, revolting against the imposition, endeavor to get rid of the disturbing elements ; and diarrhcea is the natural means employed if there are many of them. The stomach may do its work promptly and well and yet the intestines be at fault ; in which instance their contents undergo fermentation and decomposi- tion, and unnatural fluids and gases are generated, as in the stomach when it is inactive or sluggish. These cause distension of the bowels ; they also give rise to colic and diarrhcea, through the irritation that they excite. Obviously, therefore, digestive trouble may be in the stomach or in the intes- tines ; or in other words, there may be gastric or intestinal indigestion. It is not often wholly confined to either; and while there might possibly be intestinal disorder without the stomach being involved, the intestines never fail to share in = VOMITING. 89 serious gastric affections. It is an evident fact also that a disturbance of diges- tion may occur suddenly, exist but for a few days and then be recovered from, or it may persist for weeks, months, or even years. Varying the expression, indi- gestion may be acute or chronic; and since these forms have special features, it is deemed best to recognize this distinction, and consider them under separate heads. VOMITING. Vomiting is a symptom of many affections, among which are indigestion, colic, inflammation or other disease of the stomach, diarrhoea, dysentery, worms, obstruction of the bowels, and irritant poisoning; and as such it has been duly considered, and appropriate treatment recommended under the various heads. But contrary to the rule in mankind, in accordance with which vomiting is rare except there be considerable disturbance somewhere in the system, in dogs it may occur at will, For instance, when puppies have reached the third or fourth week, oftentimes their mother tires of nursing, or feels that her breasts do not fur- nish sufficient support. She will then, if fed away from them, fill her stomach, and as soon as opportunity presents, unload its contents before them. And others who have been mothers are likely to do this where they have access to a litter and think it high time that the pups be weaned. Vomiting may, therefore, mean much or merely nothing, and usually the latter, if it occurs after a hearty meal, in which case the food is generally first bolted, then thrown up and eaten leisurely. At other times, however, it is generally of more importance, although not necessarily so if it occurs only now and then; but several attacks following one another at brief intervals are indicative that the vomiting is a symptom, and there is some disease present or threatened. When mucus only is expelled by the act it may come from the air-passages, but generally it is from the stomach, and suggests trouble there. Streaks of blood may appear in the matter raised if vomiting is quite persistent and there has been much straining, but in such case they are not important. When, however, there is much blood of a bright red color and in considerable quantity, the cause is likely a sharp bone lodged in the gullet. Blood having the appearance of coffee-grounds comes from the stomach, and suggests an ulcer of the same, which, however, is of an exceedingly rare occurrence in dogs. While attacks of vomiting are persistent, the lower opening of the stomach is relaxed and open, consequently the contents of the intestine adjoining are ad- mitted ; and since it is near there that the bile pours out of the gall-duct, more or less of it naturally finds its way into the stomach. The ejected matter is then of greenish color, and the same appearing, it is customary to blame the liver and attribute the vomiting to the bile; whereas the expulsion of the latter is purely 90 KENNEL DISEASES. a mechanical effect, the bile being sucked up into the stomach by the act of vomiting. When purely functional, that is, when it occurs independently of disease, vomiting does not require any treatment. In cases in which no other symptoms are present and the cause cannot be made out, food should be for a time with- held or restricted to milk and lime-water. If then it does not cease and doubts still exist, it may be treated as advised in diarrhcea. ACUTE INDIGESTION. It need not be urged that the digestion of dogs in health is very powerful, and that the stomach and intestines are in a rare degree insensible to such im- positions as bones, small stones, bits of wood, etc., which in most other animals would be quite certain to excite irritation if not severe trouble. But all members of the canine race are not healthy, and as a matter of fact such are their conditions generally, — the feeding being often unwise, the kennelling faulty, and the amount of exercise insufficient, —they may be said to be at the present time quite far removed from nature, and in considerable degree lacking the high health of their ancestors. While this is true of dogs as a whole, it would be too much to affirm that all have declined greatly from the original standard. Indeed, it is by no means certain that domestication has not been charged with greater loss in this direction than rightfully belongs to it; and although there must have been some deterioration of course, there are still many dogs quite as healthy, strong and enduring as were their relatives in the wild state. Leaving speculation and fairly entering the subject at hand, the fact is encountered that the functions of digestion are quite frequently disturbed. In truth, there are but few diseases affecting the body generally which do not inter- fere with them. It is not, however, the purpose to treat here of derangements of digestion which are mere complications and occur through sympathy, as it were, of the stomach and associate organs with troubles in other organs or parts, but, instead, it is to deal with derangements which result from immediate or direct inflictions, as by feeding unwisely, etc. When digestion is greatly retarded or stopped altogether for a time, as it may be by a hard run, swim, or chill from sudden exposure to cold, an attack of acute indigestion is likely the result, but in most cases of that trouble the cause is over- feeding. Fortunately it is then chiefly limited to disturbance of the digestive or- gans, and does not materially affect the general system or health. Furthermore, unless of too frequent recurrence, it is usually of temporary duration merely. Dogs have the happy faculty of vomiting easily, and by that means they are generally able to relieve an over-loaded stomach. They lack discretion, however, and are ACUTE INDIGESTION. gl quite sure to over-indulge again and again if permitted to do so, and conse- quently keep their stomachs worried and unsettled, until at last there is quite serious derangement of them. In man only one gluttonous indulgence might be sufficient to produce acute indigestion, but several such would doubtless be required by the ordinary dog, assuming that the foods taken were fairly wholesome and easily digestible ; and the trouble fixed in him, the lining membrane of his stomach and a portion at least of his intestines are irritated, his appetite is impaired, and likely there is notable weakness and trembling. Vomiting or attempts to vomit may be made occasionally. If soon after eating and much is raised, it is generally undigested food. Vomiting may occur after drinking water merely, and then the same is returned bubbling and thickened by mucus. In severe cases of indigestion there is usually bloating, in consequence of gas in the stomach or intestines. The nose is hot and dry. The victim is irritable, and disposed to shun companion- ship and seek retired places. Often his tongue has a thick, whitish coat, and his breath is highly offensive, which symptoms generally lead to the conclusion that this attack is one of biliousness. As for his bowels, usually at first they are con- stipated, but after a time, if the trouble is severe, diarrhcea sets in, and persists until the offending substances have been carried out of the system. Acute indigestion merely —that is, the victim otherwise well — frequently requires only rest for the stomach, consequently the treatment should be of the starvation sort. A complete fast of from one to three days can do no harm, and is really advisable if the subject be fairly strong; but the caretaker declining to institute it under the mistaken notion that it is cruel, milk and lime-water, or skimmed milk, or butter-milk might be given in small quantities every four or five hours. If the bowels are not too active, it is well to stimulate them by means of a laxative. Since in indigestion there is usually an excess of acids in the alimen- tary canal, an antacid is the best to use; and of all such agents, there are none to be preferred to calcined magnesia, because it acts well, and has almost no taste, consequently can be given in milk. The right dose is a full tablespoon- ful; but this is not a powerful cathartic, and were it desirable to have the bowels move very freely, as when they are sluggish and the breath is highly offensive, about one-half a teaspoonful of powdered rhubarb should be added to the quantity of magnesia advised. Or if the bowels move none too often, and there is considerable “ bloating” after eating, worm medicine having been given without materially affecting the trouble, instead of magnesia alone it may be well to give the following mixture for a week or more, in teaspoonful doses, mixed with the food, once or twice daily : Magnesia, calcium phosphate, powdered char- coal, and sulphur, in equal parts. The fact should be kept in sight that in acute indigestion there is refuse of undigested or half-digested food in the intestines, if not in the stomach — unless Q2 KENNEL DISEASES. of course the bowels have moved freely; and sufficient of the same to keep up an irritation may be retained even if there has been a brief period of diarrhcea. A dose of magnesia alone or even combined with rhubarb can scarcely do harm in any case, therefore, when the caretaker is in doubt whether or not a laxative is required, he will do well to assume the affirmative and give one. The bowels having been freed and the stomach allowed sufficient rest, the disturbing symptoms will speedily disappear if the trouble is merely acute indi- gestion. The diet may then be more generous, but for several days at least the foods should be bland and easily digestible. It will scarcely ever be necessary to attempt to stimulate the appetite, for unless there is some trouble beyond the digestive organs, it will improve as they become better able to dispose of food. CHRONIC INDIGESTION. This term is scarcely appropriate, and dyspepsia— which means difficult digestion — would be better, yet it is pardonable after the use of acute indigestion ; nor can it invite confusion, since non-professionals fully appreciate its real sig- nificance. Indigestion may have existed for several months without permanent change occurring in the stomach; yet if it has persisted for a long time, the walls of that organ are likely thinned, its lining membrane is more or less atrophied or wasted, and many of its tubules or follicles — structures which play such an important part in digestion — are shrunken and degenerated. These changes having taken place, the other organs intimately associated with the stomach, as the liver and intestines, are in corresponding degree enfeebled. The number of agencies which are capable of causing chronic indigestion in man are many and varied ; but such are the peculiarities of his digestive appa- ratus and constitution generally, the dog is able to successfully resist no small proportion of like agencies, and in him the trouble is usually produced by im- proper diet, under which head may be included food that in the first instance is unsuitable or rendered so in cooking, the habit of eating too much, or of eating only fairly moderately but at too short intervals or irregularly — as is the com- mon fault with house pets. Bad water can also be assigned asa cause. Another is found in the irritants which man uses as condiments ; namely, pungent spices, vinegar, and the like, which, while often injuriously affecting his own digestive processes, are a much more serious infliction on his dog, and especially if he be of delicately constituted breed. These are the common causes, but there are others that act indirectly; and while alone they might not be capable of producing the affection under consider- ation, they yet pave the way, as it were, and make its occurrence easy. One of the CHRONIC INDIGESTION. 93 most potent of these is deficient exercise; and when combined with the habit of giving too much food, even if the same be wholesome, digestion must soon be disturbed, and eventually weakened beyond repair. For instance, dogs con- stantly afield often with impunity gorge themselves after hard days’ runs, but were others kept in kennels to do likewise their stomachs would soon rebel. While digestion is going on vigorously the energies of the system are, for the time being, largely diverted to the organs concerned in the operation, conse- quently the subject should rest; and if a dog, the period should not be less than four or five hours, provided the meal is a full one and largely made up of meat. The natural inference from this is that habitual hard work after eating is in time sure to cause permanent gastric derangement. That tendencies to digestive weaknesses are transmitted from parent to off- spring is a fact beyond dispute, and clearly suggests the importance of instituting every precaution to prevent their being acquired by breeding animals. Nor must these animals in any other way be enfeebled nor their blood disordered ; for like conditions will generally appear in their young, and in consequence the digestion of the latter never be vigorous. In mankind, in a large proportion of cases, dyspepsia originates and is per- petuated in mental causes. Fortunately for the dog he is far less sensible of them, and yet very evidently he does not escape them altogether, for his diges- tion is only at its best when he is happy and contented; and it is well to add that he can never be perfectly so when chained or otherwise injudiciously restrained. Finally, this affection is frequently one of the penalties of old age, the entire digestive system sharing in the general decline in physical powers ; but even in this class of cases it can be long delayed by wise management, or its coming may be hastened by influences that lower the vitality, as bad hygienic surround- ings, doubtful methods of feeding, indolent habits, etc. Glancing at the symptoms of chronic indigestion, the appetite first presents itself. It is very evidently abnormal, and may be either increased, diminished, or perverted ; and these changes may alternate in the same individuals. As a rule, however, increase and perversion are much the most common. Where the former is the case, many of the subjects keep well up in weight, and indeed they are gen- erally obese, but in such cases the indigestion is usually of low type. On the other hand, when it is severe, while in occasional instances the weight may still be excessive, nutrition commonly suffers, and there is generally considerable fall- ing off, which may extend even to emaciation. As for perversion of the appetite, that is manifested by strong cravings for certain refuse substances which would scarcely be touched by dogs were they well fed and their stomachs in good condition. An aversion to all nourishment is noted now and then, but it usually lasts only for a day or two after the digestive trouble has been aggravated by some unusual and especially trying indulgence. The appetite returning, it may soon 94 KENNEL DISEASES. be excessive, although in some cases it remains poor and the subjects are “dainty feeders.” From the change in demeanor it is easy to believe that dogs troubled with indigestion suffer from much the same uncomfortable sensations as their masters when similarly affected. That there is lassitude is evident, for the movements are indolent. Depression of spirits is also apparent, and excepting where the victims are of remarkably amiable dispositions, the tempers are decidely irritable. Vomiting is a symptom of chronic indigestion, but by no means a common one excepting in the earlier stages, while as yet there is no decided thinning of its walls or dilation of the stomach. When, however, these changes have com- menced, the expulsive power has begun to decline; and it lessens as they pro- gress, until the peculiarity of being able to vomit easily is lost. When they are well advanced, even under powerful emetics the stomach finds it difficult to empty itself. It is a well-known fact that victims of chronic affections have occasional periods during which their troubles lighten, while at other times they are in- tensified, and in this respect indigestion is no exception. For days and even weeks it may be only of mild intensity, then it is aggravated, the symptoms are all more pronounced, and likely new ones are added. Among the latter a foul breath is the most notable and of the greatest significance. Indeed, when it is present with the signs already described, there can be no mistaking the fact that the stomach is seriously at fault. Beyond these symptoms others are occasionally manifested in chronic in- digestion. One appears in the tongue, which is thickly coated. There is also constipation at intervals, and this may alternate with diarrhoea. Still another symptom that is observed now and then, especially in house pets, is temporary impairment of the hearing power. As already intimated, the vigor and nutrition of some victims of chronic indigestion are not materially altered, and they may even be much over-weight, in which instances this trouble is likely to escape detection ; in others, however, the impairment is great, there is a falling off in flesh, the skin loses much of its natural smoothness and elasticity, and the victim is “hidebound,” while its hair parts with its gloss and becomes dry and staring. This disease is never fatal, but others, and especially eczema, follow in its course, while alone it is likely, by impairing nutrition, to cause enfeeblement of the entire system, and so indirectly shorten life. If treatment is judiciously applied before the changes in the structure of the stomach previously described have occurred, this ailment is curable; and even in advanced cases very decided improvement is possible under proper condi- tions. If it is due to specific causes it will be necessary to remove them, while if part of an enfeebled physical state, the associated troubles must, of course, be remedied. CHRONIC INDIGESTION. 95 Since by far the most common cause of the affection is in the feeding, also in every case that must be right in order to effect a cure, the dietetic treatment may properly first engage attention. Much has been said and written about the harmful effects of over-feeding, and beyond doubt this fault is very prevalent, yet the fact must not go out of sight that under-feeding may be even more disastrous. In most cases of indigestion from over-feeding the trouble for a long time is limited to disturbance of the digestive organs. When, on the other hand, dogs become habituated to too scanty a diet, no matter how well digestion may be performed at first, it must ultimately suffer, because the blood is largely lacking the materials out of which the digestive fluids are formed ; and at the same time it is unable to provide in proper quan- tities the elements required for the growth and support of the body. However, but few owners are likely to fall into this error, and a passing allusion to it will suffice. Dogs are eminently capable of digesting vegetables and starches; and these are suitable foods when properly combined with meats, but if given habitually to excess they are sure, in time, to impair the digestive organs and general health, and thus open the door to disease. The reason is obvious. Those foods are poor in nutritive elements, and fed on them alone, dogs must overload their stomachs in order to have sufficient in the way of materials for growth and re- . pair. Again, they pass quickly down and out of the stomach, and if properly cooked are digested in the course of a few hours. Now, assuming that a dog is allowed these substances only, and fed but once, or twice even, daily, manifestly his empty stomach must crave food long before it is given him, and be weakened by the deprivation. It follows, therefore, that in giving a mixed diet in chronic indigestion great care will be necessary in estimating the right proportions of the various ingre- dients ; and it will be found as a rule that more meat and less in the way of starches will best meet the existing conditions. Indeed, experience has taught that a diet consisting solely of raw meat that has been finely minced, in much the largest proportion of cases is superior to any other. This diet relied on, two meals daily should be sufficient, although a few swal- lows of milk at noon can do no harm and the stomach may be better for the habit. The quantity of food required will be about one pound and one-half for the largest dogs, and one pound for the middle-weights ; while for the smaller breeds it should be in corresponding proportion. If the meat is properly digested, the patient’s strength and spirits keep up, and other signs indicate that he is doing well, its use should be persisted in until he is back to his old form; and no other internal measure of treatment will likely be required. But while a purely meat diet usually acts well, in some cases it is productive of looseness of the bowels, if not of diarrhoea ; in which event the caretaker should obtain saccharated pepsin and subnitrate of bismuth, 96 KENNEL DISEASES. of each half an ounce, and sprinkle about half a teaspoonful of the mixture over the meat at each feeding. A purely meat diet under ordinary conditions has penalties, and were it given a healthy dog continuously, possibly his blood would become what might without impropriety be called inflammable, and he have “breakings out” in the form of pimples, pustules, or “raw” patches. But this accident is not likely to occur if the health is much impaired, and especially if there is chronic indigestion. In truth, a diet made up largely of meat is, as a rule, one of the first essentials in cases of non-contagious skin diseases of long standing. Nor in any event can meat do harm, even when fed alone and in generous quantities, provided sufficient exercise in pure air is allowed; and, as a matter of fact, beyond its action in this direction, ample exercise is one of the most potent measures curative of chronic indigestion. If at any time the appetite is entirely wanting, unless the dog is decidedly . poor in general health, it is always advisable to either withhold the food entirely for forty-eight hours, or even longer, or give only a little milk now and then, say once in four or five hours. In case of vomiting the treatment should be largely dietetic. Milk and lime- water, in proportion of three parts of the former to one of the latter, is one of the best combinations for use; for it is not merely a nourishment, but allays gas- tric and intestinal irritability. It should be given in small quantities at fre- quent intervals at first; then the allowance be more generous as the trouble abates; and very generally it will prove all sufficient in the way of treatment. A foul breath may be accepted as evidence that there is acute indigestion as well as the old trouble, and the laxative and associate treatment advised for the former trouble should be administered. Raw meat chopped fine, and its digestion made easier by means of bismuth and pepsin, will almost always be kindly received by the stomach; and if so it may be persisted in for a long time. But still monotony in diet should not continue long after a varied one will be as acceptable. Therefore if the raw meat should prove objectionable, or if it has acted well and decided improvement warrants a change, one may be instituted ; but it must be gradual. To slightly broil the meat and mix with it a little well-boiled rice is the first step. Then, instead of the rice, stale bread may be used. Finely chopped greens that have been well boiled, as spinach, are the next additions which suggest themselves. These well disposed of, cautious experiments may be made, and the foods that are found to be well borne can, of course, be safely allowed, As stated, the dietetic treatment is of the first importance in chronic indiges- tion ; and when this is judicious, beyond, possibly, the use of bismuth and pepsin, no other medication will in many cases be required. In some, however, in which the general health is poor and there is eczema or other trouble associated, it will be advisable to give a tonic. All things considered, the tincture of nux vomica is the best. GASTRITIS. 97 For the largest dogs a safe dose is six drops; four for breeds of medium size; two for dogs like fox-terriers ; and one for the very smallest toys. It should be given three times daily, at meal times; and being bitter, the following expedient may wisely be resorted to: Cut several small slices of meat; pour on each one or two drops of the tincture; roll them up and toss to the patient. Or each dose may be given in a gelatin capsule which has first been partially filled with sugar, to hold the tincture. Enveloped in a slice of meat it will be taken readily. The doses advised are only medium, and considerably larger ones might safely be given, yet they will be quite sufficient in most cases, provided they are persisted in. Again, the tincture varies in strength ; some dogs, also, are pecu- liarly susceptible to it, consequently small doses and long continued, for months if necessary, is the only sure rule. GASTRITIS. The simple meaning of this term is inflammation of the stomach; yet as used by the best-informed physicians, mere affection of its lining membrane, such as exists in a large proportion of those who suffer from dyspepsia or indigestion, is not included under it, but it is limited to an inflammation of the entire thickness of the walls of that organ, which when acute is very intense and painful, and greatly endangers life. While acute gastritis might, possibly, spring from other causes, as exposure to cold, unsuitable food, etc., to which it has been attributed by some authors, very rarely indeed is it produced by other than irritants given for the purpose of poisoning. Vomiting is one of the most prominent symptoms, and usually for days it is frequent and persistent. Indeed, oftentimes water even cannot be retained. As for the matter raised, after the stomach has first been emptied, ordinarily it is a stringy mucus of a greenish tinge. In extreme cases, however, it is mixed with ‘dark, clotted blood, and shreds of the gastric mucous membrane. Thirst is excessive, and the poor victim will drink constantly, notwithstand- ‘ing his stomach rebels, and empties itself within two or three minutes after every ‘indulgence. That he is suffering intense pain is very evident, for his expression is drawn and haggard, and breathing rapid and short. He is also extremely nervous, and generally inclined to change his position frequently ; but in very severe cases he lies much on his belly, with his legs extended; some relief doubtless being afforded by the pressure. As in all cases of tenderness and much pain within the abdomen its walls are drawn tightly. They are also generally shrunken; and when standing the victim 98 KENNEL DISEASES. has what 1s commonly termed a “tucked up” appearance. . Pressure of the hand, if fairly quick and superficial, will seem to indicate that the tenderness and pain are nearly uniform over all the parts of the abdomen; yet if the examiner is delib- erate, and makes deep pressures slowly in the various regions, he will find that it is most intense under the left “short ribs” and at the “pit of the stomach.” The pulse is quicked from the first. There is also fever ; and the nose is hot and dry. The bowels may be constipated; and this is the rule at first, but in the course of from twenty-four to forty-eight hours, diarrhcea usually sets in. If death does not speedily occur from shock, and the disease is running to a fatal termination, the pulse increases in rapidity and becomes very feeble; the limbs are cold, the skin clammy, and the strength is shortly exhausted. Finally, convulsions occur, and the victim passes off in one of them. There is but little danger of acute gastritis being mistaken for any other af- fection; and colic is the only one to which its resemblance is close, but a careful study of that will develop the distinctive features. As stated, this affection is almost always produced by irritant poisons; but. since vomiting so speedily follows their entrance into the stomach, that they are actually the cause can seldom be positively determined in any case. However, if a dog is taken suddenly ill and presents the symptoms described, it is quite safe to assume that he is a victim of one of those poisons. But any existing doubts as to the cause of the attack would scarcely influence the treatment, for were the case one of poisoning, in all probability the poison would have been speedily expelled ; yet could the question be promptly settled in the affirmative — that a poison had been taken up — the first step in the right direction would be to pour as much “blood warm” water as possible down the patient’s throat. This would likely cause him to vomit, and with the water returned would come up most, if not all, of the poison; but to make certain, another such drenching would be advisable. Were this treatment ineffectual and vomiting did not occur speedily, a teaspoonful of mustard in a tumblerful of warm water should be administered; and the dose be repeated in ten minutes if the first did not: act. But as urged in cases of poisoning by drugs capable of producing acute gas- tritis the poisons are almost always, if not invariably, vomited as soon as they have reached the stomach. Therefore, the first treatment must generally be for the purpose of subduing the pain and vomiting; which latter is very distressing. Powders containing morphia and bismuth promise best. Assuming the dog to be of medium or largest size breed, each powder should contain one-fourth of a grain of morphia and twenty grains of the subnitrate of bismuth. If he is about the size of a fox-terrier, it were advisable to have in each powder one-sixth of a grain of morphia and fifteen grains of bismuth; while for toys the dose should be one- eighth of the former, and ten grains of the latter. In giving the powders, they should be shaken well back into the patient’s. GASTRITIS. 99 throat, and washed down with a little cold water. One powder should be admin- istered every hour until relief is secured. Instead of allowing the patient to drink, when ice can be obtained it were far better to have a large piece in a pan near him, for him to lap as inclined. As for nourishment, the chances are that for several days at least, no matter how bland the food, none will be retained. But still, if the victim appears weak, he should have some from the first. The “whites” of raw eggs, mixed with a little milk or water, also milk and lime-water, act kindly in such cases; but the quantities of them at each dose must be small, not exceeding a tablespoonful of either, until the vomiting has nearly ceased. So carefully restricted, they can be given every five minutes in extreme cases; but the intervals should be longer if the need of support is not very urgent. When the condition of the stomach has improved and these simple liquids are well borne, a little well-cooked rice or tapioca may be tried; and when they are kept down, broths and meat jellies and meat extracts will be in order. But for many days the foods must all be soft and very easily digestible. If the vomiting be so persistent that it is impossible to nourish by the stomach, half a cupful of strong beef-tea, beef extract, or milk in which a raw egg has been beaten, should be injected into the bowels every four or five hours. And if the extremities are cold and collapse is threatened, from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful of brandy must be added to each enema, according to the size of the patient. ‘ For diarrhoea no special treatment will be required, because the morphia and bismuth will control that if it becomes urgent. Chronic gastritis is liable to follow the acute form, and persist for many weeks, unless the treatment applied in the first instance is prompt and judicious. That affection requires the same treatment as chronic indigestion, from which it differs but little, excepting that there is tenderness on pressure over the stomach. 100 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER II. cOLIc. Tue term colic as commomy used, includes all painful affections of the stomach and intestines which are not attended by inflammation. Occurring in man, it may be flatulent, bilious, spasmodic, rheumatic, neuralgic, or in conse- quence of absorption of lead or copper. There are abdominal pains due to other causes that are usually termed colic; for instance, that attending the pas- sage of gall-stones and gravel-stones. The intense pain in obstruction of the bowels and strangulated hernia is also given the same name. But colic in its literal sense is purely nervous and functional in nature; and in the majority of cases it is a spasm or series of spasms in the muscular coat of the intestines, and less often of the stomach. While various causes may give rise to this affection in man, by far the most common is disturbance of the stomach and intestines brought on by over-eating or indulgence in indigestible food. This, being retained, undergoes decompo- sition. As a result poisonous gases are generated; which over-distend the intestines, also probably the stomach, and produce the spasms in the walls pre- viously alluded to. Or the same may be excited by the gases if not of volume sufficient to over-distend, provided they are of especially irritating character. Again, irritant fluids generally abound where there is decomposition within the food canal, and these alone may produce spasmodic rigidity in the intestinal walls, although gases are almost always present to assist in creating this painful effect. This variety is termed flatulent or wind colic, and it is the most common form which occurs in dogs. But their digestive organs are very strong and active, and these animals have marvellous ability to resist and speedily dispose of poi- sons and irritants which are the product of putrefaction, consequently it is safe to assume that with them gaseous distention is seldom alone caused by indiges- tible food and its decomposition, but is far oftener due to worms or some obstruc- tion to the natural passage downward of the contents of the stomach or bowels. And the fact that their appetite is frequently perverted, as shown by their swal- lowing bits of wood, stones, straw, etc., renders it easy to support this theory. Intestinal obstruction may occur in the absence of a foreign body. In some instances for a time there is loss of power in the muscular fibre of a small part of the intestine, while the parts above and below it still retain their normal action. The affected part collapses, and the tube is as tightly shut as it would be were it pinched by the thumb and finger. COLIC. IOI As intimated, closure of the intestine may also be effected by acrid or irri- tating matters. In such cases probably a spasm occurs in the intestinal walls, and the tube is contracted. Obstruction is also produced by what is termed intussusception. By this is meant that one portion of the intestine slips into another, stovepipe-like; the outer part then contracts upon the inner and holds it fast. An intestine may twist and so become closed ; it may even tie itself up into something like a knot. These are a few of the causes of obstruction. Beyond the generation of gases during decomposition there is yet a powerful influence that is capable of producing them, and which authors have apparently failed to recognize; namely, intense nervous excitement, as caused by fright. Indeed the rapidity with which it acts in this direction is something to marvel at, as shown by a case which fell under the eyes of the writer. It was that of a pug caught in the jaws of a huge mastiff. The little one was not bitten, but merely held firmly at the fore shoulders, no other parts being touched by the teeth; yet within three minutes after her rescue — which was almost on the instant — her abdomen was of enormous size, and the distention clearly due to gas. Colic is more easily detected in some dogs than in others. As a rule, when it occurs in house pets they plainly indicate their sufferings by moaning and ear- piercing cries. But large dogs seldom give such expression when in distress ; therefore an attack of this sort in them is quite likely to be overlooked except by the most observing masters. All the victims of the trouble are very restless. They lie down, but in a moment are up and walking about, with tails tucked between their legs ; and likely their backs are arched. In two or three minutes, however, they again lie down; but the recumbent position seems to intensify their sufferings, and they are soon on their feet. This extreme restlessness, by the way, is quite conclusive evidence of pain in some part of the body. If in the abdomen, the walls are retracted and hard; but when the attack is wind colic the abdomen is distended, and if tapped with the fingers it is resonant, like a drum. Another pronounced peculiarity exhibited by sufferers is their tendency to slink away and conceal themselves. This they will generally do if not quickly re- lieved ; and once away they seldom return until the attack has entirely passed off. Vomiting sometimes occurs; and if so, and the troublesome gas is in the stomach, much is generally expelled and the relief immediate. But vomiting is. the exception rather than the rule when the stomach is so distended; and the pain seldom subsides, except under narcotics, until the gas has passed downward and out of the body. When the gas is confined to the intestines the pain is as severe as when the stomach is involved; but there is less danger in such an at- tack, for the expulsion of gas is as a rule more easily effected from the intestines than from the stomach. Pure and simple colic is at first not attended by inflammation; therefore fever is absent, the nose remains cold, and the pulse is only a little more rapid than usual. But if the attack is severe and has persisted for several hours, and 102 KENNEL DISEASES. the cause still remains, inflammation of the stomach or bowels, or of both, is very liable to set in. Hence relief should in every instance be effected as speedily as possible. In very severe cases, where the abdomen is greatly distended, “to make as- surance doubly sure,” it is best to assume that the gas exists in the stomach as well as in the intestines, and endeavor to dislodge it both by the mouth and bowels. First an emetic should be given; and one of the most efficient and harmless is powdered ipecacuanha; the dose of which for a dog of the largest breeds is one-half a drachm. This should be put into a cup of warm — not hot — water, and poured down the sufferer’s throat; and if it does not act in ten minutes, the dose should be repeated. After giving the emetic, an injection of quite warm water should be admin- istered. As for the necessary quantity of water, it should be forced into the bowels until it runs out by the nozzle of the syringe. If as hot as can be borne by the hand without its being scalded, the water will oftentimes subdue the pain more speedily than even the most powerful nar- cotic. It is also very relaxing, and where spasm of the intestine is the obstruc- tion, it will generally quickly relieve it. When the obstruction is overcome, with the water that comes from the bowels a volume of gas will be discharged, and the pain at once lessen, if it does not disappear entirely. Should not such a happy result follow, another and still another injection should be administered after intervals of ten or fifteen minutes. Should gas not be brought up by the emetic nor drawn downward by the in- jections, the sufferer should be put into a tub and have his abdomen bathed for ten or fifteen minutes with hot water, This also failing to afford relief, half a teaspoonful of laudanum in a little water should be poured down his throat. It is well to say here that a sign of commencement of relief is “rumbling of the bowels,” which indicates that the gas is moving downward ; the spasm in the intestinal walls or other obstruction giving way to the natural “ peristaltic” or worm-like movement of the intestine. In about an hour the laudanum will have had nearly its full effect. If the ab- domen is still greatly distended and the pain as severe, a physician should be sent for, and the messenger should request him to bring an instrument for tapping. The hollow needle of a hypodermic syringe will answer well for the purpose. Puncturing the abdominal walls by means of it is not, as might seem to non- professionals, a serious operation, and it is scarcely possible for harm to result. Moreover, the relief is immediate. Most assuredly it should be resorted to in all cases in which the distention is great and the other measures advised have ' failed. Nor should there be any delay then, for continued pressure against the heart is liable to stop its action; and, indeed, in some neglected cases it was found that so great was the distention that certain abdominal organs were literally torn from their attachments, and death resulted in a few moments. COLIc. 103 As for the point in the abdomen at which to introduce the needle, the phy- sician can easily determine that by percussion. Very generally it will be neces- sary for him to enter a little below the ribs on the left, but not far from the median line. He should then strike the stomach, where the greatest danger from the distention is usually located. Were the gas largely confined to the intestines, near the middle of the abdomen and to the left would generally prove the right location. But did he fail to reach the gas on the first trial, he should try again, and still again if necessary. A word as to the action of opiates in colic. One-half a teaspoonful of lauda- num has been advised for the largest breeds because a smaller dose would likely prove inert. This would be between sixty and seventy drops, or nearly equal to three grains of opium and three-eighths of a grain of morphia, yet it is custom- ary with writers on canine diseases to advise in those cases doses only one-third as large. But such are simply delusive. Very generally with one-half a tea- spoonful of laudanum nothing is accomplished ; and, indeed, in no small pro- portion of cases of colic, very much larger doses of opium apparently have no more effect than water. Hence the reason for urging that they be tried but not relied on ; and if the first large dosé fails, that the gas be at once evacuated by puncturing the abdominal walls. The pain relieved, the patient should be kept as quiet as possible for a day; and if allowed food, it should be milk, or milk and lime-water only. Occurring in mature dogs or quite old pups, and treated judiciously and promptly, colic is not likely to prove fatal except in a small proportion of cases. If, however, it is neglected, inflammation of the bowels with all its attendant evils may result. The only disease with which colic is liable to be confounded, aside from intestinal obstruction, just considered, is peritonitis; but that is an inflammatory disease, and there is fever, besides other signs of great constitutional disturb- ance, as very rapid and small pulse, and he who familiarizes himself with the symptoms of both affections could scarcely be mistaken. When colic attacks very young puppies it generally ends fatally, and about all that can be done with a fair prospect of affording them relief is to give laudanum every hour until their moaning has ceased. The dose should be adjusted to the age; and for the largest and medium size breeds, one drop of laudanum for every week of life would be right. For fox-terriers and the like, this might not be any too large a dose, but it would be safer to reduce it nearly one-half, and give one-half a drop for every week; while from one-fourth to one- third of a drop would be suitable for toys. That is, assuming the pup to be of medium or large size breed and eight weeks old, he should be given eight drops of laudanum every hour until re- lieved ; while if a toy and of the same age, the correct dose would be about two drops. 104 KENNEL DISEASES. ACUTE PERITONITIS. A delicate membrane lines the abdomen and envelops all the organs therein, —the stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys, etc. This is called the per- itoneum, and inflammation of it is peritonitis. It is a grave disease always, and especially so in dogs, in whom it is far more easily produced than in man. On examination after death, which has occurred in the stage that is usually fatal in these animals, the affected organs are found more or less covered by an exudation, that generally appears flaky and of yellowish tinge. There is, as a rule, considerable watery fluid in the abdominal cavity ; and here and there, if it is not diffuse, is seen very decided redness of the intestinal surfaces. Those surfaces are glued together more or less firmly, also to the organs within the cavity, and to its walls. The causes of this malady are many and varied, and include blows, kicks, penetration of the abdominal walls, etc., also injuries received during whelping, and possibly exposure to cold and wet. It may be an extension of inflammation in adjacent organs or parts, due to the bursting of abscesses within the abdomi- nal cavity, a complication of purulent pleuritis or empyema, or a part of a general inflammation that exhibits a decided preference for like membranes throughout the body, such as is noted now and then in infectious diseases. It also often occurs in pyemia, or pus-poisoning of the blood. To this disease dogs are very susceptible, and many influences which man might successfully resist are capable of exciting it in them. For instance, if a dog suffers from severe bowel trouble, as enteritis or dysentery, and the inflam- mation is not speedily controlled, it is liable to extend to the peritoneum. Again, it has seemed that colic even invited the occurrence of peritonitis. But doubt- less in most cases it is caused by intestinal obstruction or perforation of the intestines. The latter, by the way, seems generally induced by worms, which bore through the intestinal walls far oftener than is commonly supposed. The symptoms of peritonitis vary with its extent, severity, and the causes which produce it. Occurring as a complication of uterine or intestinal inflam- mation or obstruction, it usually develops slowly and insidiously, consequently in some instances its presence is not detected until after death. When there is perforation, however, and in like cases in which the peritoneum is suddenly and violently attacked, the inflammation is soon intense and spreading rapidly. In man its progress is attended from the first by an agonizing, cutting, boring pain, that is greatly aggravated by pressure and movements of the body. But dogs, as a race, are naturally much less sensible of pain than their masters. Again, it is a very remarkable fact that in many cases of peritonitis in them there appears to be but little pain ; and even firm pressure of the hand is often borne without shrinking. Indeed, this seems to be the rule. Like all others, ACUTE PERITONITIS. 105 however, it has exceptions, and now and then cases of peritonitis are met with in which the pain is evidently very intense, and greatly aggravated by pressure. over the abdomen. In severe attacks of this malady the victims are usually restless at first, and change their positions frequently, walking with a stiff and awkward gait; but after a day or two they become quiet, seemingly resigned, and even require some urging before they will move about. The abdomen is shrunken at first, its walls being contracted and rigid, but soon they relax and there is considerable distention. Deep inspiration is pain- ful, consequently avoided, and the breathing is quickened. There is fever; the pulse is rapid, thin, and small; the expression anxious, and the eyes reddened and sunken. Vomiting may occur in the early stages, yet if so it is only occa- sional. Later, however, it is generally frequent and persistent. ‘Thirst, loss of appetite, and obstinate constipation complete the list of important symptoms. The latter is not constant, and diarrhcea may exist from the first; but the rule is that the lower bowel is powerless to unload itself until a marked change for the better has occurred or the discharges become involuntary as death approaches. In a well-defined case of peritonitis caused by perforation, the chances are nearly all against recovery. It may, however, occur if the disease is an exten- sion of an inflammation in the womb or intestines ; but even then the outlook is exceedingly grave, for the patient’s strength fails rapidly, and is almost always wasted before the affection has run its course. It may be assumed from this that treatment does not promise well, but of course it should always be instituted. If applied early and faithfully, cloths fre- quently wrung from very cold water not only afford some relief, but tend to retard the inflammation. After the disease is well fixed, however, and the in- flammation has spread and become intense, a stimulating application is indicated, and the following should be resorted to: Tincture of aconite root, chloroform, and aqua ammonia, of each three drachms ; compound soap liniment, six ounces. This should be freely and quickly rubbed into the hair over the abdomen, and at once covered with several thicknesses of cotton batting. The need of opium in this disease is urgent, not only to subdue pain but to lessen the tendency of the inflammation to spread and grow in intensity ; and its convenient form, laudanum, should be given in doses adjusted as in colic; while they should be repeated as often as every hour until the sufferer is clearly under its effects and dosing most of the time; in which state, if possible, he should be kept continuously by this means. There appears to be a disposition on the part of many practitioners in canine diseases to treat fever always, no matter what its association or cause; but in this instance it certainly would not be wise, for the remedies usually employed are sure to do more harm than the high temperature. An injection of warm sweet oil or soapsuds, once daily, would, perhaps, be 106 KENNEL DISEASES. advisable, considering that a seeming case of peritonitis might be one of intes- tinal obstruction merely. Cathartics, however, are forbidden. As for the diet, that may be the-same as in severe intestinal inflammation. Whiskey or brandy must be given if collapse is threatened. In a word, to make the applications advised, narcotize the patient and keep him narcotized, and maintain his strength by means of concentrated foods and stimulants, is about all that can be rightly done in the way of treatment. DIARRHGA. Diarrhcea is not a disease in itself but merely a symptom that attends many conditions of ill-health. Speaking generally and using the popular expression, it is looseness of the bowels, the discharges being excessively frequent and more fluid than usual. It may be acute or chronic; and the following are the principal varieties of the first form, together with their causes : — Irritative diarrhoea includes all diarrhceas which are produced by agents which irritate the lining membrane of the alimentary canal, as attacks attended by pain and griping that occur in puppies in consequence of excessive acidity of the mother’s milk, or improper feeding after weaning. In these little ones, also, such attacks are very frequently caused by worms. In mature dogs this form of diarrhcea may be induced by over-eating, food that is very difficult of digestion, or foods to which the digestive organs are not accustomed. Again, tainted foods, as mouldy bread, and milk that has been long exposed to foul emenations in very hot weather, are capable of causing it. As for meats and their products that have undergone putrefactive changes, to the poisons generated in them many of the attacks of this variety of diarrhoea in man can safely be attributed. Mem- bers of the canine race, however, have a far stronger inherent capability of resisting these noxious agents, and one that would render their masters danger- ously ill might not have any appreciable effect on them. But still there are lim- its to this fortunate provision, and these are varied somewhat by the conditions of life. Moreover, experience has taught that, occasionally at least, meats and soups, long kept and exposed to bad and hot air, are the causes of irritative diarrhoea ; and the same may be said of fou: water. Bones are also occasional causes of the trouble in dogs, but, thanks to nature, only those that are large or very hard and have sharp points or edges are sufficiently irritating ; and they even are harmful only when digestion is weak. When the natural refuse, which should be thrown out by the bowel, becomes dry and hard, or in other words there is con- stipation of long standing, the lumps may act in the same way as foreign sub- _ Stances. En passant it is well to say that such may still be in the bowels even DIARRHGA. 107 after the looseness has existed several days. Another cause of diarrhcea may emanate from the liver, but attacks due to that are rare. Finally, it may be pro- duced by powerful cathartics, and excessive secretion from the intestinal surface. Diarrhoea occurring in enteritis and other inflammations of the intestine is termed symptomatic. Mechanical diarrhoea may be produced by the carthartics which physicians term salines, as Epsom salts, that cause the blood to part with much of its watery constituent, pour the same into the intestinal canal, and hurry it down and out of the body before it can be reabsorbed. The same form of diarrhoea may occur in pulmonary and heart diseases, in consequence of ob- structed circulation of blood in the intestinal vessels. Man occasionally suffers from nervous diarrhcea produced by the painful emotions, fright, grief, anger, and the like; and quite frequently it follows an attack of severe pain. Dogs are much less abundantly supplied with nerves that respond to these influences, yet diarrhoea is frequent with them after pro- longed excitement, as experienced on railway journeys and at dog shows; which fact may be accepted as evidence that they are not exempt from this variety of disease. It is also obvious that the liability of its occurrence is much greater if excitement is experienced while yet digestion is in its earlier stages. Another form of diarrhaea is termed vicarious. This occurs where the skin, kidneys, or lungs are seriously affected and unable to do their share in the work of eliminating the waste from the system. For instance, in the course of chronic kidney disease attacks of diarrhoea set in now and then, and are salutary, for by the means of them poison which the kidneys could not throw off is expelled. Chilling of the surface of the body suddenly will produce vicarious diarrhoea by causing a great flow of blood to the internal parts and an excitement in them, if not congestion or inflammation. Intense heat may also have like effect. Again, in many acute diseases this form of diarrhcea is one of the early symp- toms, and induced by the specific poisons or germs. Finally, there is the so- called colliquative diarrhoea, which sets in near the close of fatal chronic diseases. When the discharges are scanty, consist largely of mucus, and have the ap- pearance of holding iron-rust or brick-dust, they are indicative of worms. If, however, they are very frequent, nearly all mucus and tinged with blood that is of bright red color, and are accompanied by much straining, that there is a bone or other foreign body lodged in the lower bowel should be strongly suspected. Assuming again that the discharges are frequent, scanty, consist largely of mucus with blood intermingled, there is straining and evidently colicky pains, loss of appetite, thirst and fever, and pressure on the abdomen causes shrinking, the case is probably one of dysentery. The importance of attacks of diarrhcea depends upon their causes; and where these can be removed recovery will likely soon occur. The irritative is but rarely dangerous if rightly treated except in very young puppies, which are (ioe 108 KENNEL DISEASES. speedily exhausted when the intestinal discharges are profuse. As for nervous diarrhcea, that is commonly encountered in dogs that are subject to convulsions; in consequence of which the intestinal trouble is usually more obstinate. The treatment of diarrhea also largely depends upon the cause which pro- duces it. When attributable to undigested food, the discharges should not be stopped at once by medicines, for, the bowels dammed up as it were, the sim- ple diarrhcea might be converted into a serious trouble. Again, these food particles are none too speedily expelled by the natural process, and their slow passage over the highly sensitive lining of the intestines tends to make it more irritable, if not inflame it. Consequently, in all cases where the diarrhoea has but recently occurred, say within forty-eight hours, the first indication is to empty the bowels by the means of acathartic. And of agents capable of pro- ducing the desired result one of the safest and most effectual in this class of cases is castor-oil, the dose of which for dogs of largest size should not be less than two tablespoonfuls. But for the reason that non-professionals cannot be acutely discriminating in disease, and an attack of enteritis, dysentery, or other severe trouble might, possibly, be mistaken for simple diarrhoea, it is always advisable against such error to combine laudanum with the oil; and about half a teaspoonful is the right dose if the patient is of large breed. These stirred into three or four times as much milk, should be poured down his throat. The diet should then be restricted to milk and lime-water; and in the absence of a small enclosure, rest ought to be enjoined by means of a chain. In the course of ten or twelve hours the oil will have completed its work, and, ordinarily, soon thereafter the discharges should considerably decline in fre- quency. As long as they are doing so and the dog seems strong and otherwise well, to continue the dietetic restriction is all that is necessary. If, however, they persist, are frequent and watery, and there is straining, it will be well to obtain powders of Dover’s powder, each of which ought to contain ten grains, assuming that the patient is of medium or large size, while five grains would be tight for breeds of the size of fox-terriers, and two grains for the smallest toys. The contents of the powders may be enveloped in thin slices of raw beef; and a dose should be administered every two or four hours, according to the severity of the diarrhea. Before going further it is well to say that while undigested food is likely to be expelled within forty-eight hours where there is brisk diarrhoea, such might not be the case ; moreover, a dose of castor-oil and laudanum can do no harm if it fails to do good ; therefore, if the caretaker is in doubt as to whether or not a cathartic is required, he should always pass to the safe side and give them. Simple irritative and nervous diarrhceas will yield to these measures of treat- ment if the food is properly chosen; and, indeed, as already stated, merely a judicious restriction of the diet is all that is necessary in much the largest pro- portion of such attacks in mature dogs. Were the treatment dietetic solely and 1 DIARRHEA. 109 the patient did not do well on milk and lime-water, or this food seemed dis- tasteful to him, flour gruel should be tried. In making this the flour should be first baked in a shallow pan until browned, then slowly stirred into the milk and boiled for several minutes. It is a very simple yet quite effectual remedy, and he is wise who gives it the preference, at least for a time, over all others when diarrhoea of mild type occurs in delicate breeds, as toy-terriers. Where the signs seem to indicate that a bone is lodged in the bowel, an injec- tion of sweet oil should be administered as advised in “Intestinal Obstruction.” When diarrhcea is accompanied by vomiting it is customary to call it “ bilious,” under the impression evidently that the cause is in the liver. This may be true in a small proportion of cases, but certainly not invariably, and the term “ bilious diarrhcea ” is of doubtful propriety, indiscriminately used as it is, and more espe- cially since calomel is the remedy so generally sought. Vomiting and diarrhoea may occur together without the liver being involved any more than in a mere irritative diarrhoea. Nor is it safe to draw conclu- sions from disturbances of man and apply them to dogs, for as a matter of fact, unlike the former, dogs are but rarely bilious. Furthermore, disturbances of the liver are far less liable to excite vomiting in them than in man. Again, the greenish, yellowish bile with the mucus and other matters raised in cases termed bilious, is not the cause, but, instead, it is the consequence of the vomiting, the same being sucked into the stomach from the intestine during the expulsive efforts. Finally, this may occur and bile be vomited without any disturbance of the liver whatsoever. Perhaps no better opportunity for dispelling some prevalent delusions on this subject will be afforded, hence the discussion is carried a little further. There are three conditions to which the term bilious might, possibly, without impropriety be applied. One is indolence, as it were, on the part of the liver, in consequence of which the noxious materials which it ought to remove are left in the blood, and find their way out through other secretions. Another is obstruction in the gall-duct, which prevents the accumulated bile from taking its natural course into the bowels; but instead it is reabsorbed into the blood, from which it escapes by the kidneys, skin, secretions of the glands of the mouth, etc. This condition existing, the intestinal discharges are no longer natural in appearance, but clayey, slate-colored, or nearly a dull white; while the urine is very dark, for the reason that it is loaded with the coloring matter of the bile. But such intestinal discharges are rarely watery; on the contrary, they are generally either of natural consistency or more solid and drier than usual. A third state which might be termed bilious is an unhealthy condition of the bile secreted; and in this, if the discharges are sufficiently acrid and irritating, there would likely be diarrhcea, yet it is doubtful if that peculiar form often occurs in dogs. 110 KENNEL DISEASES. From this it will appear that it is but rarely, if ever, necessary in diarrhcea to administer medicines for the purpose of directly affecting the liver. More- over, the giving of such must be very largely experimental, for even physicians can seldom determine with near certainty the state of that organ. Furthermore, the various conditions would require distinct forms of treatment, and drugs that stimulate the liver and cause an increase in the secretion of bile would certainly do harm were they given in obstruction of the gall-duct, during which there is present more bile than can be properly disposed of. The drift of this discussion is towards calomel and other mercurial prepara- tions, the use of which some writers of influence appear much too ready to advise in diarrhcea, they evidently assuming that the cause of the same can often be rightly attributed to the liver. This is unfortunate for various reasons. First, as stated, when used it must generally be indiscriminately —a method that is never safe with drugs. Again, that they act on the liver in any instance, as so generally supposed, is by no means certain. The chances are, however, that they do have a slight stimulant effect upon that organ in some impairments, although they act largely like other cathartics. But while mercurials may, and probably do, have some stimulant effect upon the liver of man, it is highly doubtful if the same be true of dogs; for seldom can any of the constituents of bile be found in the intestinal discharges produced by even large doses of calo- mel. Still again, these animals are decidedly more susceptible to the action of mercurials than man; and while the latter is often unpleasantly affected by them, such experiences are far more frequent with the former, the fact being obvious that with calomel there is considerable absorption ; also, that a portion of it is changed to the mercuric chloride, for evidence of its poisonous properties have been detected. Considering all this, only one conclusion is possible, namely, that calomel is neither safe nor essential in popular practice in diarrhcea. Nor is it a proper agent to use where the intestinal discharges are clayey yet not watery, for then, the gall-duct being obstructed, it can be no more efficient than any other cathar- tic; moreover, considering its nature, it might irritate the lining membrane of that part of the intestine into which this duct opens, and so favor a continuance of the obstruction. Such obstruction is very generally due to an inflammation of the lining of the gall-duct, which is quite sure to disappear if left to itself; and the only treat- ment indicated is to keep the intestine as free as possible of irritating matter ; and for that purpose there is nothing better than magnesia, in fairly small doses and repeated as often as necessary to keep the bowels moving two or three times daily. Returning to the treatment of the various forms of diarrhea, if there is vomiting, a cathartic will not likely be retained; therefore the work of freeing the bowels must, at least for the time being, be left to them, and efforts be made DIARRHGA. II! to quiet the stomach. The subnitrate of bismuth is the remedy that suggests itself, for it acts well, not only on this organ, but on the intestines, relieving and soothing the irritability of their lining membranes; and thus it checks both vomiting and diarrheea. This medicine should be given in large and frequent doses, every two hours being none too often; and there will not be any danger of poisoning from it if the drug is pure, even if it be persisted in for a week. One teaspoonful is suitable for mature dogs of breeds of medium and largest size; while one-half this dose can safely be given to all about the size of fox- terriers; and one-fourth of a teaspoonful to the smallest toys. The bismuth should be obtained in a box or bottle, not in one large powder, lest it pack down; and in preparing a dose it should be shaken into a spoon. Then by means of a card standing on the edges of the spoon, all above them should be swept off, leaving it even full. This drug may be easily administered, it being necessary merely to drop it, in dry form, as far back in the throat as possible and encourage the patient to take a few swallows of milk or water. And since it acts mechanically upon the irritated mucous lining of the stomach and intestines, it will be well to restrict the diet as much as possible while it is being given. If bismuth be administered in proper quantities, it alone will generally con- trol vomiting ; but failing to do so in the course of a few hours, with it should be combined the sulphate of morphia. If the patient be of medium or largest size the dose of the latter should be one-fourth of a grain; if a dog weighing between twenty and thirty pounds, it would be one-eighth; while for a toy it would be about one-twelfth of a grain. Divided up into powders, each containing the right dose, one should be given with each dose of bismuth. Reverting to the dietetic treatment of diarrhcea, some authors as well as most non-professionals think that when the intestinal discharges are very watery and copious, water, and possibly other fluids, must be withheld, being possessed of the delusion that what is taken into the stomach in this form is hurried through the intestinal canal, and that the more the patients drink, the worse their diarrhcea, This is a relic from the musty past. Nearly all, if not all, the water in the discharges comes from the blood; and if the drain on it is great, serious accidents in circulation are liable to result in consequence of that vital fluid being too thick, as it were. Therefore, this loss of the fluid portion of the blood should be compensated for by the giving of such fluids as pure water, milk and lime-water, milk and the whites of eggs, or meat products. These can always be allowed freely excepting in vomiting, during which they may occasion- ally be contra-indicated ; but not always, for in some instances a long and deep drink of ice-water will stop vomiting when drugs have failed, and certainly such an indulgence could do no harm in diarrhoea, nor even in dysentery. This calls to mind another dietetic absurdity that is very prevalent ; namely, that beef-teas, meat extracts, meat jellies or essences, and the like, cause diar-~ 112 KENNEL DISEASES. rheea to persist. Where they are rightly made of meat alone and not so “rich” as to tax digestion, such foods can safely be allowed ; and the diarrhcea will not be unpleasantly affected by them, nor by scraped raw, lean beef, which should always be given when the other simple foods fail to support, and the strength of the patient threatens to decline. If those meat products appear to be well borne, properly digested, and agreeable to the patients, there may be added to them a little boiled rice or arrowroot; and in any event it will be advisable to thicken the beef-teas, extracts, or essences with gelatin ; for the stomach generally re- ceives this combination more kindly than the fluids alone ; and even in cases of vomiting it often remains down. At variance with the custom of writers on canine diseases, no astringent reme- dies have been advised, for the reason that they are not required in diarrhea, and would likely in any event do more harm than good. The purpose of treat- ment is not merely to lessen the number of discharges daily, for it is even more important that the cause be removed. That at first may be indigestible foods, but soon there is irritation of the mucous surface of the bowels, which constitutes another cause. Now let this be overcome, and the diarrhoea will voluntarily cease. It may be argued that with the mucous membrane of the bowels nearly back to the normal condition its secretion will often still be excessive and astrin- gents should be used. Not so, however, for properly prepared flour-gruel is as active in this direction as those drugs, and does the work quicker and better. Diarrhcea in suckling puppies is usually the direct consequence of indiges- tion or worms ; but it must not be forgotten that constitutional feebleness and unfavorable hygienic surroundings, and especially quarters that are too small, damp, and filthy, increase the liability to attacks of this affection. Occurring in the first three or four days of life, and attended by colic and great prostration, the chances are that the diarrhcea is due to excessive acidity of the mother’s milk. This defect is serious indeed, and requires prompt and special treatment, which the reader will find discussed at length in “ Kennel Secrets,” beginning page 275. An exhaustive discussion of the treatment of worms, the essential formulas, and correct doses for each week during early puppyhood, are also to be found in the same volume. The digestion of puppies, like that of infants, being very weak, it is not sur- prising that looseness of the bowels often occurs at the weaning ; and unless the discharges are quite watery and frequent, there is, ordinarily, scarcely occasion for uneasiness, but still the sign should never be disregarded. And generally it indicates that the change from the mother’s milk is being made too abruptly. Soon after the bowels are disturbed by indigestion or other cause, the dis- charges, as a rule, occur at once after the feedings and every two or three hours. At first they are merely more liquid and copious than usual and of more pro- nounced odor. After a time — which may be very short — they undergo various other changes. Often they are like water with a yellowish tinge. Now and DIARRHEA. . 113 then, of this character, they are flaked with white or green; and occasionally they are of quite a deep green color throughout. At times also they consist largely of mucus. In such instances, if the mucus is present during the first day or two of an attack, it is largely suggestive of worms as the cause; but if late in making its appearance, it is indicative, rather, of irritation or real inflammation of the lining membrane of the intestine. An attack resulting from mild and transitory cause would scarcely change the general condition of a puppy; but did the diarrhcea persist several days, even if of simple form, evil effects would likely appear, in languor, impairment of the ap- petite, loss of weight, flabbiness of the muscles, and a pallor of the mucous mem- brane of the lips and tongue. But to delay until such signs were manifested, even were they not very pronounced, would always be hazardous; and to over- come the diarrhoea as soon as possible, by good management or use of drugs, should be the rule in all cases in which the subjects are quite young. If the discharges are of offensive odor or greenish color, or there is pain, the bowels should be quickly swept, as it were, with a cathartic; and castor-oil appears the best for general use, because it not only removes the irritating contents, but has a secondary, soothing action upon the mucous membrane. As- suming the puppies to be about five weeks old and toy-terriers, one-half a tea- spoonful of this would be near right. For pugs, fox-terriers, and the like, also breeds of medium size and the same age, the dose should not be less than a teaspoonful. While the largest breeds, provided the puppies are of goodly size and hardy, might take nearly twice this quantity. The oil administered, the diet should be restricted to milk, the same being slightly thickened with flour that has been baked until of a nut-brown color, and the whole boiled for several minutes. Or if the discharges are sour smelling, for a day or two at least, instead of the flour, it will be well to put into the milk what is known as prepared or precipitated chalk. This is a simple and practically harmless agent, therefore nice adjustment of doses is not required. The dose for puppies of medium or large size breeds, and five or six weeks old, is about one-half a teaspoonful ; while one-fourth of a teaspoonful will be suitable for all others. And that the medicine may have a decided effect it will be necessary to give it as often as every two hours. This hits the feeding-times; but if the dose advised is not taken voluntarily in the milk it should be forcibly administered. The sourness disappearing and the diarrhcea much improved, a return may be made to the flour gruel. If, however, the discharges continue frequent, it will be wise to persist in the use of the chalk. When there is pain, as indicated by crying or moaning, laudanum should be administered as advised in colic, and the first dose be with the castor-oil. Oreven if the attack does not seem painful but the discharges are many and watery, the laudanum ought to be given in precisely the same way. Under the use of flour gruel or chalk, and laudanum, if the diarrhcea does not Il4 m KENNEL DISEASES. subside readily it will be well to give the subnitrate of bismuth instead of the chalk. A quantity of the same that can be taken up with the thumb and fore- finger, or what is called a “good pinch,” is about the correct dose for puppies of all breeds ; and it is merely necessary to drop it, in dry form, into the mouth and as far back as possible onto the tongue. As for the intervals between doses, they should be from one to two hours, according to the severity of the diarrhcea. Cows’ milk is the nearest approach to the ideal food for puppies, also for mature dogs in many forms of disease. Now and then, however, while it consti- tutes the diet, the discharges from the bowels are flaky and yellowish-green, or contain whitish, cheesy lumps. The indication then is not to withhold this food altogether, but to dilute it more; and this done wisely, milk will be no burden to the digestive organs. The same is true in cases in which curdled milk is vomited ; and if it is then noticeably sour, besides dilution it will be necessary to meet the acidity with lime-water. Diarrhcea in rapidly maturing puppies or mature dogs may become chronic, but such result is never likely to occur unless the acute attack is neglected or treated improperly. The essential treatment of this form is identical with that of chronic indiges- tion; for the latter is not only a complication always, but very generally it is ultimately a cause, which if removed the diarrhea will disappear voluntarily. DYSENTERY. 115 CHAPTER IIL. DYSENTERY. Ir is highly important that the characteristic and distinctive features of diarrhoea and dysentery should be given such decided prominence that it will be impossible to confound these diseases, for the reason that the former may be harmless or even beneficial, whereas the latter is a serious affection, in which there occurs an inflammation of the lower bowel — so called the large intestine —and glands therein. At first the mucous membrane of the intestine is congested, then inflamed ; and the glands in question swell and eventually ulcerate unless the disease is stayed. This membrane may also be covered with patches of false membrane similar to that which appears in diphtheria, the affected intestine be swollen and boggy, and its mucous lining be detached in places, leaving them raw and ulcerating surfaces. Again, the inflammation may extend up from the large intestine and involve the smaller bowel. From this mere glance at the changes which may occur in dysentery it is plainly evident that it is an affection of much more serious character than diarrhcea. But, fortunately, it is far from common in dogs. Indeed, severe forms of it are exceedingly rare except when it occurs as a complication of other diseases. There are several distinct types of this disease, each of which has special causative factors; but a general discussion should suffice, since the treatment, the all-important consideration, is materially the same in all. Among the influences which strongly favor the occurrence of dysentery are unhygienic conditions such as exist in neglected and filthy kennels. Al- though the dog is blessed with a marked immunity against the ill effects of tainted foods, they are yet at times capable of giving rise to this disease. So, too, is exposure to sudden and great atmospheric changes. The cause may also exist in the water; and although, while intensely heated, dogs may often drink from stagnant pools without harmful results, now and then dysentery follows such indulgence. It also sometimes follows diarrhoea, and seems attrib- utable to failure to apply proper treatment to the simpler trouble. When a case of dysentery occurs in a large kennel the chances are many that other cases will soon break out, suggesting the generally accepted fact that it is sometimes a germ disease and caused by a specific bacillus. This strongly 116 KENNEL DISEASES. probable theory, however, is yet to be proved. There remains the so-called diphtheretic dysentery alluded to, in which the intestinal inflammation is accom- panied by a true diphtheretic exudation. Like diarrhoea, dysentery may be acute or chronic ; but the latter form is one of the novelties in canine practice, because the strength is generally exhausted before it is reached, or the inflammation has extended and involved deeper and more vital parts. Frequent, small, and bloody discharges, with straining and colicky pains, if not severe colic, are the most pronounced symptoms. There is usually, also, some fever, which, however, may be wanting at first; and then, as a rule, when it appears, it is slight, and slowly increases in intensity. The appetite is lessened or wholly lost; the nose is hot and dry; there is thirst; the tongue is coated ; the skin is soon dry and harsh; and the abdomen tender to the touch. In severe cases, unless there is considerable bloating, the back is arched, and the movements are stiff and evidently painful. If from the first the attack is dysentery, one or two discharges from the bowels are usually quite large and nearly natural; then follows a brief period of diarrhoea, and likely vomiting. Shortly the discharges are frequent and small, and they lose their normal character, and consist mainly of mucus, or “slime” as it is commonly called; blood makes its appearance in them, and it is not long before they acquire a very offensive odor. In occasional instances they are largely of mucus that has the color of wood- ashes, while now and then are to be seen in them thin shreds or quite large pieces of dead matter of dark-brown color. The disease progressing, mucus largely or entirely disappears from the discharges, which are now watery and slightly colored with blood ; or they may take on a resemblance to pus. The sufferer emaciates and loses strength rapidly; and if his disease is likely to end fatally, his feet grow cold, his skin clammy, and he gradually falls into a stupor from which he never arouses. A bone lodged in the lower part of the bowel is the one condition likely to be mistaken for dysentery; but that may be excluded if there is considerable constitutional disturbance, as fever, and the discharges do not contain blood of bright red color in considerable quantity and apparently fresh. It is not always easy to determine while yet an attack is recent whether it is one of diarrhoea or dysentery; but keeping in mind the fact that the former is far the most common, that during its earliest stages at least there is seldom, if ever, much straining or very severe colicky pains, and that the patients as a rule seem quite as well as usual, whereas in the latter pain and straining are com- monly present near the first of the attack, and these symptoms are attended with languor, impairment of appetite, thirst, and other signs indicative that quite severe illness is on or threatened, it ought not to be difficult to discriminate between these affections. DYSENTERY. 117 As for the danger of dysentery being mistaken for enteritis, it is possible for a time, for it is often ushered in by the latter, the stomach also being involved —as evinced by vomiting; but it would scarcely be long before doubts could be set at rest, for the discharges in enteritis contain blood only in rare instances, and in such, pain and tenderness are generally sufficient to indicate severe and widespread inflammation of the bowels. Moreover, in that affection vomiting is usually quite persistent. The treatment appropriate for dysentery does not differ materially from that required in diarrhoea. Indeed, in the early stages the line laid down for the lat- ter should be taken. That is, a dose of castor-oil and laudanum should be given at the outset to clear the bowels, and be followed by suitable doses of Dover’s powder ; while the diet should be restricted to milk and lime-water. This treatment very generally cuts short attacks of dysentery. They termi- nate before the bowels are sufficiently affected to give rise to serious symptoms, and the disease is converted into simple diarrhea. If, however, such happy result is denied, and the discharges become bloody, the following mixture should be obtained: Carbolic acid, five grains; sulphate of morphia, three grains; sul- phate of sodium, three drachms; water, two ounces. Of this one teaspoonful should be given every two or three hours if the dog is of medium or large size ; one-half a teaspoonful to dogs weighing from twenty to thirty pounds ; while one-fourth of a teaspoonful would be right for the small toys. Under its use the discharges will at first show only slight decrease in fre- quency ; but usually within twenty-four hours the straining will have been largely overcome and the pain controlled. Then the blood will quickly disappear, and the movements of the bowels slowly and surely lessen. Only in rare instances do the discharges consist largely of greenish mucus, and in such the liver is seriously affected. But calpmel, so often resorted to, is never required in this condition, for a much simpler agent will act more speedily and far better. The one in question is capsicum or Cayenne pepper, and the dose appropriate for dogs of largest size is five grains; three is sufficient for others of medium size; two for such dogs as fox-terriers; and one for the small toys. This drug should always be given in pill form — concealed in a little scraped raw beef — once in three hours; and only four or five doses will be required to cause a profuse flow of bile and displace the greenish with a grayish color. Rectal injections of starch-water, etc., are eminently satisfactory in the treat- ment of dysentery in man, but being stoutly resisted by dogs, are objectionable ; moreover, but rarely if ever are they required. Were injections deemed neces- sary, all other measures having failed, as much warm water as possible should be injected into the bowels and allowed to come away. Then should be adminis- tered an injection consisting of half a cupful of milk into which has been well stirred the white of an egg and one drachm of the subnitrate of bismuth. This 118 KENNEL DISEASES. should be held up for several minutes, by means of a towel pressed firmly over the opening of the bowel. And if they seem to act well, such injections may be repeated every two or three hours. But, as said, this treatment is rarely neces- sary where the other measures advised have been properly applied. While the indication generally is to clear out the bowels early in dysentery by means of castor-oil, it might not be advisable to administer it had the disease been on several days. Indeed, did the patient appear very weak and failing, or were the discharges very watery, tinged with blood and devoid of mucus, the treat- ment should not be begun with a dose of oil, but with the morphia and soda mix- ture. This should be persisted in unless there is fever. Did that set in, about one-half the quantity of castor-oil recommended might be given; and this dose be repeated in three hours if the first had not improved the character of the discharges. When vomiting occurs it should be treated as advised in diarrhcea. Were failure of the strength rapid, alcoholic stimulants would be indicated, and brandy, for instance, should be given in tablespoonful doses to the largest breeds; one-half this quantity to those of medium size ; one-fourth to fox-terriers and the like; and one-eighth, or one-half a teaspoonful, to small toys, Stimulants of this character should be mixed with a little milk and the white of eggs. But only rarely will it be necessary to use them ; and in the extreme cases in which they appear to be indicated, he is wise who seeks the advice of his physician. The diet should be the simplest possible, as advised in diarrhea. ENTERITIS. Enteritis or intestinal catarrh is an inflammation of the bowel, and particu- larly that part of it known as the small intestine, although it sometimes extends over the entire alimentary canal. It may also be limited to the mucous mem- brane which lines the intestine and glands therein, or it may go deeper, and involve the whole intestine from its inner to outer surface. Many of the influences that excite diarrhoea are capable of causing enteritis. It is also sometimes met with in chronic diseases of important organs, as the heart, kidneys, and liver ; and frequently it is associated with distemper. Again, it is liable to set in during the course of any fever that is dependent upon germs or special poisons. But aside from cases in which it occurs as a complication of distemper, it is not common in mature dogs. Very young puppies, however, are frequent victims ; and most often in them the trouble is induced by worms or unsuitable dietary. ENTERITIS. 11g Looseness of the bowels is the earliest and most constant symptom; and while the intestinal trouble is an irritation merely, the affection is simply di- arrhcea ; but true inflammation having set in, it becomes enteritis. Vomiting may also be an early symptom. Although in some cases it occurs only occasionally, in others it is frequent and persistent; and in these, as a rule, the stomach is involved in the inflammation, and the attacks are really gastro-enteritis. Pain is rarely absent, although in the early stages it may be of mild char- acter and escape detection. Very generally it is of colicky nature at first, and after a time becomes unremitting and a steady “ache,’”’ which is intensified by pressure. The abdomen is usually distended; its walls are firm, hard, and tightly drawn; and unless the distention is very considerable, when standing the back of the sufferer is arched, and his tail pressed tightly between his legs, as in severe colic. The foregoing symptoms are generally attended by fever, which varies at times in intensity, being now scarcely noticeable, and again quite evident ; but seldom, however, does it run very high. As always when fever is on, the skin is dry and the pulse quickened. There is also thirst and loss of appetite. While the pain is colicky the patients are restless, but they are comparatively quiet when it is dull and persistent. Another characteristic symptom appears in the tongue, which is glazed and has the appearance of raw beef. Still another may sometimes be presented by the opening of the bowel, the lining of the same appearing of a very deep red color, hot and dry. These are the common symptoms of this disease, and from what has been said of them a general idea can be acquired of their intensity. In some cases not only are they very pronounced but others are added, as painful straining when discharges from the bowels occur, and tenderness of the abdomen so great that the sufferer can hardly be persuaded to move, and he moans and cries out if forced to do so. In such cases, also, the breathing is hurried and evidently painful, the victims seeming to avoid deep inspiration. Again, in very grave forms of the disease there may be constipation, and diarrhoea only occurs after the danger has past and convalesence commenced. Obviously the chances of recovery depend largely upon the cause; and where it can be removed speedily they should ordinarily be good. Moreover, they are greatly influenced by the severity of the disease and the length of time it has been on; also by the strength of the patient. Considering all cases, where it occurs singly and not as a complication, only a small per cent die; but including those in which it is associated with other diseases, and notably distemper, it is serious, and adds much to the dangers of a fatal termination. The affections with which enteritis is most likely to be confounded are diarrhoea, dysentery, colic, poisoning by irritants, and peritonitis. But the first named is far less serious and not attended by such constitu- ‘tional signs as fever, great thirst, prostration, etc. 120 KENNEL DISEASES. In dysentery the discharges contain blood and there is severe straining, whereas in enteritis blood is but rarely seen in them. Colic is a functional trouble in which the pain is intense ; it is not, however, attended by fever or other inflammatory signs, and sufferers from it are oftener troubled with constipation than with diarrhoea. In poisoning by irritants, as arsenic and other chemicals, the vomiting is much more severe and persistent than in enteritis. While there is usually diarrhea in such cases, it is seldom an early symptom, and, as a rule, does not appear until a day or two after the evidence of serious gastric trouble is manifested. As for peritonitis, that is a grave affection from the first. It comes on very rapidly, and at the onset the abdomen is more or less distended; whereas enteritis is comparatively slow in developing, and generally its victims are ailing two or three days before it is fairly on. Again, in peritonitis vomiting is not a common symptom, especially during the first days. Still again, constipation is the rule in peritonitis, and diarrhoea the rule in enteritis. Finally, while in occa- sional cases of the latter the victims are manifestly very ill, it is only after the disease has been running several days; on the other hand, in peritonitis the out- look is grave from the first. The treatment of this affection is much like that of diarrhoea of severe form, —a cathartic first, and then opiates. The use of the former has been con- demned in toto by some authors. Of course were the bowel perfectly empty, and that fact plainly evident, it assuredly would not be necessary to give oil or other like-acting drug; but considering the quite invariable uncertainty, at least in the earliest stages, it is safer to assume that there are irritating substances in the intestine, consisting of only partially digested foods, perhaps, or fecal accu- mulations, which, if allowed to remain, must excite and keep up the inflammation, also give rise to violent peristalsis or intestinal motion, thus preventing rest, which is so important to inflamed parts. Indeed, the all-important requirement in dealing with inflamed and possibly ulcerated surfaces here or elsewhere is to: secure rest and protection from irritating substances. Therefore, unless the attack has existed for several days, and during that time there has been profuse diarrhcea, the first measure of treatment to be applied is a good dose of oil. If, however, the discharges have been many and copious, it may be advisable to withhold the oil for a time and depend upon the opiate: treatment. Castor-oil might be used, but olive-oil or salad-oil acts decidedly better. The dose of this should be a generous one; and for a dog of medium size: or of the largest breeds, a large breakfast cupful would be none too much. About half that dose should be given to dogs about the size of fox-terriers; while one-fourth would be right for toys. If the first dose of olive-oil fails to act, it should be repeated in the course: of eight or ten hours. ENTERITIS. 121 When the caretaker is in doubt as to whether or not the oil should be given, it would be better that he assume the affirmative. But instead of administering it by the mouth, he should inject the same quantity into the bowel; and to repeat such injection of oil at intervals of from twelve to twenty-four hours would be advisable, until the patient was decidedly better. When the first dose of oil taken is by the mouth, it would be wise to after- ward administer injections of the same at the intervals stated, and until improve- ment is evident; for by this means the inflamed bowel will be kept continually free from all irritating particles, and at rest. Aside from acting well locally in such cases, olive-oil has a very decided effect upon some of the constitutional symptoms, especially the fever, which if high it speedily reduces, and generally keeps down as long as the injections are persisted in, and accumulations of irritating substances are thus prevented. In every attack of enteritis an opiate should be given at regular intervals, from the first; and laudanum, the dose being graduated as in colic, suggests. itself as the most convenient. As to the frequency of the doses, that must. depend upon the intensity of the pain. Ordinarily once in two or three hours will be near right. The subnitrate of bismuth promises quite as well in enteritis as in diarrhea, consequently it should be given continuously as advised for the latter, whether or not there is vomiting. In the matter of diet, manifestly only those articles that are easily digestible ” should be chosen; and milk, raw eggs, scraped raw beef, and meat jellies are eminently suitable. In fatal cases of enteritis in puppies, caused by worms, it is generally found that the inflammation is not diffuse, but occurs here and there along the intes- tine, in quite large patches, with surfaces between each that are unaffected or merely irritated. The removal of the troublesome tenants is, of course, the first indication. A vermifuge having been given, the inflammation if slight should subside with- out treatment. But where the puppies are very young they soon succumb to disease, consequently it is scarcely safe to long rely wholly upon nature to effect. a cure; and if the discharges do not speedily improve in number and character, remedies should be addressed to them. Those recommended for diarrhcea are eminently suitable; indeed, the treatment of enteritis in puppies is identical with that required in diarrhcea of severe form. Of course if worm medicine has been given and been followed by castor-oil, a dose of olive-oil by the mouth will not be required; but if the patients are matured dogs or quite old and hardy pups, injections of it may be subsequently administered. In enteritis occurring in very young puppies from other causes than worms, olive-oil may be given internally under the conditions set forth in the foregoing; but injections of it cannot be advantageously used with them. 122 KENNEL DISEASES. CONSTIPATION. During the first days of a fever of any kind constipation is the rule, although in occasional instances diarrhcea occurs. The former is then purely a symp- tom, and the essential treatment but a part of that required by the existing disease. Herein, therefore, it will be considered only as an independent affection. It has a great variety of causes; and since many of them are identical with those that act in the same way among members of the human family, and with which all must be quite familiar, it is merely necessary to dwell on the influ- ences which generally give rise to the affection in dogs. The first appears in the diet when it consists largely of substances which are capable of being absorbed into the blood, and leave but little to pass out by the bowels. For example, a dog fed almost wholly on meat would not have near the usual amount of refuse; or, strictly speaking, he would naturally be costive, this term meaning that not only are the movements less frequent than natural, but of less amount. And the effect would be the same were he denied suffi- cient food. Another common cause is deprivation of sufficient pure, fresh drinking-water, in consequence of which the blood in some degree is lacking in this very essential constituent, the secretory action of the glands of the large intestines is less power- ful than it ought to be, and there is an over-dry state of the lining membrane throughout the bowels. As a consequence of all this the fecal matter is dryer and harder, and its expulsion more difficult. Lack of sufficient exercise is another cause of constipation ; indeed, lazy indoor pets are especially prone to the affection. But with them there are doubt- less other causes equally active, and notably neatness and restraint ; their outings being dependent upon the convenience and caprices of their owners rather than their own wants. And if nature’s promptings are continually disregarded or resisted, the inevitable result is a lessening of the sensibility of the lower bowel, also of its contractility and expulsive power ; and the constipation in correspond- ing degree becomes more pronounced and unconquerable. A uniform and unvaried diet, day after day, tends to impair the activity of the bowels. So, too, the habitual use of very coarse foods ; the bowels becoming fatigued, as it were, by the continued strain or effort made to expel so large a residue. It is only within the last decade that physicians have duly appreciated the possibilities of self-poisoning, and the frequency with which it occurs. For instance, food substances that are ordinarily easily and well disposed of, under certain conditions and in consequence of impairment of some one or more of the organs concerned in the process of digestion, may undergo deleterious changes, CONSTIPATION. 123 and the poisons be absorbed and seriously affect the entire system. Consti- pation furnishes another illustration of self-poisoning. Let the refuse be too long retained in the upper parts of the large intestine, and not only is its fluid portion largely absorbed and taken up by the blood, but there is likely some absorption of the poisonous solids as well. And hereby is explained many instances of so-called “biliousness,” that are characterized by loss of appetite, foul breath, languor, etc., the same being merely cases of self-poisoning attributable to imperfect action on the part of the bowels. As a rule, the remedy for constipation should be in the feeding-pan. Assum- ing that the diet consists principally of meat, substances which furnish a large amount of refuse should enter into it in goodly quantity ; and of these such vege- tables as cabbages and the so-called greens—spinach, dandelion, nettle-tops, beet-tops, and the like —are the most serviceable. Certain breads also act well in the same way; the coarse qualities, which contain the bran, tend to prevent clogging, keep the bowels active, and assist in the assimilation of other foods. On the other hand, the popular “white bread ” made from fine wheat flour favors constipation. The various meals, as Indian, also have a beneficial action on a sluggish bowel, provided always they are not given in excess. Indeed, let a dog affected with constipation be fed on, say two parts meat, one part Graham bread, or one of the meals, and one part vegetables, unless they are diseased, his bowels should come right. But of course it may be necessary to increase or decrease from time to time the proportions of these laxative constituents, as their action is deficient or excessive. Exercise has rightly been termed the “grand eliminator of waste,” and with- out it not only the bowels but all other excretory organs are more or less indo- lent. Consequently this simple remedy must be applied in goodly amount in every case of constipation. As implied in the foregoing, dogs should always be well supplied with pure, fresh drinking-water, for otherwise not only are their bowels likely to be sluggish, but their general health must be impaired. In truth, under the deprivation, nu- trition can never be good; the victims invariably lose flesh, fall off in coat, and sooner or later suffer from disease, which as a rule first attacks the skin. While habitual treatment should consist of dietetic and hygienic measures, oftentimes it will be necessary to at once relieve the constipation, and in such instances medicines must generally be given. Of the many remedies of this nature castor-oil is the most popular. It is certainly efficient, but there are some objections to its use except in selected cases, and sweet or olive-oil, alone or with an equal quantity of the syrup of buckthorn, acts quite as powerfully, and leaves the bowels in rather better con- dition. The syrup of buckthorn is rightly highly esteemed as a cathartic. Combined 124 KENNEL DISEASES. with sweet oil, a tablespoonful of each may be given to dogs of large size. Double that quantity of the buckthorn might be given if used alone, and brisk and free action is desired. In attacks of sickness in which there is fever it is generally advisable to un- load the bowels, and then calcined magnesia acts well, either alone or combined with powdered rhubarb. The dose of the former is a full teaspoonful for large dogs ; and if a good purging is deemed necessary, with it should be mixed nearly half a teaspoonful of the latter. Among the purgatives in pill form the so-called compound cathartic pill is as good as any if the bowels are not irritated; and three for dogs of the largest size, two for the medium, and one for fox-terriers and the like, are suitable doses. As for the smallest toys, magnesia is the best for them. In occasional cases the retained refuse is so dry and hard, that cathartics are very slow in having their effect ; and in such, also in every instance in which it is desirable to have the bowels move at once, an injection should be given. For the purpose a simple and efficient mixture may be made of strong soapsuds and water, to which has been added a teaspoonful of molasses and the same quan- tity of table-salt. As an injection, sweet-oil also acts speedily and well when generous quantities are used. A cupful would be none too much for the largest breeds. Another efficient remedy is glycerin, of which only a little need be injected to move the bowels, — from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful, according to the size of the patient. INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION. 125 CHAPTER IV. INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION. In this instance obstruction signifies not merely constipation but an acci- dent which as a rule proves exceedingly dangerous. Considering the fact that dogs are accustomed to swallow hair, bits of wood, glass, stones, and other indigestible substances, stoppage would seem likely to occur often among them; yet as a matter of fact it is not common, thanks to the provisions of nature, which make it possible for almost anything that can pass through the throat, to journey down and out of the alimentary canal. The exceptions to this are few, and include substances that have sharp points, which obviously render them liable to become fixed on the way. But there are other causes of obstruction. Sometimes it results from a twist or knot in the intestine. Sometimes, also, it is occasioned by what is termed intussusception, which is the slipping of one portion of the intestine, stove-pipe like, into another, in which case the outer part contracts and holds the inner fast. By strangulated hernia is meant the imprisonment of a part of the bowel in an opening in the abdominal wall, which constitutes what is popularly called a “rupture.” In umbilical hernia, for instance, the bowel produces the char- acteristic appearance ; and generally the knob-like protrusion yields to pressure, and can be forced back. As long as this is possible there is no obstruction ; but if the tissues which constitute the hernial ring become inflamed or affected by spasm, the opening is narrowed, the intestine pinched, and passage through it obstructed. Obstruction may occur in consequence of pressure from tumors, also organs that are greatly enlarged by disease. Again, it may be the result of long- neglected constipation, matters that should be thrown out accumulating and forming a mass which the lower bowel has not the power to expel. Finally, cases of obstruction are encountered in which the cause cannot be determined. Only by the selection of a typical case of intestinal stoppage for an illustra- tion can an adequate idea of the symptoms be conveyed. Pain is usually the first manifestation sufficient to attract attention, although in some instances an insignificant diarrhoea or constipation may have previously existed. The pain is severe, colicky in character, and recurs at short intervals. Indeed, the symp- toms at this stage are identically those of colic, for which obstruction is commonly mistaken and treated. 126 KENNEL DISEASES. For convenience it is presumed that, under the impression that a free passage of the bowels would bring relief, both a cathartic and an injection have been administered. But success has not attended the use of these remedies ; the bowels have not moved, or have had only slight action, the pain persists in all its intensity, and vomiting is frequent. The abdomen is much distended, the expression piteous and anxious, and the eyes congested and sunken. The respiration is superficial and hurried, and the pulse small and rapid. At times the sufferer is irritable and snarling, at others, dull and apathetic. He makes frequent attempts to empty the bowels. These efforts are painful, and the suf- fering is increased by failure to purge. At first the vomited matter is composed of the contents of the stomach; then it is greenish; later a dirty green; next it has much the appearance of diarrhoeal discharges; and finally, if life is pro- longed, refuse which would naturally have been thrown off by the bowels appears in the matter vomited, with its characteristic fecal odor. Now the poor dog is in a condition of collapse. His skin is cold and clammy, vomiting is frequent, breathing rapid, thirst great, pain exhausting, eyes are leaden, tongue dry and covered with dirty brownish coat; while the pulse, previously thin and thready, is no longer felt ; and death closes the scene. These are the symptoms present in a typical case of intestinal obstruction that speedily proves fatal. But typical cases of any disease are far from com- mon, therefore no one should expect to find the lines drawn as distinctly as here. In all instances, however, where the stoppage takes on, as it were, a rapid course, the resemblance between its symptoms and those described should be too great to be mistaken. When the stoppage is complete, dire results soon follow; but this accident is not nearly so common as partial stoppage, which is the rule where the obstruc- tions are bones, woody fibres, and the like. In such the symptoms which point to the real trouble may be delayed until the offending substance has reached the lower part of the bowel and is about to be expelled. For instance, a dog swallows a very hard bone of large and peculiar size. For perhaps a week he may appear as well as usual, and then take a bad turn, lose his appetite and spirits, fall off in flesh and strength, and in the meanwhile suffer from constipation. Erelong the trouble seems to be diarrhoea; next the symptoms presented suggest dysentery as the existing affection; there being frequent and scanty discharges containing blood, and attended by painful strain- ing. The offending bone is now in the lower bowel. Obviously, previous to this final stage it would not be easy to determine the nature of the existing trouble. Fortunately bones are not often the cause of intestinal stoppage. They are of course very hard to digest; and the operation is slow, for it is confined to their surfaces, where the lime-salts are acted upon and dissolved. With strong diges- tive powers a dog may be expected to dispose of all bones he may swallow; but INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION. 127 suffering from impairment, sharp slivers of very hard bones might remain un- dissolved, and cause much disturbance. Where the stoppage is complete, or nearly so, and the sufferer fails rapidly, it is possible to mistake the cause and assume the case to be one of poisoning by arsenic or other irritant poison; but a careful comparison of the symptoms presented in both accidents should prevent confusion, at least after the first few days. Many of the symptoms of peritonitis resemble those of stoppage, but in the former, vomiting is rarely frequent until late in the disease; moreover, there is not that unyielding constipation that exists in stoppage. Again, the signs of great constitutional disturbance, as high fever, rapid and weak pulse, etc., are manifested early in peritonitis, but late in stoppage. Finally, the victims of the former are apparently very sick from the first; whereas the symptoms manifested by those suffering from the latter only gradually become threatening. There remains one sign that occurs in quite a large proportion of cases of stoppage ; namely, the formation of a swelling or tumor in the abdomen. When this is noted with the symptoms already described there is scarcely room for mistaking the true nature of the existing trouble. Stoppage which gives rise to the most threatening symptoms, and is indeed the most dangerous, as arule, is high up in the intestines. Death seems imminent then, yet as long as there is life one may feel hopeful; for in some of the most desperate cases the obstruction has suddenly given way and recovery occurred. The cause of the stoppage being a splinter of bone or other foreign substance, and that having reached the lower bowel, as one can rightly assume to be the case when the discharges contain bright red blood and are attended by very evi- dent pain and much straining, it may be accepted that the chances are many that it will be safely expelled. In this connection it is well to call attention to the fact that where the obstruction is low down the abdomen is generally much more distended with gas or wind than when it is high up. To this, however, as to all other rules, there are exceptions. The existence of intestinal obstruction is scarcely likely to be determined until after purgatives have been given. These having failed, warm water may be injected slowly into the bowel until it runs away. The effect of such injec- tion is relaxing, and it may be decidedly beneficial, but unfortunately that is the case only in rare instances. Once the symptoms point to stoppage, the sufferer should be kept very quiet and given opiates, as directed in cases of colic. If they seem to indicate that the obstructing body is in the lower bowel, an injection of sweet-oil will be advisable. The oil should be warmed, to enable it to easily pass through the syringe; and it ought to be carried as far up as possible by means of a piece of rubber tubing drawn over the nozzle of the instrument. Convenience suggests 128 KENNEL DISEASES. that this tube be from one and one-half to two feet long where the patients are of large size, and it may be about the diameter of that on an ordinary “bulb syringe.” Its introduction when slow and accomplished by constantly turning — boring it in as it were — should be easy and painless; and it should be per- sisted in until it tends to double on itself, thereby showing that it can go no farther. As for the quantity of oil to be used, the basin holding it should con- tain fully one pint; and the oil should be injected until it runs out around the tubing. Such injections also should be repeated from time to time if they seem to lessen the straining. This so-called rectal tube might, by the way, be wisely employed invariably where injections are given in cases of suspected stoppage, whether the fluid used is sweet-oil, glycerin diluted with ten or twelve parts of water, soapsuds, or of other character; and there are chances that if the injection can be made deeply enough the intestine will relax and the obstruction yield. In all like cases also it were advisable to methodically knead the patient’s abdomen, and thoroughly manipulate it from below upward. Considering the diet, raw eggs, meat juices, extracts or jellies are indicated, and should be given as the conditions will allow. Summarizing: The essentials in treatment are rest for the victims — to be secured by opiates — and support; the aim being to keep up the strength, with the hope that the obstruction will eventually yield. As no more favorable opportunity is likely to be presented, it is well to con- sider here the treatment which should be applied where it is known that sub- stances capable of causing obstruction are swallowed. But before doing so, a description of a case reported some years since will be instructive. It was of a dog that had swallowed a silver dollar. ‘ Emetics of every de- scription were administered in the hope of recovering the coin in that way, but it failed to make its appearance after the most strenuous efforts to dislodge it.” Some five months after the accident, the victim, in the meantime having been fairly well, suddenly took on a bad turn, failed rapidly, and soon death seemed imminent. His chain having been removed that the end might be easier, the poor fellow staggered to a grass-plot in front of his kennel, lay down, and began toeat. After a time his caretaker, thinking himself mistaken, and that life would linger another day, sought to chain him again. He showed very evident reluc- tance at leaving the grass, therefore a “large double handful” was gathered and deposited at the door of his kennel. Some hours later it was found that he had eaten it all, and his condition had apparently been made worse. Early the fol- lowing morning, however, it was discovered that a very happy change had occurred during the night; and this was accounted for by a bunch of grass, all covered with slime, in the centre of which lay the offending coin, now badly discolored. Such accidents as this are not likely to be discovered early enough to INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION. 129 permit of the application of a treatment which promises success, but still it is well for the owners of dogs to know the best measures to employ. For the removal of foreign bodies from the stomach, physicians are now recommending the eating of potatoes only, in large quantities, cooked in dif- ferent ways, to stimulate the appetite. Cases are on record in which articles of jewellery, brass weights, nails, pins, etc., were successfully ejected after a few days of this potato diet. Even sets of false teeth, long needles, and pencils have journeyed through the intestinal canal of man and yet done no harm, It is reasonable to infer from this that some such treatment should be applied to the dog that has shown such a perverted appetite. He would scarcely be content with a potato diet, and yet he might if finely chopped meat were added. A surer treatment, however, would be to administer flour paste as soon as possible after the foreign body had entered the stomach. Simply flour and cold water is all that is necessary ; and the mixture requires to be as thick as possible and yet flow out of the dish in which it is prepared. About two cupfuls of this should be poured down the dog’s throat. The water will soon pass out of the stomach and leave the flour to coat over and incase the offending substance. Water should be entirely denied for at least twelve hours, and during the next day or two be given only sparingly. After that a potato diet, rendered appetizing by meat, should be persisted in; and a cupful of flaxseed tea— made quite thick — be administered every two or three hours. On the third day a dose of castor-oil may be given ; but it should be merely sufficient to produce a laxative, not a cathartic, effect. In the case related, the dog instinctively applied the best possible treatment, and essentially the same as that herein advised. The grass acted as would the flour-paste or potato. Doubtless owing to its shape, the coin could not pass cer- tain points in the stomach or intestine, but when enveloped in grass, and practi- cally converted into a ball, it made its way easily. Elsewhere, under the head “Abdominal Surgery,” the wisdom of surgical interference in cases believed to be of intestinal stoppage has been considered; and herein it is merely necessary to call attention to the fact that in all attacks, of whatsoever nature, in which the abdomen is greatly distended by gas, as in stoppage, and intense pain is caused thereby, the gas should be expelled, and prompt relief afforded by plunging a fine trocar and cannula through the abdom- inal walls, over and into the distended bowel. Or in the absence of such fine instrument, the surgeon can generally use successfully the needle of his hypo- dermic syringe, if the same be a long one, and the abdominal walls are not too thick. And were that or other suitable instrument not obtainable and the case very desperate, the writer would not hesitate to use the fine blade of his pen- knife. 130 KENNEL DISEASES. DISEASES OF THE LIVER. The liver of man is an abused organ, and accused of much for which it is nowise responsible. This is largely accounted for by the fact that ignorant and unscrupulous pretenders to medical skill have long been accustomed to use the terms “liver complaint” and “biliousness” in cases the nature of which they knew nothing, and in which, in most instances, the real trouble was far removed from the liver. In consequence laymen are wont to assume that when they are ailing from unappreciable causes this organ needs stimulating, and therefore “Liver Pills,” “Pads,” “Invigorators,” and “Tonics” are the most popular nostrums of the day, and must continue to be so as long as easy gullibility is such a pronounced characteristic of mankind. He who is temperate, lives outside of malarial districts and low, damp, and intensely hot regions, seldom suffers from disease of his liver ; and if reasonably discreet in his habits, it is but rarely deranged. The liver of the dog is even less liable to disease and derangement, for its resistance as well as capabilities are greater, and influences which might upset his master’s liver could scarcely have any effect upon him. As a matter of fact, in his kind this organ only rarely requires interference; but since it is not entirely exempt from trouble, it cannot rightly be ignored altogether, therefore the infirmities to which it is liable will be briefly con- sidered. CONGESTION OF THE LIVER. When denied sufficient exercise and yet generously fed, dogs are liable to be victims of congestion of the liver; and these conditions are especially pro- ductive of that disturbance during hot weather. It may, however, be caused by “catching cold,” also by errors in diet which give rise to indigestion. At times it is present during the run of inflammatory affections ; and it is quite likely to occur in diseases of the heart and lungs, which interfere with circula- tion and cause the vessels of the liver to be over-filled. In this affection the liver is usually enlarged; and there is some shortness of breath when the enlargement is considerable. A furred tongue, constipa- tion, lead-colored discharges, bad breath, now and then yellowness of the eyes, and some tenderness on pressure in the region of the liver, are the most constant symptoms. Unless caused by other affections, and the same are still existing, treatment requires merely a light diet from which fats are excluded, perfect freedom of movement if possible ; and if not, then ample exercise, and medicine to act INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER. 131 gently on the bowels. Magnesia well meets the requirement. It should be given twice daily while the stomach is empty, and be persisted in for a week or more if necessary. Two or three discharges each day, the same being semi- fluid, will be right. Neither calomel, blue-pill, nor other mercurials are required when the diet is properly regulated. INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER. When the stomach and intestines are inflamed there may occur, in sym- pathy as it were, an inflammation of the liver, which physicians term hepatitis. This affection may also follow congestion, and it may come on alone. Two forms are recognized, the acute and chronic; but both are exceedingly rare, and the former is scarcely ever found except in very hot countries, in which the liver appears to meet conditions that are anything but congenial. The symptoms are much the same as those of congestion, only the sufferer seems worse, and there is greater tenderness on pressure on the right side, under the lower ribs. Vomiting and diarrhcea may also be present, induced by the irritant quality of the bile, while fever is a constant symptom in severe attacks. The manner of the patient is also suggestive. He becomes dull and listless soon after his liver is attacked ; but at times is very restless, evidently in consequence of pain. The position that he assumes on lying down would point to the liver, it being on his chest and abdomen, or his right side, never on his left. And when he gets up, he moves as though stiff and lame. Jaundice is rarely absent where there is much inflammation of the liver, and as a rule it appears within four days after the first symptoms are exhibited. That present, the pulse, previously full, bounding and rapid, falls below the normal. The course of acute inflammation is usually rapid, and may either terminate in recovery, resolve itself into the chronic form, or eventuate in abscess. In the latter instance death is quite sure to occur; and before it comes, a swelling over the region of the liver can generally be made out. A fatal end nearing, there is rapid emaciation, together with the usual signs of failure and exhaus- tion. The breathing is hurried, and the abdomen assumes the appearance of pregnancy. The “let-alone treatment” is much the safest and best in this affection. That is, withhold medicines, make the sufferer as comfortable as possible by judicious nursing, support him well by simple and easily digestible foods, and leave the rest to nature. Chronic hepatitis might follow the acute but it seldom does so; and very generally it springs from causes which act so slowly and insidiously that their character cannot be determined. Its victims are nearly, if not quite, all old 132 KENNEL DISEASES. dogs whose lives have been indolent and luxurious. Asa rule, its existence is not suspected until well advanced and enlargement of the abdomen has occurred. Previous to this the appetite is impaired, the manner of the victim dull and sluggish, and there is progressive emaciation, which, associated with the en- largement, is strongly suggestive of the nature of the existing illness. In the majority of cases, eventually the tongue is nearly white, and at the same time the mucous membrane of the mouth and lips loses its healthy color and be- ‘comes pale and yellowish. Jaundice is also noted in some cases, but only rarely is it very pronounced. The breath is usually offensive, and the eyes are dull and lustreless. Vomiting is frequent, the matter ejected being greenish. There is a tendency to constipation, with occasional diarrhoea; and the discharges are commonly clayey. The kidneys are indolent, and the urine scanty and high colored. As emaciation progresses, the skin thickens and becomes rough and scaly, and the hair dry and staring. Until the abdominal distention is suffi- cient to mechanically interfere with respiration, the breathing is unchanged. The pulse also varies but little until late in the disease. In certain cases, instead of being enlarged, the liver is reduced in size, and the abdominal dis- tention which then occurs is due to dropsy, while in most instances the extremities become dropsical as the fatal end is approaching rapidly. These symptoms nearly all point so directly to the liver that there is scarcely a possibility of mistaking at least the seat of the trouble; and since in all instances in which dropsy is due to disease of that organ a cure is well nigh out of the question, it is not necessary to go into the means by which a positive diagnosis can be made. The malady is relentless; and if the desire is to prolong life, good manage- ment in feeding, etc., must be the reliance. FATTY LIVER. When animals become obese, fat is deposited in the various organs as well as in the tissues of the muscular system. In the liver this condition is termed fatty infiltration; and if it is not corrected in time there is destruction of the liver-substance, which process is known as fatty degeneration. During the infiltration there is practically merely a storing away of fat in the liver-tissues, in consequence of which the affected organ becomes enlarged; but during degeneration there is atrophy, or in other words, a decrease in size. Fatty infiltration may be a part of general obesity; it may also be in con- sequence of habitual deprivation of sufficient exercise, or of over-eating, espe- cially of foods that are too rich in fats or in fat-producing substances. It also sometimes occurs in wasting diseases. FATTY LIVER. 133 The causes of fatty degeneration seem more varied. Following fatty infil- tration it may be attributable to the same influences. Certain poisons are also capable of producing it, notably arsenic. It may occur as a complication in acute infectious diseases of very severe type and long and tedious run; while now and then it has appeared to be a sequence of pernicious anemias or grave cases of poverty of the blood. In cases of general obesity, in which the liver is found to be enlarged but serious symptoms are absent, it will generally be safe to assume that the hepatic trouble is infiltration merely. If, on the other hand, the liver be reduced in size, and there is jaundice, occasional vomiting, and loss of strength, the diges- tive organs are habitually disordered, the victim, formerly obese, is now near or below the normal weight, and there is dropsy, the chances are many that his trouble is degeneration. But it is only in advanced and severe cases that important symptoms are manifested, hence a diagnosis is never likely to be made early, and while treatment could have good effect. As for the esssential treatment of fatty infiltration, obviously it is largely a modification in diet, which mainly consists of giving only sparingly the breadstuffs, various meals, potatoes, and other so-called starchy foods, which are notable fat-producers, and increasing the proportion of lean meat and vegetables that grow above ground. It is highly important also that ample exercise be encouraged. 134 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER V. AMYLOID LIVER. In very rare cases there is a deposit in the connective tissues of the liver of a peculiar substance having some of the reactions of and resembling starch. The liver is then said to be the subject of amyloid infiltration. The organ is increased in size and of firmer consistency. Its edges are rounded, and the surface is of light color, presenting in some instances a mottled appearance. Amyloid infiltration may occur primarily in the liver; but it is often a part of a similar change going on elsewhere in the system, and affecting especially the spleen and kidneys. It has also been attributed to peculiar changes in the blood, and to certain exhausting constitutional diseases. Among the symptoms presented are those manifested by gastric and intes- tinal disturbance, abdominal enlargement, capricious appetite, constipation, and great falling off in condition generally. But rarely, however, are they sufii- ciently distinctive to enable a diagnosis to be made. A cure is out of the question, although a gain is possible. It were, there- fore, useless to discuss treatment. CANCER OF THE LIVER. Only a very few cases are on record in which malignant growths have formed in the livers of dogs; and nearly all, if not all, of the victims had reached old age. It appears to have been the rule also that the cancerous changes in the liver were of secondary occurrence, some other parts of the body having been first attacked by them. Such changes are characterized by digestive disturbances, loss of appetite, diarrhoea alternating with constipation, progressive emaciation, a general break- ing-down of the system, abdominal enlargement, possibly jaundice, and the appearance of nodular masses, — bunches, irregular enlargements, or tumors. These may occur singly, or the whole liver be studded with them. Cancerous deposits are of two varieties; namely, the hard and the soft. With either the liver is usually slightly increased in size. The presence of the JAUNDICE. 135 former variety can often be made out, the hard tumors being felt through the abdominal walls ; but the other form can rarely be detected during life. Treatment can have no other result than palliation merely. BILIOUSNESS. The term biliousness is of vague meaning, and so often is it misused, it ought to be expunged from the medical vocabulary. But still, its use has so long been widely prevalent, it can scarcely be ignored now, and the conditions to which it is generally applied must be briefly considered. The disorders of the liver which might possibly without impropriety be included under this head have been defined in the discussion of diarrhcea; but it is only comparatively rarely used with them, and in most cases subjects are termed bilious when they are suffering from indigestion merely, or from a dis- order induced by poisons generated in foods while undergoing digestion. The symptoms of biliousness from these causes are foul breath, capricious appetite, furred tongue, dinginess of the whites of the eyes, a hot nose, and dulness and lassitude. The manner, however, generally speedily brightens under excitement. Constipation may also exist for a time, to be followed by diarrhcea. These symptoms in some instances last only a day or two, while in others they are prolonged several weeks; in which case the coat loses the gloss of health and becomes lustreless and rough, and very often the sufferers are victims of eczema. The so-called starvation treatment is the proper one to apply in cases where this trouble has just set in. That is, to either withhold food altogether for two or three days or limit it to very small quantities, and always to the simplest and most easily digestible articles, as milk and lime-water, skimmed milk or butter-milk, or thin beef-teas. But aside from dietetic restrictions, it will gen- erally be advisable to administer a cathartic ; and it matters little which of the drugs that act as such is chosen. As for cases of long standing, to give skimmed milk for breakfasts, and only one hearty meal daily, at night, should be the rule. This should consist of meat, green vegetables, and Graham bread, crackers, boiled rice, or other light starches. At the same time ample exercise should be allowed. JAUNDICE. Jaundice, sometimes called yellows, is not a disease in itself, but is due to the circulation in the blood of elements of the bile, sufficient in quantity to 136 KENNEL DISEASES. color the skin and “whites” of the eyes. And this stain may pe trom a faint yellow to a bronzed or greenish brown. In most instances the urine is very high colored, and certain secretions are similarly affected in severe cases. Discharges from the bowels may also be distinctly changed in appearance, and notably when the bile is prevented from leaving the gall-bladder; they being then pale, clay-colored or slate-colored, and dry, hard, and lumpy. At the same time the bowels are sluggish, and there is constipation, owing to the absence of bile. Speaking generally, there are two conditions which may give rise to this affection. In one, the liver does not remove the coloring-matter from the blood, and the same finds its way out largely through the small blood-vessels at the surface of the body. In the other, the liver does this properly, but being pre- vented from passing into the intestine, the bile is reabsorbed. Of these conditions the latter is by far the most common; and the obstruc- tion in the gall-duct —the passage from the gall-bladder to the intestines — is, as a rule, due to inflammation of its lining membrane, which, swelling, closes the canal. The inflammation here only rarely has its origin in the gall-duct itself, but in most instances it is an extension of a similar trouble from that part of the intestine into which this duct opens. As for the intestinal inflammation, its causes have already been discussed under Gastritis and Enteritis. But it may be merely circumscribed, that is, confined to only a small part of the intestine near the duct in question; in which instance it is often caused by a foreign body, as a small stone, or it may be associated with obstruction of the bowel. In all diseases of the liver jaundice is likely to occur, yet it is a significant fact that generally they must be quite serious and have persisted for a consider- able time before this symptom is prominent. It would also seem from results of observations that, contrary to the general belief that the liver or some of its attachments are invariably at fault where there is jaundice, this trouble may exist and yet, as far as can be determined, the liver be in a perfectly healthy state; showing that the cause may be beyond it and in some other part of the system. Jaundice is a frequent complication of distemper. It has also been vari- ously attributed to chilling, errors in feeding, and especially to decomposed meats, excessive fatigue, obstinate constipation, filthy surroundings, intense excitement, — as experienced in fighting, — kicks, blows, etc., all of which influences would seem capable of exciting it under certain conditions. Again, it may be caused by the pressure of tumors. Occurring as it has in epidemics, several inmates of kennels being attacked at the same time, some hold to the theory that, in occasional instances at least, it is of infectious nature. This, however, has not been proved; and, indeed, the weight of evidence is much against it. JAUNDICE. 137 There is still one more way in which the trouble may be produced; namely, by obstruction of the gall-duct by a plug of thickened bile, worms, or gall-stones. This accident, however, is not of frequent occurrence. The yellowish stain in the eyes is unmistakable evidence of the affection. For a short time previous to its appearance, and while the liver trouble con- tinues, the victims are usually low-spirited, languid, sleepy, and averse to exer- tion; they appear cold and shiver, there is a disposition to scratch, the pulse falls below the normal, the temperature rises possibly two or three degrees, and the functions of the body generally seem torpid. These symptoms are attributable to the bile in circulation, which doubtless has a narcotic effect upon the nervous system; and when the same is pro- ' nounced, the respiration becomes less frequent, the appetite is capricious or disappears, thirst is excessive, and vomiting frequent; as a rule the matter expelled being greenish. Pain of colicky character is commonly present, and when so the abdomen is hard and back arched. Dryness and usual heat of the nose, mouth and breath are also associate symptoms. The bowels are usually constipated until towards the last of the trouble, although diarrhoea may occur early, and the discharges are of diagnostic signifi- cance. For instance, if they are clayey, it is evident that bile is entirely shut off from the intestines, whereas if they approach the color of health, the obstruc- tion to its flow is only partial. Finally, the urine contains bile if the usual quantity does not enter the intestine, and it is so high colored that it leaves a decided stain when the jaundice is intense. Nutrition may for a time be but little affected; but if the trouble persists, the coat loses its glossy look and becomes dry and staring, and emaciation is rapid. Generally the symptoms described come on insidiously, and slowly grow more pronounced; but now and then the disease runs a very rapid course, the signs manifest themselves suddenly and with great intensity, and death occurs within twenty-four hours. Such cases, however, are exceedingly rare, and as a ‘rule, even in fatal attacks, the unfortunates live three or four days. Manifestly the chances of recovery depend on the cause. Obstruction to the gall-duct in consequence of inflammation in its lining, generally yields in the course of a week. If due to lodgement of a worm or gall-stone, the outlook is less favorable; while a plug of bile will generally be in time removed. As- sociated with intestinal obstruction, if the same gives way the jaundice ought to quickly disappear. When the liver itself is at fault and diseased, the chances are the smallest, although recovery is not impossible even then. To determine the actual cause in any case will never be easy, indeed, it will always be difficult, but the following facts may assist towards a diagnosis. 138 KENNEL DISEASES. Jaundice occurring suddenly, in apparent health, and not accompanied by pain or other very severe symptoms, can generally be attributed to disturbance of the nervous system, possibly caused by great excitement; and if that assump- tion be correct, the jaundice should prove transitory. Very great depression characterizes this affection when due to disease of the liver or other organ, or to infectious fever, as distemper. When attended with well-marked fever there is generally inflammation of the biliary passages or elsewhere within the liver; the latter being caused by some infective poison. If it occurs suddenly, and is preceded by'colic and vomiting, stoppage of the gall-duct is usually the cause. Following gastric or intestinal irritation, it is generally due to a similar trouble in the gall-duct, and should speedily pass off. When induced by pressure of tumors, possibly they can be detected by examination; or the poor health previously existing will have suggested the possibility of some such cause. If associated with dropsy, the chances are that there is a disease of the liver which is likely incurable. The primary essentials in treatment are to restrict the diet to milk, scraped raw lean beef, or other foods free from fats, sugar, or starches; quarter the patient in a comfortable room; give him gentle exercise occasionally, and under a blanket if the weather is cold; and keep his bowels moving two or three times daily. Calcined magnesia suggests itself as the best laxative, and a teaspoonful to a large dog, two or three times daily, will be near right. Or if it is not suffi- ciently powerful, a tablespoonful of the syrup of buckthorn may be given every morning, unless its action is too pronounced, when, of course, the quantity must be lessened. Until the laxative employed has made the movements easy, there is likely to be much straining because of the hard, dry, and lumpy condition of the intes- tinal refuse; therefore in such case it is advisable always to assist by means of injections of sweet-oil or soapsuds. Colic occurring, it should have the usual treatment. So, too, with vomiting,: the appropriate remedies for which have been duly considered elsewhere. Gray-powder, calomel, or other mecurials are forbidden in popular practice, since to determine the actual cause existing will rarely be possible, and these agents if used must be given blindly, consequently be liable to do far more harm than good; moreover, if a case is curable, nature will be successful, pro- vided the assistance advised be rendered her. When the patient begins to improve the urine will be less dark colored. At the same time the discharges will darken; and they may be quite black and have much the appearance of tar. HEMORRHOIDS. 139 Owing to the slowness with which the coloring matter of the bile is absorbed from the tissues, the whites of the eyes continue yellowish for some days after the function of the liver is restored. DISEASES OF THE SPLEEN. The spleen has been frequently removed without permanent injury, the most constant effects being increase of appetite and an unnatural ferocity ; but the same results have followed some other operations. This organ cannot, there- fore, have great individual importance, and must be regarded as merely a help to other organs, which may, if necessary, completely or to a great extent perform its function. Acute inflammation of the spleen or splenitis is an exceedingly rare affec- tion. The symptoms which have been observed are restlessness, tenderness under the lower ribs on the left side, some fever, loss of appetite, vomiting, great thirst, and, as Youatt observes, “shivering, the ears cold, the eyes unnat- urally protuberant, the nostrils dilated, the flanks agitated, the respiration accelerated, and the mucous membrane pale.” The same author mentions a discharge of a yellow, frothy mucus by vomiting, which suggests that in those cases an abscess had formed in the spleen and perforation into the stomach had occurred. This disease can scarcely ever be diagnosed during life. Were it detected, the general principles of treatment indicated would be much the same as in acute inflammation of other organs similar in structure. In certain diseases of the general system, and in some affections of other organs, the spleen becomes enlarged for a time and then returns to its normal size. Chronic enlargement of this gland, unless it be greatly increased in size, is rarely attended with any symptoms to indicate the condition. Were it discov- ered, the essential treatment would be symptomatic, and the same as in chronic hepatitis. The spleen takes on degenerative changes in common with the liver, but a consideration of them can be of no possible interest or profit to the general reader. HEMORRHOIDS. Hemorrhoids or piles are small, rounded tumors, generally of a red or pur- plish color, which form just within or without the orifice of the bowel; hence the distinction between internal and external piles. 140 KENNEL DISEASES. Dogs but rarely suffer from them ; and most of the victims are well advanced in life, and mainly house pets, which have had constipation, been highly fed, and lived lazily and indolently. Piles may, however, be caused by too frequent use of purgatives, and indeed by any agent which keeps the lower bowel con- stantly irritated. External piles cannot be mistaken; but the internal may exist without detec- tion, although they are sometimes forced out when the bowels move. Where this happens, usually at first and for a considerable time they quickly go back; but if they increase in size, eventually they remain out unless forcibly returned ; and likely become swollen and excessively tender. Internal piles are liable to bleed ; and they may be suspected if blood appears in the intestinal discharges. The victim licks around the opening of the bowel, led to do so by pain, and while in a sitting position draws himself over the floor or ground ; which is generally done to relieve itching. The primary object of treatment is to remove the cause. If the patient is over-fed and denied sufficient exercise, these faults must, of course, be corrected. To keep the bowels acting freely is one of the essential requirements, for other- wise their movements must be painful. Green vegetables first suggest them- selves. Then comes magnesia, which may be mixed with the food twice or three times daily. Or sulphur, in half-teaspoonful doses for all dogs excepting toys, may be given every morning; and this, also, can be put into the feeding- pan. External treatment will do much to favor relief if not able to effect a cure. An ointment which promises well may be prepared of the following ingredients : Tannic acid, one drachm; sulphate of morphia, four grains; powdered camphor, half a drachm; stramonium ointment, one ounce. This is sedative and astringent, and if applied freely several times daily, will prevent friction, lessen pain and soreness, and tend to reduce the swelling. In very obstinate cases, in which the tumors cannot readily be reduced in size by the ordinary measures, it is scarcely worth while to persist in such, and it would be far better to remove them at once by an operation. That of ligating is the easiest, and may be intrusted to the family physician. Internal piles yield less readily to treatment; and as a rule to keep the bowels moving freely, and give glycerin two or three times daily, is about all that can be advised, or really requires to be done. Glycerin is not only laxa- tive but acts well locally; and to dogs of largest size two teaspoonfuls, mixed with food, is a dose; one teaspoonful for from twenty- to fifty-pound dogs; and half a teaspoonful for the smallest. As for the bleeding from piles, it is oftener salutary than otherwise, as it brings some relief. Nor is it likely to be severe enough to excite apprehension; but were it so, injections of cold water should control it. ANAL FISSURE AND FISTULA. I4!I PROLAPSE OF THE RECTUM. Occasionally in old dogs and sometimes in young subjects the bowel falls and protrudes through the outlet. In the former the trouble may be due to a relaxed condition of the affected parts and straining consequent upon constipa- tion, or it may be dependent upon irritation of the lower bowel, set up by foreign bodies that have been swallowed and are making their way out. And this seems to be by far the most frequent cause of prolapse, especially in early life. A case within the knowledge of the writer may be instructive. It was that of a puppy some four months old. Several times his bowel was forced out a distance of at least six inches. On the third day three carpet-tacks were dis- charged; recovery then took place immediately. When young dogs have prolapse the chances are many that there is a stone, bit of glass, sliver of bone, or other foreign body lodged in the bowel; and it will be well always to administer an injection of sweet-oil, two or three times daily. In the meantime, and as often as the bowel comes down, it should be first bathed with warm water and then returned. This operation will be easy if gentle and continuous pressure is maintained. For several days thereafter the foods should be raw beef or milk and raw eggs, which are productive of the least waste and therefore favor quietude of the bowel. Old dogs should be treated in much the same way; but if a lax condition of the affected parts is accountable for the accident and there is constipation, one or two movements daily should be promoted. ANAL FISSURE AND FISTULA. Anal fissure is a long, narrow, and irritable ulcer of the lowest part of the bowel, just within its orifice, and originates in a crack or break in the mucous membrane which lines the same. It may be caused by intestinal irritation, hemorrhoids, constipation, or hardened refuse and violent straining necessary for its expulsion. It may also be induced by large bones having sharp corners or edges. These appear to be the most common causes; and where fissures occur, very generally there is a previous history of intestinal obstruction. Pain is a prominent symptom, and evident from the fact that the sufferer does not have easy movements of the bowels; but while they are occurring he makes a feeble effort, then desists and runs about as though distressed, and likely emits short, sharp cries. Soon again he endeavors to effect a discharge, but is speedily stopped by the pain; and it is only after repeated efforts and much suffering that he is at last relieved. 142 KENNEL DISEASES. The refuse when solid is streaked with blood, and sometimes purulent matter; while when soft the discharges are of small size, and they may be ribbon-like. Only a person having an intimate knowledge of the appearance of the bowel in health can detect when it is diseased; consequently, if a fissure is suspected, professional assistance should be sought. The treatment appropriate for the trouble in man is the proper one to apply with dogs. In extremely rare instances they suffer from fistula in ano, which is of the nature of a tubular or pipe-like ulcer, which may be complete, that is, have an external opening near the orifice of the bowel and another in the wall of the bowel, a little above its orifice; or it may be what is called a blind intestinal fistula, which opens into the bowel but not externally. Irritation and pain in the affected part cause the animal to act much the same as when suffering from piles. If the fistula opens externally, less diffi- culty will be experienced in making a diagnosis ; but still, in only a few cases will detection be easy; indeed, rather the reverse, for in many instances the opening is minute and needs very close scrutiny to discover it. The course of an external fistula is that of a frequently recurring abscess; the cavity fills up and discharges, the opening then closes, and again the cavity fills. In searching for a fistulous opening, a minute drop of water in the centre of a slight swelling will often be found to mark its location. To explore its track a small “knitting-needle” will be sufficient. When a blind internal fistula exists its presence may be suspected if there is a quite constant oozing or discharge from the outlet of the bowel of a thin watery fluid tinged with blood and of offensive odor. Fistula is a common result of abscess near the orifice of the bowel. And if one forms and is allowed to “break” into the bowel, before the opening can heal up refuse matter is quite sure to enter, and thereafter this trouble will generally persist until removed by operation. Or fistula may be the result of an ulcer in the wall of the bowel, which, “eating” through the same, allows the passage of refuse into the cellular tissue, and once there it sets up an irritation and an abscess forms. Palliative treatment may be employed by caretakers, and consists in correct- ing, in so far as possible, existing defects in management and health. Consti- pation should be overcome by a judicious selection of foods; or if they are not sufficient, a laxative must be employed. Ample exercise and other imperative essentials to right being must also be provided. A radical cure of fistula demands a surgical operation. Of several popular methods the elastic ligature is the safest and best. But when an operation is imperative, a surgeon should be employed, and the method of procedure be left entirely to his judgment. SECTION V. DISEASES OF THE URINARY AND SEXUAL ORGANS. CHAPTER I. CONGESTION OF THE KIDNEYS. In the absence of inflammation an increased flow of blood through the arteries of the kidneys or obstruction to the return of blood through the veins of the same, constitutes congestion. This is of quite frequent occurrence in dogs; but it is only rarely detected, because the symptoms to which it gives rise are almost always mistaken for rheumatism. Wet and cold are the common causes, although it occurs with various inflam- matory and febrile diseases of the body, also affections of the heart and lungs; and it may be induced by chemical irritants. An inability to get up with perfect ease, some stiffness in walking, especially when first starting, possibly slight arching of the back, and tenderness on each side of the spine a little below the edges of the ribs, are the symptoms usually presented. But if the congestion be considerable, the urine is rather scanty and high colored; and it may be albuminous. As a rule, however, to which there are only few exceptions, congestions do not seriously interfere with the function of the kidneys. Unless the patient is neglected and further exposed to wet or cold, or fed improperly, this trouble should soon disappear of itself, provided it is not caused by some disease located elsewhere in the body, and the same still persists. But when these symptoms are detected, it is advisable always to put him into com- fortable, warm quarters, for a few days restrict the diet to butter-milk, and bathe the back two or three times daily with hot alcohol or new rum, rubbing the same well into the skin on each occasion. Internal medication will not be required in simple congestion of the kidneys, and under the treatment advised recovery should take place within a week. INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. While the kidneys are not exempt from acute inflammation, termed acute nephritis, the same is rare except it be induced orinvited by the mischievous use 143 o 144 KENNEL DISEASES. of medicines. ‘For instance, mercurials, and notably calomel, when given inter- nally, stimulate these organs, and in some cases to the point of irritation; and while under their effects exposure in bad weather, that would not otherwise have done material harm, is now sorely felt by them, and often they are inflamed as a direct consequence. Turpentine, which is sometimes given for the purpose of destroying worms, is another drug that is capable of producing inflammation of the kidneys. With some kennel-men a mixture consisting largely of Epsom salts is popular; and this they give, as they say, for the purpose of “cooling the blood.” Such is practically harmless when administered only occasionally ; but if repeated day after day for several weeks, as in some instances, the kidneys are quite sure to be irritated, and likely inflamed; and the same result may follow a persistent use of compound cathartic pills. The skin has some absorbent power but it falls far short of the extent to which it is generally credited ; and only very powerful agents can be drawn from the surface in sufficient quantity to affect the system within. Such also must be applied in very generous quantities in order to have any marked physiological effect. In other words, while through absorption there is some danger from carbolic acid, mercurials, and other powerful drugs which are often used exter- nally, only when applied in large quantities and allowed to remain long on the skin is poisonous absorption possible. Where it does occur, from the peculiar nature of the medicines applied, the baneful effects are apt to fall on the kidneys, and they might in consequence be inflamed. While the danger from absorption through this avenue is never great if good judgment in the use of powerful chemicals is displayed, that it exists may prop- erly be kept in mind, especially when treating mange, eczema or other extensive skin eruptions. Among other possible causes of nephritis are kicks and blows over the region of the kidneys, blood poisoning from distemper, and exposure in bad weather. There are also contributing causes, as ill-kept, foul-smelling kennels, debility resulting from disease, improper feeding, etc. The usual symptoms of acute inflammation are not pronounced, and the presence of the disease is not likely to be detected unless the attack is very severe. Uneasiness, with frequent and difficult urination, the urine being scanty and of a smoky color, possibly slight fever, a stiff and stilted gait, the hind legs being carried straight, tenderness on pressure over the loins and back a little beyond the ribs, and constipation, the intestinal discharges being hard and dry, are the signs generally manifested. The changes in the character of the urine are occasioned by unusual ingre- dients, and the presence of such is absolute evidence of disease of the kidney. But the eye cannot detect them, and a chemical examination is necessary. This INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 145 can be made by any druggist, who will have merely to test for albumen; and that found, it may be accepted that the kidneys are seriously at fault. Kept in a warm room of uniform temperature, that the skin may be at its best and do much of the work of the kidneys, and ona diet of milk, a dog suffering from this affection should do well without the use of medicines. But at the same time it would generally be advisable to give a laxative, that the bowels may assume a share of the kidneys’ duty. Large doses, however, are contra-indicated, and merely sufficient is required to cause three or four movements daily. Acute inflammation of the kidneys may become chronic if there is neglect in management, and especially to protect the patient from exposure to cold. This unfortunate ending, however, is far from common. Indeed, chronic inflam- mation of the kidneys is very rare, and almost always occurs as a result of obstructed circulation, as in heart disease. In its early stages, also, it would be quite sure to escape detection, failing as it does then to give rise to pro- nounced symptoms, or indeed to any that are suggestive of kidney affection. After it has well advanced, and possibly been on six months or a year, or longer, chronic disease of the kidneys usually gives rise to signs that indicate serious trouble somewhere within the system; but they may not point to the kidneys, and if not, likely the real cause is not detected. With the kidneys so disabled, albumen might appear in the urine ; but still it is often absent until very great degenerative changes have taken place. The quantity of urine excreted signifies but little, because during this disease it may be less or more abundant than in health. In the advanced stages, however, it is scanty, of dark color, and quite heavily loaded with albumen. As a rule the heart steadily fails in power, until it is very weak and irregular, and the pulse thin, thready, and intermittent. ‘The meanwhile chronic changes of an inflammatory nature have been taking place in other important organs. Digestion is seriously faulty, and generally there is obstinate although not very severe bronchitis. The appetite is poor, the manner dull and dispirited, exer- tion is avoided as much as possible, and when forced, the fatigue caused is very great. Finally, the kidneys having become so degenerated that they are no longer capable of doing more than a very small part of their work, the system is saturated, as it were, with the poison that they should have thrown out; there is more or less dropsy, and in most cases convulsions set in before death. Recovery from chronic inflammation of the kidneys cannot occur, nor is much improvement possible after the disease has well advanced. Until then, under right treatment, its progress may be somewhat delayed; but still it promises so little yet is so exacting it were best always to sacrifice the patient as soon as a positive diagnosis of the disease is made. 146 KENNEL DISEASES. DISEASE OF THE PROSTATE. The prostate is a large, firm, glandular body, which surrounds the neck of the bladder and first portion of the urethra. Its function is solely a sexual one, and it exists only in males. Although subject to diseases, both acute and chronic, by far the largest pro- portion of them is of the latter class. Where the former have occurred it has not been possible to clearly define their causes; but there seems reasonable ground for the belief that many of the attacks were attributable to excessive stimulation, —too constant use in the stud. In acute inflammation of the prostate, termed prostatitis, if the attack is mild or of only moderate severity, pain during discharges from the bowels and bladder, and more frequent urination than in health, may be the only symptoms suggestive of the trouble that are manifested by it. But where the inflammation is severe and involves the entire gland, usually the bladder does not empty itself, and there is constant dribbling in consequence of overflow. After long continuance of obstinate forms blood is also likely to appear in the urine. The condition of the prostate may be made out by means of the forefinger in the rectum, its introduction being easily effected when oil, lard, or something of the sort is used to lubricate it. When the gland is inflamed it is more or less enlarged, hot, and tender ; and catherization causes great pain as soon as the tip of the instrument has pene- trated to that part of the urethral canal which is surrounded by the prostate gland. Acute inflammation of only mild intensity might subside after a time with- out leaving any distinct trace of its occurrence; but in very severe attacks the inflammation is liable to extend to neighboring parts, or abscesses form and break through into the pelvic cavity, the bladder, urethra, or intestine. To deplete generally is one of the purposes of treatment; and to this end the diet should approach for a time the starvation, sort, and only small quantities of bland and unstimulating foods be allowed, as rice, milk, the gruels, etc. The bowels should also be kept free by means of a simple laxative. Warm loin-baths are helpful. The catheter should be passed at quite fre- quent intervals ; for when the urine is retained, after a time it liberates ammo- nia, which is an active irritant and serves to inflame the bladder. Chronic prostatitis occurs among old dogs, and especially members of the large breeds that have been kept much on the chain, yet generously fed, and in consequence are of dull, sluggish, and indolent habit, and far from high health. It may develop from the acute form, but is generally chronic from the first. The entire gland is enlarged, although irregularly, the increase being usually greater on one side. Irritability of the bladder is associated, and eventually the RARE DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS. 147 walls of that organ become more or less thickened and contracted. Pain does not appear to be a prominent symptom, although likely some exists at times. Frequent urination and perhaps straining, with ineffectual attempts to urinate, are about all the symptoms notable. On examination with the finger in the rectum the enlargement can be made out; and the presence or absence of heat and sensitiveness will indicate whether the trouble is acute or chronic. The enlargement is not likely to be influenced by treatment; and efforts can properly be restricted to keeping the bowels free, digestion active, and the gen- eral health as good as possible. To remove the gland is not a very difficult operation, and the chances of re- covery from it should be good; but, of course, the operator must be a skilful surgeon, and consequently the expense would be very great. Cases of cancer of the prostate have been recorded; and in one instance within the writer’s experience the victim was a mastiff, about four years of age, which had been accustomed from birth to a wholly meat diet, and a quantity of food far beyond his needs. A diagnosis is always difficult in this class of cases, and professional aid imperative. RARE DISEASES OF THE KIDNEYS. In consequence of injuries to the kidneys or parts near them, as by kicks or blows, abscess of the kidney is possible ; and it may form first in that organ or extend to it from adjacent parts. It may also be associated with diseased conditions elsewhere that produce serious changes and obstructions in circula- tion, as in certain affections of the heart. This is manifestly a grave affection. It is also one that is not easily recog- nized. The most prominent symptoms are weakness and great tenderness of the back, frequent and difficult urination, fits of shivering followed by fever and sweating, emaciation, and gradual exhaustion. In the course of the disease pus in considerable quantities is thrown out in the urine. The abscess may burst and discharge through the urinary passage ; it may also burst through the loin, or into the intestine or peritoneal cavity; while in extremely rare instances, in which the abscess is small, a spontaneous cure is effected by the pus becoming converted into an innocuous chalky substance. Amyloid kidney is a form of chronic disease that is commonly secondary, and arises in connection with other grave and exhausting constitutional mala- dies or serious diseases of the bones and joints. The name given it comes from the appearance of the cut surface of the organ, which looks as though it were infiltrated with wax. It is also much contracted. 148 KENNEL DISEASES. The symptoms present are scanty and albuminous urine, vomiting and diar- theea at times, and finally dropsy and convulsions shortly before death. Cancer sometimes involves the kidney. Usually it is a primary affection, although it may be an extension of malignant disease in some other part of the body. Its symptoms are very obscure, and consist of bloody urine, tenderness in the loins, a tumor in the region of the kidney, emaciation, and exhaustion. In each kidney there is a cavity, called the pelvis, into which the uriniferous tubes discharge the urine. This is subject to inflammation, termed pyelitis. The same may be induced by exposure to cold, the presence of stone, obstruction to the lower urinary passage which causes retention and decomposition of the urine, and by extension of inflammation from the bladder. It is also theorized that it may be caused by poisonous irritants passing through the kidneys; and it is known to have been produced by a parasite named the strongylus gigas. It may be of mild or of severe and destructive form. The symptoms usually closely resemble those which are manifested by acute nephritis, to which are commonly added signs of catarrh of the bladder. Buta positive diagnosis is only possible by means of the microscope, under which appear peculiar forms of epithelium. So-called cysts of the kidneys are dilatations and enlargements of the pelvis, produced by obstructions in the lower urinary passages. Where the obstruction is great and of long continuance a pelvis is so much distended that its walls become thin and the appearance of the kidney is bladder-like. When the enlargement is great a tumor can be felt in the region of the kid- ney. If only one organ is affected, other and prominent symptoms are not likely to be exhibited; but where both kidneys are involved, the urine is soon sup- pressed and uremic poisoning occurs. Stones are now and then found in the pelvis of the kidneys, varying in size from a pin’s head to that of a bean, or possibly larger. While yet very small they may make their way out through the urinary passage, causing intense pain. Large stones, however, are not productive of any characteristic symptoms. IRRITABILITY OF THE BLADDER. 149 CHAPTER II. IRRITABILITY OF THE BLADDER. By irritability of the bladder is meant a slight irritation of its lining mem- brane, which causes merely frequent urination. It is the most common of all affections of the bladder. While none are exempt from it, by far the most frequent victims are contestants at shows, dogs sent on journeys in crates, or house pets kept in large towns and cities, whose outings depend upon the con- venience of their owners or caretakers. In such cases, obviously, the cause is retention of the bladder’s contents, which soon undergo decomposition and changes which render it irritating. As a rule when due to this cause the affection is transitory, and entire recov- ery occurs in the course of from two to five days. It may, however, persist for a longer period; in which case it is quite certain to become an actual inflam- mation. A dog that has the habit of neatness will often suffer intensely before he will soil his crate or bench at a show; and in some instances there will be reten- tion of nearly forty-eight hours. The victim then presents a tucked-up appear- ance, his abdomen being shrunken and its walls hard, while his back is arched. Now when let out he is seen to strain in his efforts to urinate. But at first they are ineffectual, because the expulsive power of the bladder has been too much weakened by the distention. After a time, however, a few drops are expelled; again and again small quantities, until finally the act is complete. Generally for a day or two thereafter there is some “ weakness,” characterized by frequent urination ; but, as said, usually all signs of trouble speedily disappear. Irritability of the bladder is sometimes attended by more or less spasmodic stricture and inability to pass the urine. The same may be confined to its neck, or the irritability may cause the walls of the bladder to contract violently, and thus its cavity be greatly reduced in size, so that not only will it hold a very small quantity, but the urine can scarcely be passed except drop by drop, and always with intense distress. If the catheter is then introduced the operation is very difficult and exceedingly painful. Beyond retention there are several other influences which are occasionally active in producing irritability of the bladder, and among them are chemical irritants, as turpentine, and the peculiar excitement from which dogs in the stud are victims. 150 KENNEL DISEASES. To allow the patient much liberty and largely restrict the diet to milk for a few days, is all that is required in the way of treatment for this affection. INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. Mild attacks of cystitis, or acute inflammation of the walls of the bladder, occur now and then among dogs; but they are fortunately only rarely victims of the severe form, which is a most distressing malady. Cystitis may have its origin in simple irritability produced by retention of urine, and this appears the rule; but it can be the result of direct injury, as kicks, blows, and crushes. While turpentine, carbolic acid, and certain other chemical irritants are occasionally the exciting causes, in some instances it is attribu- table to chilling, in others to the microbes of infectious disease. It is present where there is stone in the bladder. Inflammation in neighboring parts or associate organs may extend and involve the bladder. Cystitis is also a common complication of prostatic enlargement. Finally, cases of this affection arise without apparent cause. Frequent efforts to void the urine, with notable increase in the quantity of the excretion, are generally the first evidences of it to attract attention. With the attempts there is decided straining; the quantity passed at each is small, and may be limited to a few drops, and there is apparently considerable discomfort in the act, for the victims are restless, and during it they often emit short cries of distress. In severe cases the gait is “straddling,” the back arched, and the walls of the abdomen retracted; while pressure over the region of the bladder causes shrinking, which indicates that there is soreness within. In such cases there is some fever as a rule; but the same rarely runs high, nor is it constant. General lassitude and depression, constipation, and loss of appetite are also associate symptoms. Changes in the character of the urine usually occur, although in some in- stances it is nearly normal in appearance. It is occasionally thick, turbid, and much like gruel, but oftener of dark reddish color, and it may contain blood and pus; in which case the attack is very serious and promises to prove exceed- ingly obstinate. As a rule this disease if mild or of only moderate intensity runs a rapid course and recovery speedily takes place ; that is, provided the cause does not persist, —as where there is calculi or a stone in the bladder — and no other disease is associated to keep the inflammation alive. Severe acute cases are liable, however, to prove tedious, and terminate in the chronic form of the dis- ease. They may even end fatally in consequence of perforation of the bladder, peritonitis, gangrene, or uremic poisoning. The primary essentials in treatment are rest for the patient, warm, comfort- CATARRH OF THE BLADDER. I51 able quarters, and a diet largely composed of new milk, skimmed milk, or butter- milk; or of boiled rice, arrowroot, gruels, or meat jellies, if milk is declined. Cool, fresh water in abundance should also be provided ; the purpose being to dilute the urine and cause an abundant flow. The balsam of copaiba may be given every three or four hours. Of this the dose for all dogs of over twenty pounds in weight is ten drops; for smaller, excepting diminutive toys, five drops; while two and three drops are sufficient for the little ones, as Yorkshires. This oil may be given in a little milk, or in gelatin capsules which can be enveloped in a bit of scraped beef and tossed to the patient. CATARRH OF THE BLADDER. Catarrh of the bladder is a chronic inflammation of mild intensity, character- ized mainly by a discharge of stringy mucus. It may be the result of acute inflammation ; but far more often it is due to obstructive disease of the urethra or prostate, stone in the bladder, weakness of the muscular coat of that organ, or disease of the kidneys. Now and then it is attributable to paralysis; and there are various other morbid states with which it may occur as a complication. Some of the symptoms of catarrh of the bladder resemble those of acute in- flammation, but they are of much milder character. Until late in the disease, pain in the region of the affected organ is not present in notable degree. Ow- ing to changes that take place in its walls the bladder loses much of its con- tractile power, and at times becomes greatly distended. Great distension may also result from paralysis at its neck. Not able to empty his bladder completely at will, the victim passes only small quantities of urine at each effort. Or, un- able to retain his urine for any considerable length of time, it dribbles away drop by drop. It is more or less ammoniacal, and the stringy mucus of variable quantity, according to the grade of the inflammation. While this affection exists, exposure to cold and many other influences which ordinarily would not be harmful are capable of exciting severe acute inflamma- tion of the bladder with all the characteristic symptoms. A cure is not easy in any case, and certainly none would be possible until the cause had been removed. Then the treatment would be the same as in in- flammation of the bladder. When to remove the cause were not possible, it were better to sacrifice the victim, although palliative measures might afford him some comfort. Washing out the bladder has been recommended, but obviously such treat- ment would be very expensive, since it must be applied by a professional. 152 KENNEL DISEASES. STONE IN THE BLADDER. Cystic calculus or stone in the bladder occurs in dogs only rarely, and most cases have been in subjects of advanced age. It may exist for a long time and not give rise to appreciable symptoms; but asa rule there are signs of irritability of the bladder, and occasionally symptoms of severe acute inflammation are presented. These exist for a time and then subside, to return again after another interval, which may be of a few weeks’ duration, or possibly of several months. Only a skilled hand can detect stone with reasonable certainty in any case, while in some instances a positive diagnosis would be absolutely impossible. There are outward signs, however, which are suggestive. One is the sudden stoppage of the flow during urination, the same being the consequence of the stone being washed against the neck of the bladder and made to act as a valve. Another is the appearance of blood in the urine. It is also sometimes found at the opening of the passage to the bladder after urination, in which case it is of bright red color and limited to afew drops. There are times when for the victim to void his urine is impossible for several hours, or he can pass only a few drops. He is then very restless, strains violently, whining the meanwhile, and keeps his head so turned that he faces his loins. If such experiences are frequent he loses his appetite and falls out of condi- tion. He is no longer able to take active exercise, but moves unsteadily, with legs apart and back arched; while now and then, the urine being retained, his abdomen is distended and the bladder can be felt through its walls. If of small size, the stone may become lodged in the urethra or neck of the bladder, and in consequence the passage of urine be entirely prevented, or at best it be discharged only drop by drop. Such condition existing, the urine must be drawn; the stone being first pushed back into the bladder, unless a small catheter can be made to slip by it. But to dislodge it or get by it is often impossible ; in which event, if an opera- tion is not performed and relief thereby effected, the bladder must burst in the course of two days. In that case the suffering for a time grows steadily more intense. There is at first extreme restlessness and evidently great pain; but eventually the poor dog becomes dull, and soon thereafter is wholly unconscious. He is bathed in cold sweat, trembles or shakes quite constantly, and possibly has convulsions before death brings relief. If the stone is too large to become fixed in the neck of the bladder or urinary passage, and the symptoms excited are mainly those of inflammation of the blad- der, the usual treatment for that affection should be applied; and likely they will subside under it in the course of ten days, but recur again in the near future. HAMATURIA. 153 Thereafter, and until the inflammation returns, there appearing to persist some irritability of the bladder merely, it would scarcely be advisable to drug, for it could not do much good. Certainly the stone would not be dissolved either by medicines given through the mouth or injected into the bladder. Stone can be taken intact from the bladder or crushed and removed in minute pieces, but the operations require skilled hands. When the stone is small and has lodged in the urethra or neck of the bladder, it can sometimes be pushed back; but if not, or it cannot be passed, it becomes necessary to cut through at the point of. obstruction and effect removal by way of the incision. If to pass a catheter is not possible, and the bladder must burst if not otherwise emptied, relief can be promptly effected by means of a small trocar and canula. In the female this should be entered on the median line, at the so-called brim of the pelvis. In the male the point of entrance should be low down and as near the brim as possible, but either on the right or left side of the flank. HAMATURIA. Hematuria or bloody urine may occur in consequence of trouble in the bladder or the passage to it, but in most cases it is due to intense acute conges- tion of the kidneys. Such attacks may be occasioned by blows or other injuries across the loins. They seem due, also, in occasional instances, to simply an abnormal sensitiveness of those organs to the influence of cold. As a rule, how- ever, they have been found after death to have been caused by stone in the bladder or kidneys, or by parasites in the latter, especially the giant strongle, which is a most troublesome intruder. For a day or more before the urine becomes bloody the victim is generally dispirited ; he shivers now and then, and exhibits decided stiffness in getting up ‘or lying down. His nose is hot, he has some fever, and vomits occasionally. His urine is of a port-wine hue; it is voided at frequent intervals, and with evident discomfort. Attacks caused by traumatic injuries to the kidneys are commonly soon re- covered from. When induced by kidney calculi they are also usually transient, but recur at intervals. But if due to parasites, the result is, as a rule, soon fatal. As regards treatment, about all that can be done is to afford protection against exposure to cold and properly nourish with bland and non-irritating foods, as milk, boiled rice, thin gruels, and broths. Butter-milk is of special value in such cases, and the quantity need not be restricted. When recovery is possible, it will occur under good management and nursing without the aid of medicine. 154 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER III. RETENTION OF URINE. Tue term retention in this connection signifies an inability to pass the urine from the bladder. It is to be understood that there is urine to pass, and the condition must not be confounded with suppression, in which none is passed because none is secreted. Retention of the urine may arise from causes functional or organic. Among the former are included paralysis, or want of power in the muscular coat of the bladder, and spasmodic stricture of the urethra, or canal from the bladder by which the urine passes off. The organic causes include obstruction to the canal by contraction, termed permanent stricture; stoppage of the tube, the same being blocked up with small calculi coming from the bladder; obstruction of the tube by organic dis- ease, as in enlarged prostate, and inflammation and swelling of the mucous membrane of urethra. Possibly blood-clots may form and thereby obstruct the passage ; and cases have been reported where worms have lodged in the canal and closed it. The loss of power in the muscular coat of the bladder may be due to true paralysis, also existing elsewhere at the same time, or to purely local paralysis induced by distention occurring during the confinement of dogs that are exces- sively neat in their habits. Spasmodic stricture may be caused by exposure to cold and damp, and by certain medicines taken into the stomach, as cantharides. That drug, by the way, might be absorbed from blisters and have the same effect. Such stricture, also, sometimes occurs in stud dogs, and results from undue sexual excitement. Restlessness and continuous pain, with constant and ineffectual efforts to urinate, are the prominent symptoms. The animal’s movements are unceasing, and his gait stiff and “straddling.” In getting up and lying down his actions are restrained as though painful. The abdomen is distended, and pressure over the bladder causes shrinking and distress. Unless relieved the pain grows more severe, vomiting occurs, the pulse runs high, becomes weak and feeble, and the general appearance indicates gravity. Finally, in most cases convulsions set in and are followed by profound stupor and death. If the symptoms are not extremely urgent, one or two grains of opium, according to the size of the dog, should be given, and followed by a hot loin- RETENTION OF URINE. 155 bath. The great object is to arrest the efforts of the animal to urinate ; and when they are stopped, sometimes the bladder will empty itself. After the opium a dose of castor-oil should be administered. If these measures are unsuccessful, a surgeon should be called and the catheter used to evacuate the bladder. Retention associated with true paralysis demands the use of this instrument, and the employment of treatment elsewhere advised for the latter. A dog to be catheterized should be placed on his side or back, and held firmly by assistants, of whom there must be a sufficient number to keep the patient in position. Unless the operator is equally skilful with both hands, it would be well for him to grasp the external organ with the left and introduce the instrument with the right hand. : Catheters designed for use on man must generally be used, and the best form for him who has not had much experience in catheterizing dogs is that made of soft rubber. It should be of small size, and constantly rotated while it is entering. In the absence of a soft rubber catheter one made of hard rubber should be used, and with the wire stylet in place. This, however, should be first removed, and much of the bend taken from it, so that it will be nearly straight, the curve remaining being a long one—not short and confined to the end as when intended for use on man. When the patient is a female, the ordinary metallic or German silver catheter, appropriate for women, may be used, if she is‘of small breed ; but if of the largest, the male catheter of hard rubber will be much the best. The stylet of this should be bent at its outer end until it has that same short curve that is on the metallic female catheters. The catheter, having been well lubricated with sweet-oil, vaselin, or fresh lard, should be inserted with gentle force. The patient being a male, after passing easily for a short distance, the instrument will encounter an obstruction. Here the canal narrows a little, there is a bend in it, and a spasmodic contraction of its walls is generally excited. But steady pressure will soon cause this to yield, and the catheter will again pass in quite easily for a short distance, — until the so-called arch of the perineum is reached. If a hard rubber catheter is being used, the wire stylet must now be with- drawn at least one-third, to allow the instrument to make the curve. When the neck of the bladder is reached the muscles controlling the opening contract and resist further advance; but they soon relax under gentle pressure, and allow the bladder to be entered. The stylet should then be entirely with- drawn. In cases in which much difficulty is encountered in passing the catheter, the forefinger may be inserted in the rectum and the point of the instrument guided by it around the bend, where the trouble is located. 156 KENNEL DISEASES. In catheterizing a female, the instrument is passed upon the floor of the vagina until it reaches the urethral opening. Here it encounters the so-called urethral valve, which is merely a sphincter, or circular muscle, that closes the orifice. Its entrance is resisted by contractions, but they are soon overcome by gentle pressure. Catheterization in the female is much easier than in the male, yet even in the first instance some anatomical knowledge of the parts is required ; hence the operation ought never be undertaken except by professionals. PARAPHIMOSIS. The organ of generation returns to its sheath after “service” much more speedily in some dogs than in others. And not infrequently it remains pro- truded for ten, fifteen, or even twenty minutes, during the most of which period it is intensely swollen and purplish. Finally the deep color begins to fade, the swelling lessens, and the parts are restored. In extremely rare instances, how- ever, the organ does not return voluntarily, but remains uncovered until assisted back to its place. It is then that the condition known as paraphimosis exists. There may be a peculiarity in the sheath to favor this accident; but as a tule it is caused by interference, which is due to apprehension on the part of the owner or caretaker that the natural order of things will not be restored without it. The fact is urged that dogs should be left entirely to themselves until it is plainly evident that they require assistance, and this will certainly not be within half an hour after use. If at the end of that time there is no sign that the swelling is lessening, the dog should be first muzzled, especially if of large breed, and gently laid on his side. Cloths wrung out of ice-water should then be constantly applied for half an hour, or the affected parts be enveloped in muslin which holds cracked ice. The period stated having passed without improvement, a surgeon should be called to “nick” the sheath so that the organ may pass back. Dogs have been killed by this accident, the protruding parts having strangu- lated and died; but their lives were literally thrown away, because the simple treatment advised must have saved them. BALANITIS. The mucous membrane of the covering or sheath of the principal organ of generation of the dog is sometimes inflamed, and there then exists the affection known as balanitis. URETHRITIS. 157 Only in rare instances can the cause of this be determined; but it is safe to assume that the inflammation may be excited by constitutional troubles as well as local irritations, for it is occasionally noted late in distemper. It gives rise to considerable discomfort, and induces the victim to frequently lick the affected parts, from the opening of which there is discharged a thick and yellowish matter. Usually also, but not always, there is some local swelling, tenderness and redness. Cleanliness is the primary essential; and this alone maintained, a cure will often speedily occur. It is well, however, to use a medicated lotion, and a very efficacious one may be made by adding half an ounce of tannic acid to a half pint of water. The sheath having been drawn back as far as possible, the exposed parts should be bathed with this three or four times daily. Where there is swelling and tenderness, it is advisable to bathe with clean water, as warm as can be borne without discomfort, for five or ten minutes before using the lotion of tannin. But in this instance the sheath should not be drawn back while the warm water is being applied. Balanitis may prove obstinate, yet in a fairly healthy subject a cure should eventually take place. But the fact must be kept in sight that oftener than otherwise the affection is made worse by experimenting with medicinal applica- tions. URETHRITIS. The passage by which urine is discharged from the bladder is known as the urethra, and inflammation of its lining membrane as urethritis, an affection that is not common in dogs. Some of the sufferers from it have prostatic trouble, and disease of that gland appears to favor urethritis. Among other probable causes is the lodge- ment of dirt in the affected parts. It may be due to peculiarities in the urine which render it highly irritating, and such condition generally exists when the passage of urine has been obstructed and ammoniacal changes have occurred in it while retained in the bladder. It may also be rendered irritating by certain medicines and foods. Condiments, for instance, have that effect upon the urine; hence it is not surprising that a large proportion of its victims are delicate and pampered pets, fed at the table, also frequently on candies, pastries, and the like. This affection is characterized by redness and slight swelling of the passage, and more or less profuse muco-purulent and yellowish-white discharge, which, when the sheath is forced back, is seen to come from the urethra, and thus an attack is distinguishable from one of balanitis. Cures usually take place in the course of two or three weeks without inter- 158 KENNEL DISEASES. ference, but, when it is absolutely necessary, an injection of sulphate of zinc— two grains, to water one ounce — may be used two or three times daily. If under this treatment recovery does not occur in the course of a week or ten days, there should be substituted an injection made of one drachm of the sub- nitrate of bismuth, two and one-half ounces of water, and two drachms of glycerin, to be used two or three times daily. If this in turn fails, capsules of the balsam copaiba and cubebs should be obtained, and one administered, con- cealed in a bit of meat, three or four times daily. Such capsules are on sale with druggists, and are appropriate for all breeds excepting the smallest, with which it is best to trust wholly to the local measures of treatment advised. In all cases of urethritis the diet should consist of bland foods, and milk may wisely be the main reliance. GENITAL AFFECTIONS. In consequence of a small number of causes the genitals of males may suffer from inflammation. Those causes are nearly all traumatic, and consist of blows, kicks, or other direct injuries; but in very rare instances quite serious trouble is induced by a parasite known as the “bot-fly.” This parasite or grub burrows into the walls of the bag, called the scrotum, which encloses the glandular organs, and causes swelling in the immediate neighborhood until a round, quite hard mass or “lump” is formed. This enlargement may exist for a long time without change, apparently caus- ing the dog but little if any discomfort; but it is liable in time to become an abscess, which, if allowed to run the usual course would likely excite much inflammation in adjacent parts, also destruction of the affected walls, and pos- sibly the gland within. Inflammations induced by injuries require much the same treatment as simi- lar troubles in other localities; that is, if there is much swelling and tenderness, soothing applications are demanded, and may be of warm water merely; or if the skin is not broken, the following can be advantageously employed: Solution of subacetate of lead, one ounce; dilute acetic acid, half an ounce; water, one pint. With this the parts should be frequently bathed, and kept as quiet as possible. Were the glandular organs seriously injured and the chances of a complete cure decidedly doubtful, castration might properly be performed. To remove a bot-fly, an incision should be carefully made and the grub dis- sected out, entire if possible ; but if there is doubt as to the removal being com- plete, the bottom of the incision should be thoroughly cauterized, that any remaining portions of the parasite may be with certainty destroyed. MORBID GROWTHS. 15Q Occasionally there occurs a form of irritation of the scrotum which if neg-. lected is very liable to become cancerous and involve the entire genitals. This irritation seems to have a decided preference for old dogs; yet it is. sometimes noted in quite early life, in which instance the victims are generally dogs that have been accustomed to meat in excess from puppyhood. At first the irritation has nothing to distinguish it from other irritations or. superficial inflammations, the parts being merely reddened and sensitive. Little pimples appear, enlarge, and become pustules, then they discharge and crusts. form. When these are rubbed off, their bases are found to be small, shallow sores; but they deepen and extend unless prevented by treatment, while the surrounding tissues become thickened and hardened. Finally they break down and slough, like all ordinary cancers in the advanced stages. For true cancer of the scrotum there is no cure, but the irritation which pre- cedes it may be overcome. The first indications are to restrict the diet to such bland foods as bread and milk and beef-teas, move the bowels freely, and apply the oxide of zinc ointment, with each ounce of which there has been well mixed about fifteen grains of carbolic acid. If ulcers have formed and do not heal readily under this treatment, it will be advisable to seek professional assistance, and have them burned out by means. of pure carbolic acid, after which an ointment may be used as before. INFLAMMATION OF THE VULVA. Abnormal vaginal discharges, if persistent for considerable period, very gen- erally cause irritation of the outlet or vulva, and possibly excoriations ; but these parts may be affected independently of the vaginal passage, and by a trouble which resembles balanitis. Where there are irritating discharges and the vulva is materially affected by them, the outer parts should be frequently anointed with lard, vaselin or the oxide of zinc ointment. When irritated or inflamed, to keep the vulva as clean as possible and fre-. quently apply a solution made by dissolving one drachm of the sugar of lead in a pint of water, is all that ordinarily will be required, unless there is excoriation or ulceration, when the zinc ointment will be indicated. MORBID GROWTHS. Warts or vegetations now and then appear on the genitals; and while they may not in all instances do real harm, they are very unsightly, and the reader should be informed of methods for their removal. 160 KENNEL DISEASES. Large warts, in this situation, which are shallow and only slightly elevated above the surface, can be removed by cauterizing with pure carbolic acid, the crystals being heated until dissolved. In using this the parts around the wart should first he covered with oil, to prevent the agent from reaching them. Then by means of a swab, consisting of a stick with a bit of cotton at the end, the wart should be sopped with the acid. The dog being held the meanwhile, that he may not lick the application, after fifteen or twenty minutes the parts treated should be freely bathed with warm water; then dried and dusted with powdered sulphur. Another efficient remedy is the saturated solution of the bichromate of potas- sium. It should be applied by means of a small swab or camel’s-hair brush once daily. The so-called one-night corn-curers owe their efficacy to salicylic acid, to which alcohol and ether are commonly added, and the whole incorporated in collodion. Such preparations often act quite as well on shallow warts as on corns, and there is certainly no reason why they should not be given a trial. Warts or other growths which have trunks or rise considerably from the sur- face should be ligated, for were they removed by scissors or knife there might be troublesome bleeding. This operation is very simple. A strong silk thread can ordinarily be used, but where the growths are quite large a fine elastic cord is better. The tying should be done as closely as possible to the surface, and the thread or cord drawn tightly. It will then cut through in a few days and the growth drop off. Or should the ligature become loosened, it ought to be tightened. Where there are several warts, unless they are so clustered that they must all be ligated together, it is advisable to treat each separately. VAGINAL DISCHARGES. 161 CHAPTER IV. VAGINAL DISCHARGES. THE pelvic organs of females are not exempt from disease; but as a matter of fact their liability to them is only slight, and many reach old age after having passed through the usual vicissitudes of their kind, — been frequently in whelp, had large litters, etc., —and yet suffered from none of the “weaknesses ” which would seem but natural results of those experiences. Yet while such diseases are quite rare, the fact that they do occur makes it advisable that they be at least touched upon here. And since they nearly all give rise to vaginal discharges that are somewhat peculiar and suggestive of the cause, this head is chosen to cover a general discussion. Excluding the discharges that appear during the season and eaing period, since they are normal, the most common discharge is mucus. The character of this will sometimes serve to indicate its source. Thus, if thick, stringy, and con- taining what are usually termed lumps, — masses of curdled mucus, —the chances are that it comes from the womb, and its most posterior part, known as the neck. Whereas if the discharge is creamy and resembles pus, is profuse and quite per- sistent, probably its source is the body of the womb. A thinner mucous discharge, nearly transparent, is likely vaginal. But it may be quite thick and still be confined to the vagina; in which event the common cause is worms that have migrated from the bowel. These various discharges indicate either irritation, inflammation, or other dis- ease of the womb or vagina. Mere watery discharges, profuse and constant, would suggest a polypus or cancerous trouble of the womb; and did this discharge change in, time, have mixed with it grayish particles at first, finally become bloody or give place to pure blood, and have a highly offensive odor, then the diagnosis of cancer would be reasonable. Purulent discharges may be due to inflammation or ulceration of the womb. Usually the latter is the existing condition, and in much the largest proportion of cases the trouble is at the mouth of the womb, which to the touch appears un- even and wart-like ; and a slight show of blood is noted after the examination. Discharges of reddish color, due to admixture of blood, may proceed from ulcerations of the womb, morbid growths, — as tumor, polypus, etc., — or from malignant disease, as cancer. 162 KENNEL DISEASES. Offensive discharges in the non-pregnant condition suggest cancer; but that malady is so rare, it would be far more reasonable to suspect that premature delivery had occurred, and something that should have come away had been re- tained and decomposed. While appearing soon after whelping, such a discharge would point to a dead puppy or other decomposing matter in the genital canal, or occasion suspicion that puerpural fever was on or threatened. Since vaginal discharges may depend upon a variety of diseased conditions, obviously treatment that will promise well must be in accordance with the cause. To determine that, however, will rarely be easy in any case, and almost impos- sible in many. Nevertheless good may be done in some cases by the employ- ment of vaginal injections of water holding certain medicines, the most valuable of which are the astringents. To administer these injections is easy with some subjects, but very difficult with others, and especially those of highly nervous temperaments. In no case however should they be resorted to unless they are absolutely required. For in- stance, a watery, mucous, or bloody discharge that has only recently manifested itself could scarcely be rightly interfered with, but in the absence of more serious signs should be left to nature for a time,— a week or two, perhaps,— and entirely when there is steady, even if only slow improvement. The same is in part true of offensive discharges, excepting always after whelping, although so long a delay might not be justified as in the first instance. As for a purulent discharge, that could properly be treated within a day or two. Where there seems to be vaginal irritation or inflammation, or worms are suspected, a solution of tannin, one drachm to a quart of water, is very service- able. Should this not have any decided effect, and the trouble has existed several weeks, a solution of the sulphate of zinc, one teaspoonful to a quart of water, might be used for a week, and then a return made to the tannin. If the discharge be offensive, an injection of warm water merely should be used, to wash the passage well; and the bad odor still existing, a twenty-five per cent or stronger solution of the peroxide of hydrogen should be injected. Purulent discharges may be treated with the tannin or zinc solutions. Unless the discharge is offensive or purulent,— when frequent injections each day will likely be required,— one daily will be quite enough as a general rule. Occasionally a vaginal discharge consequent upon disease will be cured by these means alone, and invariably if excited by worms; but the cause should always be treated and overcome where it can be determined. Moreover, the gen- eral health should be attended to, for in most instances it is more or less im- paired. PROLAPSE OF THE VAGINA. 163 STRUCTURE OF THE VAGINA. Cases of sterility are occasionally encountered in which the cause is one or more bands extending across the vagina, and usually located from one to three inches within. When these are small, they may be divided with a knife, but if large, to cut by elastic ligature is the safest method. During the “season ” and after the color has disappeared from the discharge, is the most favorable time for the operation, for then the parts are all considera- bly relaxed. In most instances the band can be passed by the end of the finger, and hooked with it, drawn near enough to the outlet to permit the use of a knife. But the traction should always be gradual, that the parts may have time to yield ; and almost always the bitch will assist with bearing-down or expulsive efforts. Rarely is any after treatment required, for there is comparatively little bleeding. Another form of stricture now and then met with occurs at the commence- ment of the vaginal passage, the opening of which is as tightly closed as that of the rectum, and, as in examinations of the latter, the introduction is resisted, and the finger held quite firmly at the outlet after it has entered. . Sterility exists in this instance also, and can scarcely be overcome except by operation. The safest and easiest is to slowly cut through the muscles that cause the stricture, by means of an elastic cord, as is sometimes done in fistula of the anus. Asa rule it is advisable to make the operation bilateral. PROLAPSE OF THE VAGINA. Subjects which have been debilitated by frequent pregnancies, disease, lack of exercise, or from other fault of management, sometimes suffer from prolapse of the vagina. And this accident having happened once is liable to occur again, especially during the “season.” There may be a congenital peculiarity which favors prolapse, but almost always it is due to a relaxed condition and lack of tone in the parts involved. The trouble can scarcely be mistaken; for the vaginal mucous membrane appears at or protrudes through the outlet, and presents the appearance of a red, soft, easily resisting, shining body, which blocks up the passage. When the prolapse is recent, the parts can be quite easily restored, and there is a fair chance of their keeping in place; but having been down for several hours, or the accident having occurred several times, it will likely be repeated. 164 KENNEL DISEASES. To bathe with warm water, dry by gentle pressure with a soft towel, and oil the protruding parts, are the first steps. Then with the fingers, also clean and well oiled, those parts should be forced back, gentle pressure being used; but slowly, that the return may be gradual. The meanwhile her fore parts should be on the ground and her hind parts elevated. The prolapsed parts back into place, it will be advisable to administer an astringent vaginal injection, consisting of about two heaping tablespoonfuls of tannic acid in one pint of water. Only a little of this need be injected, — merely sufficient to drench the internal parts, — and a large glass or hard rubber syringe being used, the pint solution should suffice for three or four injections. The rule should be to overcome the prolapse by this means as often as it is noted, unless it recurs at once. But where it takes place during season only, and is slight, interference would scarcely be warranted, for the trouble would likely right itself at the end of the period. As for frequently recurring prolapse, only a surgical operation promises a complete cure. VAGINAL POLYPI. Polypi of the vagina are pear-shaped tumors, smooth, shining, quite firm to the touch, and devoid of sensation. Only in rare instances are they found, and in such they almost always form high up in the passage; and their presence is only suspected after they have grown quite large, or are of sufficient length to allow them to reach the vaginal orifice. They then cause considerable discom- fort, and give rise to an irritating discharge. Their removal is easily effected, but only he who is skilled in the use of sur- gical instruments should undertake it. INFLAMMATION OF THE WOMB. Where a dead puppy is retained and badly decomposed, an inflammation of the womb is generally set up. Usually, also, there is blood poisoning or puer- peral fever, which by the intensity of its symptoms masks the local trouble. But the womb may be inflamed without poisoning, although instances are rare. Again, an inflammation may occur in it at other periods than those of whelping, the same being produced by sudden chilling, as results from a plunge in very cold water; and the danger of this accident from such cause is much the great- est during or soon after the mating season, while the womb is naturally somewhat INFLAMMATION OF THE WOMB. 165 congested. But notwithstanding the fact that no period is really exempt from this affection, seldom indeed does it manifest itself except after whelping, and in consequence of a dead and putrefying puppy. As practically stated, when associated with puerperal fever the inflammation of the womb is never likely to be recognized. When occurring alone after whelping, it presents symptoms that very closely resemble that grave malady as long as the puppy causing the trouble remains; but that removed, aside from a straddling gait, slight fever, and apparently some abdominal tenderness, there is little to indicate its presence. The symptoms of puerperal fever, elsewhere described, appearing, and instead of sinking rapidly the strength of the patient keeps up well, and she safely passes the days so fatal in that disease, — the second and third, — hopes can rightly be entertained that the existing trouble is as yet confined to the womb, Inflammation at other periods than that of whelping is characterized by fever, tenderness over the lower part of the abdomen, frequent and evidently painful attempts to urinate, diarrhcea with straining, and oftentimes vomiting. When standing, the back of the victim is arched, and her hind legs are so spread that her gait is stiff and awkward. Offensive vaginal discharges after whelping are very generally caused by retained, dead and decomposing puppies, and in all instances the genital canal should be thoroughly explored with the forefinger, the same being first well anointed with sweet-oil or lard. When the puppy is low down in the canal its presence should be made out, even by an examiner who is inexperienced; but the services of an expert will very generally be required in effecting delivery, therefore the primary examina- tion can wisely be left to him. The inflammation occurring in the absence of a dead puppy, on examination the womb is found much swollen, and the patient shrinks under the touch of the finger as well as from pressure on the outside, over the womb. In such cases there is rarely any vaginal discharge unless the inflammation has been on for a long time, when likely a purulent one occurs. This disease is not of itself one of considerable danger. Indeed, when not associated with pregnancy, it usually begins to subside after a few days, and restoration is nearly complete in the course of a week. Where there is a dead puppy in an inflamed womb the outlook is serious; for the inflammation is likely to be aggravated by the delivery, and it may extend and involve the peritoneum. But still, if the affected organ can be emptied speedily and without much injury, recovery ought to occur. Instances are also on record in which dead puppies were retained for nearly two weeks, then expelled by the mother, and recovery took place very quickly. But such happy results are rare indeed, and the rule in like cases is that either puerperal fever or peritonitis sets in and destroys the victim. 166 KENNEL DISEASES. Used in this instance, the term recovery must be qualified ; for although the health may be entirely restored, the womb seldom returns to its original state after being once inflamed. But, instead, it generally remains permanently enlarged, and there persists a low form of inflammation of its lining membrane. Consequently the victim is not likely to be afterward capable of breeding. Simple and uncomplicated inflammation of the womb scarcely requires other treatment than good nursing. Rest should be enforced, the patient prevented from taking cold, and the diet restricted to milk and other light and easily digestible foods. Inflammation occurring shortly after whelping and attended by an offensive discharge, should have the same treatment as puerperal fever. When the affec- tion follows whelping and the signs indicate that the womb is empty, good nurs- ing will generally suffice. TUMORS OF THE WOMB. Under this head are included polypi and tumors located in the uterine walls. The first may form at any time of life, and they may be mucous, glandular, or fibrous ; but of all, the mucous are the most common. Naturally of slow growth, they often exist for a long time without giving rise to any appreciable symptoms ; and indeed only rarely is their presence suspected until they have passed out of the uterus and attained sufficient size to reach the vulva, where they appear as vaginal polypi. Tumors of the uterine walls form between the third and fifth years, while the uterus is most active. Small at first they, as a rule, grow slowly and steadily, and after attaining considerable size, cysts or sacs containing fluid generally appear in their substance. The symptoms of uterine polypi and tumors have some resemblance. In both the early signs are obscure. The first generally observed are manifested during the mating season, which is much prolonged, the bleeding existing in some cases between four and five weeks. These tumors seem to stimulate the womb, and it increases in size; conse- quently in time there is likely abdominal enlargement, which suggests pregnancy in victims that are fairly thin. But as a matter of fact, as a rule, they are usually fat and overweight, therefore until the growths themselves and the womb are quite large the change may not be detected. On attaining sufficient size they press against the bladder and lower bowel, and as a result there is frequent urination and straining. But these symptoms are not constant, that is, with marked intensity. With polypi there is also some uterine enlargement, and possibly much the TUMORS OF THE WOMB. 167 same symptoms, due to pressure, may be excited; but rarely, however, are they nearly so severe as with tumors. Conception is not likely to occur where there is a polypus of considerable size, for it blocks the uterine canal. But a tumor will scarcely do this until quite large, and a bitch may have several litters before she becomes barren. Yet she would not be a sure breeder, but instead, would “miss” often, and occasionally have “false heats.” She would also more than likely have some dead puppies in her litters. When the tumors have become noticeably large and cysts have formed and are about to rupture, the victim manifests peculiar symptoms. She urinates frequently ; her abdominal enlargement seems to indicate that she is about to whelp, while the uneasiness exhibited over her bedding justifies this assumption. Suddenly there occurs a very profuse vaginal discharge of grayish slime, and this is followed by a little bleeding, which keeps up for three or four days. There is usually, also, traces of milk in the breasts. During this period the victim acts precisely as when in season and admitted to the presence of a dog; and if excluded from him, she will roll up her bedding, and on the top of the same give evidence of very intense promptings. The cysts having ruptured, much of the abdominal enlargement at once dis- appears, while the attendant symptoms rapidly subside and the patient is soon apparently well. But the tumor generally continues to grow, the abdomen again enlarges, and finally paralysis of the hind parts occurs; after which it is not long before the case ends fatally. Nothing can be done in the way of treatment to arrest the growth of tumors, nor is any required when the cysts rupture. Polypi should be removed by means of a snare, or they may be twisted from their attachments. 168 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER V. PUERPERAL FEVER. PUERPERAL fever, as the name implies, is a fever that occurs in dams during the puerperal state; that is, while, or shortly after, giving birth. There may, possibly, be other causes of this malady, but certainly the most common cause is infection. Formerly it was generally believed that of puerperal infection there was only one variety; but at the present time the popular theory is that there are at least two varieties, one of which is produced by the absorption of the products of putre- faction, while the other is the result of absorption of septic material and germs, And the acceptance of this has led to the selection of the terms putrid infection and septic infection as appropriate for their classes. Considering at length putrid infection, it is due to putrefactive alkaloids called ptomaines, or to chemical products. It is not contagious or inoculable; nor do germs appear in the blood of the victims. When produced by ptomaines, it is the result of putrefactive bacteria only ; and when occasioned by chemical products, the process and effects are similar to those produced by toxic doses of poisonous medicines. These in the main are the causes of putrid infection. Septic infection, on the other hand, is due to germs and their products. These, called microbes, enter the system, multiply, and develop what are termed leucomaines. It is contagious and inoculable; and in the blood of the victims are found germs similar to those introduced. The special germs are of malignant potency, and if only a very few gain admission to the system of a healthy subject intense infection will likely result. Septic infection may be produced by a previous case, and probably by cer- tain other diseases, in which poisoning of the blood is also occasioned by germs. These in brief are the distinctive features of the two forms of infection. Recurring to putrid infection, the condition which appears most favorable for that is retention, in the uterus, of dead puppies, after-birth tissues, or blood- clots. Decomposition occurring in these, ptomaines are produced and absorbed, and there is putrid infection and puerperal fever. PUERPERAL FEVER. 169. Another cause of this infection may be sloughing and putrefaction of uterine tissue which has been injured, as it might be by instruments employed in delivery. . : Did the post-partum discharge not have free escape, putrefaction and all its attendant evils might follow. There yet might occur other changes in the genital canal, connecting organs or adjacent parts, and the end be putrefaction, absorption, and puerperal fever. In this class the place or foci of infection is always in the generative organs, and commonly the uterus; and its occurrence must be easy in the presence of putrefaction, for the vitality is lowered, the nervous system deranged and depressed by prolonged labor, and the resistance of the system to noxious matters is thereby greatly reduced. As stated, in septic infection poisonous germs are introduced into the blood, where they multiply rapidly, develop an alkaloidal poison, and are conveyed to. the uterus and other abdominal structures. Doubtless the generative organs are their avenue of admission, and from them they are taken up by the blood, for when this is properly protected, infec- tion and true puerperal fever does not occur. These germs may ingraft themselves and redevelop on any abraded surface of the genital tract. But such rarely exists outside of the uterus, except when instruments have been used and parts wounded. On the other hand, the con- ditions within that organ at the time of whelping are most favorable for them; for a puppy born and its after-birth no longer adherent, there is abundant oppor- tunity for attachment and absorption of germs at the point at which it had been fastened. Now assuming that one or all of a litter have been born, that the mother was examined during whelping, and the hand used was tainted with only an infinitesimal quantity of the septic germs; so far reaching are they and so great is their virulence, it would scarcely be possible for her to escape infection. This danger would be even greater were she suffering from or threatened. with putrid infection, for matter undergoing putrefaction is a perfect hotbed for germ development. And this fact suggests that although most cases of puerperal fever are the result of septic infection or of putrid infection, and of one form only, there must be cases of mixed infection, or, in other words, cases. in which the two forms are combined. The appreciable symptoms produced by putrid infection and septic infection are nearly identical in cases in which the infection is intense and well advanced, but in their invasions and during the earlier stages there is marked variation. Considering first a severe case, the following signs are exhibited. A chill occurs and fever is speedily manifested. The pulse is quickened and continues up, as well as gains in rapidity. It is also weak, soon loses volume, and becomes. “thin and thread-like.” 170 KENNEL DISEASES. In some cases the disease speedily involves the peritoneum, and the abdo- men is distended. Not, however, to a marked degree, as a rule, although in occasional instances the distention is quite as great as it was before the puppies were born. : With the peritoneum affected it would be natural to expect great tenderness, yet as a matter of fact it is but slight in this disease, nor do the victims appear to suffer considerable pain. But even to the inexperienced eye it is very evi- dent that they are hard hit and in a highly dangerous condition. Within a few hours after infection is intense their eyes seem to have sunken in their sockets and wear a hopeless expression. They are greatly prostrated ; require much urging to change their positions ; seem to have difficulty in breath- ing, the same being rapid; and in manner they are dull, listless, and indifferent to all going on about them. Generally on the second day after the disease is on in full force the extremi- ties become cold and are covered by a clammy sweat; the pulse barely flickers; there is collapse; and usually death takes place on that or the following day. The local signs of the malady are even more pronounced than these, and can scarcely be mistaken. Even at the time of whelping there is an odor that is suggestive of the trouble. This comes from the discharge, which speedily grows more offensive, until it is an intolerable stench. The discharge is also often so profuse that the patient and her bedding are almost flooded with it; and to add to the loathsome condition of things, vomiting and diarrhcea likely set in, the latter being characterized by dejections that are intensely foul smelling, and usually quite black, although they may be of yellowish color. These are the signs manifested in the most severe attacks, whether of putrid or septic infection, but, as said, there are decided variations in the invasions. For instance, septic infection occurs with great rapidity, and grave symptoms are speedily ushered in within a few hours after the first sign appears; seldom indeed being delayed beyond a day. Moreover, almost every attack of this form of the disease is of terrible intensity. But, on the other hand, putrid infection is generally slower, while the invasions are milder; and although it may even- tually produce all the appalling symptoms of which the other form is capable, such result is much less common. And in not a few cases the amount of poisons taken up by the blood is sufficient merely to produce for a few days lassitude and depression, with but slight fever. Assuming that the uterine cavity contains material undergoing putrefaction and being absorbed, or, in other words, that putrid infection is taking place, there is first chilly sensations or a distinct chill, followed by fever; but instead of the latter being high soon after it sets in, it generally increases gradually ; the pulse gains somewhat slowly in rapidity; and lassitude and other symptoms of the nature of those of intense infection are much less marked and compara- tively slow to acquire great severity. PUERPERAL FEVER. I7I When puerperal fever is the result of septic infection its symptoms are gen- erally too pronounced to be mistaken on the second day after whelping. They may, however, be manifested in great intensity on the first day, or much less often be delayed until the third day. But when the cause is putrid infection, its evolution being much slower, the fever and associate symptoms are, as a rule, seldom appreciable to the ordinary observer before the third day; and they may even be delayed until the fifth or sixth. In the development of complications there is also a notable difference between the two forms of infection. Asa result of the septic, the pelvic organs are speedily involved; whereas, while it is possible for the putrid to produce any and all the complications of which the septic is capable, such unhappy result is not the rule. Puerperal fever may rightly be considered one of the most serious maladies with which dog breeders are obliged to contend; and all cases considered, in much the largest proportion death occurs. Of course in very many instances the chances of recovery depend greatly upon the cause and treatment applied, yet in not a few the unhappy end is in sight from the first, and medical skill utterly powerless even to delay its coming. These cases are largely made up of those in which septic infection has occurred, the rule being with them that the poison in the blood is of such extreme virulence or in such overwhelming quan- tities that the victims succumb before the second or third days. Were the proper treatment applied promptly in all cases of putrid infection the mortality from it would be infinitely less than now. And indeed sponta- neous recovery without medical intervention is not very infrequent, the putre- fying mass in the uterine cavity being voluntarily expelled. While in many cases local treatment has the happiest effects, — removing the infectious material, and thereby arresting absorption before the quantity of poison taken up is sufficient to destroy life. Wise treatment will do this and save life in most cases of puerperal fever caused by putrid infection, but now and then, complications speedily occur in the pelvic organs, and the outlook is well nigh hopeless with their advent. Puerperal fever manifesting itself, the first steps should be to remove the puppies from the breast, give them to a foster if one can be obtained, and then determine if possible if there is infectious material, as a dead puppy, in the genital canal. And it follows that if anything is found there it should be promptly removed to prevent any further production of blood poisoning. But even so large a mass as a putrefying puppy may be lodged in the uterus and yet not be detected by the ordinary examiner. Again, although one is with certainty made out, speedy removal of it may be impossible. Consequently in all instances where nothing is found in the uterus or passage from it, or there is a mass in the former which cannot be at once removed, those parts should be deluged with a disinfectant without delay. 172 KENNEL DISEASES. Corrosive sublimate is the agent to be used, and in solution with water in the proportion of 1 to 2,000. This remedy may be obtained of druggists in the form of tablets, with full directions as to the quantity of water in which each should be dissolved to make the solution of the right proportion. The best instrument for its application is a “fountain syringe.” This filled with the solution, heated to not less than 105° F. and not over 115° F.,—a thermometer invariably used, —a little of the fluid being allowed to run out by the tube, that all the air may be expelled, the tip or nozzle should be gently inserted in the passage to the uterus, as far as it will go, and the injection allowed to flow until it comes away as colorless as it entered, the syringe being refilled as many times as necessary. The next step is to wash away all that remains of the disinfecting solution, for the corrosive sublimate is an intense poison and might be absorbed. But all danger of that can be obviated by a copious injection of water, which must always be as hot as the solution first used. This having been administered, if the water injected has returned with quite an offensive odor, still another injection should follow ; and that should consist of one or two cupfuls of carbolic solution, made by dissolving one drachm of carbolic acid crystals in a pint of water, the latter being of the same degree of temperature as the other injections. During the first day and until improvement is noted, these injections should be repeated once in every six or eight hours. And after each the patient should be gently lifted onto clean dry bedding. Laymen might administer the injections, but it were infinitely better that they be intrusted to the family physician, for the reason that he can make them intra-uterine, and thus attain the greatest possible effect. He will wisely attach a gum elastic catheter or piece of small rubber tubing to the nozzle of the syringe, and carry the same to the top of the womb. And this operation he should find as easy as in his own practice. A speculum will not be required, for the os uteri can be made out, it being a finger’s length from the vulva in bitches of large breeds. Thorough disinfection of the vaginal canal and womb is essential in all cases of septic as well as putrid infection, for, as already urged, it is by this gateway that the trouble enters ; and while the results of such treatment would be most beneficial in the latter, in cases of the former there would doubtless be some germs yet unabsorbed, and manifestly they should be destroyed or washed away. It is obvious, moreover, that could this treatment be applied in the be- ginning of septic infection it would prove quite as efficacious as in the putrid form. Recurring to the injunction to use a disinfectant in all cases whether or not there is infectious material in the womb, it is again urged that were any such material therein it should first be removed; for but little can be expected of the PUERPERAL FEVER. 173 disinfectant while that remains, even if the solution is carried into the womb, which is never likely unless the injection is administered by a physician. Yet it should do some good, slight though it be, when used by non-professionals, and in a measure delay absorption, prevent the victim from losing ground rapidly, and favor the chances of natural or forced expulsion. Ergot is a uterine stimulant, and under certain conditions it acts admirably on the human family. On the canine, however, its effect is much less marked, and it is practically valueless in puerperal fever, for which it has often been prescribed, under the impression that by means of it the uterus can be made, in some degree, to free itself of retained material. But this is a delusion; for while that organ might be stimulated somewhat by the drug, the results would be disappointing, for in such cases the uterine contractions are irregular, and obstruct instead of favor expulsion of matters retained. Quinine and calomel should be the main reliance in the way of constitu- tional treatment, and these should be combined as follows: — Take of calomel ten grains and quinine eighty grains. Mix and divide into ten powders if the patient is of medium or large size, or into twenty powders if under medium size. One powder should be given every four hours; and caretakers will find the administration easiest if capsules are used. When there is high fever, it is advisable to resort to some antipyretic, and one of the safest of the most powerful is phenacetin, one or two grains of which, according to the size of the patient, might be given, with every powder of calomel and quinine, until the fever has greatly subsided. This should be the medicinal treatment until the end is certain, or marked signs of improvement are noted. From the very first, measures must be directed to the support and stimula- tion of the system, that it may make a good fight against the invading poison, and they should consist of as near absolute rest as possible, forced feeding, and the administration of whiskey. Milk and raw eggs stand high on the list of serviceable foods, and with them meat extracts and meat jellies. The latter, however, must not be con- founded with beef-tea, but should consist of the juices expressed after the meats have been heated only slightly — not cooked. The nourishment must be administered every two or three hours until improvement is noted. And the whiskey should be given at equally as short intervals, and preferably between the feedings. As for the doses of the stimu- lant, a tablespoonful for largest breeds and a teaspoonful for the smallest can be none too much. The fact must also be kept in sight that dogs will bear in this much greater quantities of stimulants than in ordinary diseases, therefore if there is a sign of rapid failure, even larger doses than those advised would likely be indicated. 174 KENNEL DISEASES. In view of the fact that in puerperal fever the intestinal discharges are usually highly offensive, also that nature then sends diarrhoea as a measure of relief, it is advisable to give early in every attack a moderate dose of mag- nesia, and repeat every fourth hour until the bowels have moved freely. Other medication will seldom be required in puerperal fever, except it be to combine the carbonate of ammonia with the whiskey after the first day, if failure of the vital powers is threatened. This should be in solution with water, one and one-half drachms to two ounces. The dose will then be one teaspoonful for medium and large-sized dogs, and one-half that quantity for the smaller. Summarizing, the treatment required is to empty the genital canal; wash it out and keep it clean with corrosive sublimate solution; meet the offensive odor with carbolic solution; favor the removal of the materies morbi from the system by the remedies advised; and literally “crowd ” nourishment and stimu- lants ; for the poor victim is, as it were, in deep water, and if her strength is kept up it is possible that she may make a safe landing. That in many instances puerperal fever is preventable is a fact that can properly be urged in closing, although such must be the inevitable conclusion from the foregoing. Remembering always that it is through the genital tract that infection occurs, whether it be septic or putrid; that the special germs are of the most virulent nature, easily transmissible, and only an infinitesimal quantity is quite sure to prove destructive; that retained matters must decom- pose before they become infectious, and bacteria are necessary to putrefaction; finally, that these essential agents may be on the person of caretakers, — it fol- lows that ample precautions should be taken before making examinations, lest the poisons be introduced. These precautions consist first of thorough cleanliness of the hands, secured by a scrubbing-brush and soap and water, and a subsequent use of a 1 to 3,000 solution of corrosive sublimate, or 5 per cent solution of carbolic acid. That in all instances the whelping quarters should be the healthiest possible goes without saying. If always clean, dry, well-ventilated and accessible to ample sunlight, with the precautions advised, puerperal fever is never likely to enter them. As for the measures which must be employed to prevent its recurrence where this malady has once invaded kennels, they will be discussed with Septicamia of Pregnancy. SEPTICEMIA OF PREGNANCY. 175 CHAPTER VI. SEPTICZIMIA OF PREGNANCY. ConFINING the use of the term to proper limits, puerperal fever can only occur after labor has set in; and seldom does it attack mothers before delivery is nearly if not quite completed. The disease about to be discussed so closely resembles that fever it has been considered identical, and therefore given the same name. But this is manifestly wrong ; for while they have many features in common, there are yet some that are at variance to such a marked degree they must be accepted as distinct affections. Consequently it becomes necessary to coin a name, and the propriety of that chosen will appear anon. Septicemia of pregnancy, like puerperal fever, is a disease produced by septic matter which has entered the blood. But while the latter occurs only after labor has commenced, the former attacks its victims during pregnancy ; and they are either destroyed before they have reached the time for whelping, or the destructive work has then so far advanced that they die in labor or shortly after it has been completed. The primary cause of this septicemia is, without doubt, some form of microbe, which enters the blood and is conveyed to one or more fcetuses, which die; or it develops a virulent poison that is passed on to the uterus with the same dis- astrous effect therein. The foetus or foetuses destroyed decompose, and as a result there is putrid infection and blood poisoning, as in puerperal fever. This microbe, which is evidently the primary cause of septicemia of preg- nancy, obviously is not the same as that which is capable of producing puerperal fever. Where the latter occurs, infection enters by the way of the generative organs, and when they are properly protected that peculiar fever is impossible ; but in the former it would appear that the germs must invade the body by the way of the nose or mouth, then make their way into the blood, from which, as stated, they, or the toxin produced by them, are conveyed to the uterus, on the contents of which their force is inflicted. Appreciable signs that something is wrong, and which may suggest this septicemia, are not as a rule manifested until two or thee days before the vic- tims are due to whelp, although in occasional instances they have been noted a week, and even nine days, in advance of that eventful period. On the other hand, in some cases whelping has commenced before the occurrence of symptoms that excited suspicion or apprehension. 176 KENNEL DISEASES. The first symptoms are generally vague and ill defined. Indeed, they vary but little from those that bitches about to whelp oftentimes exhibit, and which are induced by the first pains of labor. That is, the unfortunates likely have less spirit than usual, are not so much inclined to exert themselves, and keep closer to their kennels; and while they may eat fairly well, their appetite is none the best. In most cases whelping at least commences, and it may stop before the first pup is in the world, or at once it is delivered, or persist until only one remains in the uterus, — all depending upon the existing conditions, — and there is a bare possibility of its going on to completion. Where only a part of a litter has been destroyed, and the living are behind the dead, the mother is never likely to voluntarily give bith to any, although she may have labor pains for a short time. With but one dead puppy that had presented first and been removed, labor pains would scarcely come on again with any intensity, and the delivery of the remainder of the litter would almost always require force. With only one dead puppy in a litter, and that placed last in the uterus, the mother might unaided give birth to the living; but this is contrary to the rule, which is that they must be taken away, and the removal of the last is then always a matter of exceeding difficulty. One or two dead puppies in each litter has been the common experience, but now and then this disease kills all, the mother as well as puppies, before the labor pains begin. And this result seems to be invariable in cases in which the attacks are well on a week or more before the victims are due to whelp. The conclusive signs of this disease — that is, the symptoms, which are produced by it after the septicemia is advanced —are identical with those of puerperal fever. And indeed where whelping has commenced, the labor pains have ceased, and dead and putrefying puppies are retained, the case has become one of that fever. When septicemia occurs with an intensity which proves fatal to mother and puppies several days before the period of whelping is due, the victims, as a rule, are noticeably ill only one or two days. They droop as it were, eat but little or refuse food altogether, are disinclined to move about, and generally die quite suddenly. Mr. Everett Millais, of London, England, had the misfortune to suffer from an epidemic of septicemia of pregnancy in his kennels, and he generously placed a record of his cases at the disposal of the writer. They in brief were as follows : — 1. The victim was due to whelp Oct. 6, 1890. First signs of labor ap- peared Oct. 8. Pains ineffectual, and puppies were removed. All dead and in an advanced stage of decomposition. Mother died on the following day. 2. Due April 4, 1891. After being dull and languid for three days, was SEPTICEMIA OF PREGNANCY. 177 taken quite ill April. Death occurred suddenly the next day. Mother opened immediately. Five living and two dead puppies removed; the latter much decomposed ; the former lived two days. 3. Due July 3, 1892. Taken ill June 30. Labor started July 1. Pains soon subsided. Mother in very critical condition. Six puppies quite speedily removed, four of which were living. The others decomposed. The following day the mother failed rapidly. Another dead and very putrid puppy removed. Death occurred that night. 4. Due Jan. 28, 1893. Natural birth, at term, of eleven puppies, two of which were dead. Mother very ill for three weeks, but eventually recovered. If this was a case of septicemia it is assumed that recovery was due to the power of the mother to whelp before much septic matter had been absorbed. 5- Due July 14, 1893. Taken ill July 5, and died in convulsions on the following day. Autopsy revealed nine decomposing puppies. 6. Due Aug. 15.. On that day signs of whelping appeared after the mother had been ‘* moping” for two days. Efforts at natural delivery were feeble, and soon ceased. Six living puppies were removed, and the day follow- ing another — very putrid. Mother died Aug. 19. 7. Due Sept. 15, 1893. After being very ‘‘ mopy,” and ‘off her feed” for two days, the mother died suddenly Sept. 10. Seven putrid puppies found at the autopsy. 8. Due Sept. 24, 1893. Whelping commenced on that day, after the mother had been dull for a day or two. Yet she had eaten and taken exercise. One dead pup was born and then labor stopped. It was believed that another dead puppy blocked the way of several living puppies; and as a natural delivery appeared impossible, efforts at removal were made. They proving ineffectual, and the mother being nearly dead, chloroform was administered. On opening her ten living puppies were found and removed from behind a puppy that had much decomposed. Scarcely ever, if ever, can mothers be saved when once this malady is on them; and the puppies must also succumb unless they are promptly removed. But removal is never easy. In fact, it is always excedingly difficult and weari- some. And since only comparatively few veterinarians have an intimate knowl- edge of dogs, for the operation to be successful it must generally be performed by a physician. Where dead puppies precede the living, the chances of removing the former in time to save the latter are seldom good ; and in most cases the mothers must be sacrificed. There being no alternative, chloroform should be administered, the abdomen and uterus opened, and the puppies removed. Only a very small proportion of the little ones so released are likely to live ; yet if at once enveloped in hot blankets, gently rubbed to life, and speedily given to a foster, there are chances of their doing so. 178 KENNEL DISEASES. When possible to effect delivery through the natural avenue, the uterus being freed of its contents, it should be thoroughly disinfected, as in puerperal fever. As to constitutional treatment, at once the presence of the disease is detected, the same medicine, stimulation, and supportive treatment recommended for puer- peral fever should be administered. Recurring to disinfection, some physicians have greater confidence in the peroxide of hydrogen than in corrosive sublimate or carbolic solutions. The former can be used freely and is entitled to preference, provided the uterus is empty and its mouth so well opened that the drainage is good. Once this disease occurs in a kennel, only with exceeding difficulty can it be made safe for bitches in whelp. Indeed, he is wise who, having had a case of it, burns the infected quarters ; or, if this remedy is too expensive, purifies them as completely as possible, devotes them to general use thereafter, and provides others for whelping. If neither of these radical measures can be applied, then all that remains is to disinfect thoroughly. If the floor is of wood, it had best be removed and a new one laid down. But before this is done a large quantity of quicklime should be spread on the ground beneath and spaded in. At the same time, if the air cannot circulate freely under the floor timbers, two large holes should be made in the foundation, on opposite sides, and left open for weeks and even months, if possible. Before the floor is relaid, its timbers and the foundation walls should all be treated to a solution of corrosive sublimate, made by adding a teaspoonful of that agent to a gallon of water. This should be driven with a brush into every crack and cranny, or if there are any that cannot be reached by this means, a syringe should be used. Allowing a day or two for this solution to thoroughly dry in, it should be fol- lowed by a lavish use of quicklime in the form of thick whitewash; which is most active when applied as soon as prepared and while still hot. All this done, the ceilings, walls, and: indeed every part above should be as faithfully washed with the same corrosive sublimate solution, and this again in turn be followed by whitewash where its use is permissible. Of course if a kennel is of expensive construction, and its walls are sheathed and painted, the owner would be reluctant to whitewash such parts, in which event he should paint, varnish, or shellac, as he may prefer, after the sublimate solution has been freely applied. A temporary floor having been in use while this renovation has been going on, a permanent one may be laid; and thereafter, until the quarters are to be again used, every door and window in them should be kept open day and night, to admit the sunlight and air, — two of the most potent disinfectants. SECTION VI. DISEASES OF THE EYE. CHAPTER I. OPHTHALMIA. AN inflammation that is general and affects more or less the whole eye is termed ophthalmia. Although mild forms may occur and recovery take place speedily and completely, in the majority of cases the disease runs a violent course, restoration is always slow, and the sight is often permanently impaired if not entirely destroyed. Conjunctivitis is present, and in the worst infectious forms it is of purulent type. The nose is hot, the eyelids are much swollen, pain is intense, and greatly increased on exposure to strong light. There is more or less fever. Lassitude, prostration and other signs of constitutional disturbance are also noticeable. As a rule the cornea is affected and loses much of its transparency; while if deeper parts are involved, the cornea also appears reddened, and the pupil cannot be made out. The common cause is a direct injury, as a blow, or from a tooth in fighting. In the absence of professional aid, the first requisite for treatment is cleanli- ness, which should be effected hourly by means of tepid water and a soft sponge, cut in the shape of a wedge, the thin edge of which should be used to enter between the lids. After the eye has been well washed and all trace of the discharge removed, a solution of borax and camphor water, ten grains to the ounce, should be dropped into it; and'at night the lids should be lubricated with vaselin or sweet- oil, to prevent their sticking together. As a tule, it is well to give the patient a brisk cathartic, and restrict his diet to liquids until the inflammation is on the rapid decline. In severe cases, which may be considered to be infectious, great care should be exercised to prevent the discharge from entering the uninjured eye, and the sponges be always burned after use. Boric acid, fifteen grains to one ounce of distilled water, may be used if the milder borax solution is not thought sufficient. The degree in which the various parts of the eye are affected varies much, 179 180 KENNEL DISEASES. and a non-professional would not likely be able to discriminate between those cases which promise to run a mild and innocent course and those which threaten to seriously injure or destroy the eye ; consequently the treatment advised should be faithfully employed in all cases. CATARRHAL CONJUNCTIVITIS. The mucous membrane which covers the eyeball and lines the inner surface of the lids is called the conjunctiva, and inflammation of it conjunctivitis. Of this affection there are.several forms which can properly be considered herein, namely, the catarrhal, purulent, and chronic. Catarrhal conjunctivitis, which as a rule affects both eyes, is popularly known as a “cold in the eye.” It may be caused by long exposure to a strong wind, by dust or other irritating particles lodging in the eye, and by injuries, as scratches from twigs or bushes, and from blows. A plunge into very cold water or expo- sure in very bad weather may have the same effect; so, too, eyelashes which have turned inward and constantly come in contact with the eyeball. Acrid vapors, such as arise from the chloride of lime and a few other disinfectants, are also capable of producing it. In distemper this inflammation is manifested early; and it is apt to occur during the course of other intensely acute diseases. In simple rhinitis, with coryza, or cold in the head, and acute bronchitis, the conjunctiva generally shares in the catarrh of the air-passages; but seldom is it very severe in such cases or of other than short duration. An eye that is affected with catarrhal conjunctivitis presents the following appearance: It is more or less reddened, and the lining of the lids is of deeper red than normal. In extreme cases also it appears velvety. There is usually some swelling of the lids, and the mucus and tears flow in such quantities as to keep the eyes suffused. ‘The patient blinks and drops his head in strong light; and when there is considerable irritation and itching, he attempts to overcome it by rubbing his eyes with his paws. There are, however, various types of conjunctivitis. Thus, there may be merely a little mucus gathering in the corner of the eye, the same sticking the lids together, and so little redness that the existing inflammation is unappreciable except to the practised observer. In catarrh of the eyes, as in many other affections, there is a natural tendency to self-limitation and recovery; and when the attack is mild it may largely be left to nature, the medicinal treatment being limited to the application of simple cerate, vaselin, sweet-oil, or cold cream to the edge of the lids along the eyelashes, to prevent their sticking together. On the other hand, in a severe case, in which the lids are swollen and very PURULENT CONJUCTIVITIS. 181 sticky, the eyes quite red and the discharge profuse, treatment should be prompt and energetic. Frequent douching of the lids with tepid water will be necessary... The diet should be restricted to bland foods; the bowels freely moved by a purge, and the patient kept in a room in which the light is dim or entirely excluded. But at the same time good ventilation must be afforded. If medical advice cannot be immediately obtained, a solution of borax in camphor water, ten grains to the ounce, should be dropped into the eye — onto the eyeball, the lids being forced apart —every hour while the disease is intense. This can be done by the means of a clean teaspoon, although a glass “ dropper ” is more convenient. As for the quantity, a few drops will suffice. At night, when the douching must be discontinued, the lids should be well lubricated with vaselin. If under this treatment some improvement is not noted in the course of three days, for the borax and camphor water, a solution of sulphate of zinc—two grains to an ounce of water — should be substituted, and dropped into the eyes three times a day. As stated, this disease is self-limited; therefore the object of treatment is rather to keep down the inflammation and make recovery easier, than to attempt to effect a speedy cure. Blisters are never required, for they are of no use. Poultices of all kinds are very dangerous here, and should therefore never be applied in this or other affec- tions of the eyes. PURULENT CONJUCTIVITIS. Fortunately this affection is unmistakable and quite rare. It occurs sud- denly, and begins as a catarrh ; the eyelids are red, and usually so greatly swollen that they can scarcely be separated. They are soon glued together, and when pulled apart, pus flows in considerable quantity. The eyeball is intensely red, and its surface membrane, the conjunctiva, swollen to such a degree that it forms a ring around the cornea, aptly termed “the window of the eye.” The cornea becomes dull in the centre, and in some cases exhibits ulcers or tendencies to ulceration. This opacity or cloudiness of the cornea gradually increases, becomes darker, and eventually takes on a yellowish-gray coloration. There is marked intolerance of light, and constant winking and blinking. True conjunctivitis of this nature is very generally the result of the introduc- tion into the eye of specific infectious substances, purulent secretions, or virulent particles floating in the air; yet it may occur in the course of chronic catarrhal conjunctivitis, without poisoning from other sources. Medical advice should always be sought at once for this affection, because there is liability of permanent injury; but if it cannot be obtained, about all that can safely be attempted is to keep the eye as clean as possible by frequent 182 KENNEL DISEASES. bathing with tepid water, and, the lids being forced apart, to apply to the eyeball every hour a solution composed of borax four grains, boric acid twelve grains, and distilled water one ounce. That the case under treatment is highly contagious must be kept in mind, the rags or bits of sponge used in bathing be destroyed, and cleanliness of the hands so carefully maintained that the eyes of the caretaker cannot be infected. Of supreme importance is the isolation of the patient, which should be promptly effected, for he is a menace to his kennel mates; and he should be kept in a room that is well disinfected. CHRONIC CONJUNCTIVITIS. Both catarrhal and purulent conjunctivitis may terminate in chronic inflam- mation, but such result is not common. Indeed, it but rarely occurs excepting in dogs which are ill-kept and suffer from a low state of general health. In this affection the lids remain red and swollen, and the eyes are irritable and weak. Cases of inflammation of deeper parts of the eye — which are more serious and require different treatment — may be mistaken for it, and medical advice should therefore be sought early. Some reliance may be placed on mild astrin- gents, as alum — two grains to an ounce of water — dropped into the eyes sev- eral times daily. In the more severe cases the outer surface of the lids may be painted every five or six hours with a solution made by adding two drops of Goulard’s extract— solution of subacetate of lead—to an ounce of water, a camel’s-hair brush being used; while at night the edges of the lids should be coated with vaselin, cold cream, or some bland, unirritating oil. The following ointment will often effect a cure more speedily than any other application: Of five per cent solution of corrosive sublimate, one drop; hydro- chlorate of cocaine, two grains; vaselin, sixty grains. Place a little of this in the inner corner of the eye, — on the eyeball, —close the lids and gently rub the outside of them for about two minutes. As the general health is usually poor it must be built up by generous feed- ing and hygienic means, such as exercise out-of-doors for a few minutes each day, proper ventilation of the kennels, and absolute cleanliness; while the bowels should be kept regular, the digestion active, etc. KERATITIS. Inflammation of the cornea, or keratitis, when localized and not associated with inflammation in other parts of the eye, is generally caused by direct injury, ABSCESS OF THE CORNEA. 183 such as a blow, a scratch from thorns, or from the presence of a foreign body which has lodged in the eye. In mild cases the cornea loses its transparency and becomes cloudy and opaque; while with some types of the affection ulcers are often present. In the first instance the eyes are very watery and thejaffected cornea has a diffuse grayish-blue or grayish-white coloration. Its surface also appears slightly irregular and uneven. Where ulceration occurs in the cornea there is the same cloudiness and opa- city, and similar coloration; the eyes are also watery; they are very sensitive to the light, and the discomfort is greater. In occasional cases the ulceration becomes so deep that the eye seems to burst, perforation of the sclerotic membrane occurring, and allowing the contents of the anterior chamber of the eye to escape through the opening. The resulting opacities may become entirely absorbed in the course of time, though this is contrary to the general rule; which is, that while they may lessen considerably in extent, they yet persist as dense white spots. Opacities which form in severe attacks of distemper, and occasionally in other constitutional dis- eases, are, however, notable exceptions, because in such cases, being quite super- ficial, the cloudiness usually clears up quickly and without medical interference. Where corneal opacities threaten to be permanent it will be well to use eye- drops composed of the oil of turpentine, one part, and oil of almonds, two parts. The lids being separated, one drop should be allowed to fall on the eyeball; and one application be made daily. It may prove too stimulating in an occa- sional case, and excite considerable inflammation ; in which event the proportion of the oil of almonds should be increased. Superficial ulcers may heal and leave no trace; but generally they also produce permanent opaque spots. Where perforation has occurred there is adhesion of the iris and lens to the posterior wall of the sclerotic membrane, or other marked change from the normal, which it is not possible to entirely overcome. The corrosive sublimate ointment advised in Chronic Conjunctivitis, and applied in the same way, should be tried in corneal inflammation. That failing to have good effect, unless further medical treatment can be applied or directed by a professional, dogs with uncomplicated corneal inflammation or ulcers should be left to nature to effect a cure, being in the meantime kept in good healthy quarters, well fed, confined during the day, and exercised at night. ‘ABSCESS OF THE CORNEA. The outermost tunic or covering of the eye is called the sclerotic membrane. This is really composed of two different membranes; one of which forms the 184 KENNEL DISEASES. anterior part, the so-called cornea. That is the toughest membrane of the eye, and, unlike the other portion, is transparent, so as to permit light to enter; and is aptly termed “the window of the eye.” There are several forms of inflammation of the cornea which may result from contusions or bruises; and now and then abscesses follow such injuries. Some- times, also, they occur as complications in severe attacks of conjunctivitis. Not infrequently they form during distemper; and in some instances they appear without appreciable cause. When an abscess of the cornea is forming, there is intense pain and such intolerance of light that the victim scarcely opens his eyes, and stoutly resists their being examined. The flow of tears is very profuse indeed. On examination, the cornea is found to be of a gray or yellowish color, and at some point there is exhibited a spot, often but little larger than a pin’s head, around which the discoloration is deeper, and which from its appearance quite plainly suggests the nature of the existing trouble. Where the abscesses are large they very generally break and leave open ulcers. Small abscesses may also pursue this course; oftentimes, however, they do not “come to a head,” but are absorbed without breaking. In which cases dense white spots are left in their places. These contract in time, but are never entirely obliterated. If discovered early, and its true nature is clearly defined, under cocaine an abscess should be lanced, with generous incision that reaches to the bottom of the trouble. The after-treatment should consist of the use of antiseptic lotions, to secure perfect cleanliness, corrosive sublimate gauze for coverings, and iodoform or calomel as dusting powders. Where the abscesses break, the treatment is essentially the same as for ordi- nary ulcers of the cornea. IRITIS. The iris is the muscle which surrounds the “pupil,” and is called the “col- ored part of the eye.” It corresponds to the “stop” or diaphragm of a camera, and serves the same purpose. In its centre there is an opening which consti- tutes the “pupil.” Inflammation of the iris is fortunately not a common disease. It may occur as a complication of other diseases of the eye, but the usual cause is traumatism or direct violence, by blows or injuries. The symptoms to a considerable extent resemble those of catarrhal conjunc- tivitis, but the pain is, as a rule, much more severe. There is also a change in the pupil that is quite characteristic. The normal or healthy pupil will open and close; that is, the iris dilates and contracts under certain conditions. In IRITIS. 185 this affection, however, if the lids are covered for a moment and then suddenly exposed in strong light, the pupil does not move, whereas in the normal eye it contracts. In the early stage of inflammation the iris appears blurred and less distinct than usual; its color is very different from that of the unaffected eye, and there is a slight dimness of the cornea. The pupil is small, and its inner edges are irregular; while in the next stage, which follows the first quite speedily, the iris assumes a rusty appearance, and a film closes over it. A full recovery from this affection takes place in a small proportion of cases; but in the majority, vision is sooner or later seriously impaired or wholly destroyed. As soon as a diagnosis is made, a brisk cathartic should be given, and until local improvement is noted, the patient should have a liquid diet. A solution of the sulphate of atropia in water, two grains to the ounce, ought to be used locally; for it lessens the pain, contracts the blood-vessels, relaxes the ciliary muscles of the eye, and dilates the pupil; which latter if not dilated would be permanently contracted and fixed by adhesions. A drop or two of this atropia solution should be dropped on the eyeball, while the lids are being held apart, two or three times daily. If the patient resists the use of the remedy, it will be sufficient and more convenient to drop the solution into the inner corner of his eye, — near his nose, —and open the lids gently afterward. A shaded but well-aired room should be provided for all suffering from iritis. 186 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER II. GRANULAR LIDS. A FREQUENT consequence of neglected catarrhal inflammation of the conjunc- tiva of the eye is known as granular lids, an affection in which the lining mem- brane, instead of being of the natural color, is of deep red hue and velvety appearance, with elevations, or what seem minute bodies, so-called granulations, which have aptly been likened to the spawn of fish or frogs. The bacterial origin of this disease is accepted by many authors. It is rarely met with except in dogs in poor general health, ill-fed, and otherwise abused. If unchecked, the conjunctiva becomes thickened, the cornea ulcer- ated or cloudy, and vision much impaired or almost wholly destroyed. Treatment should be administered by a physician ; but a solution of the sul- phate of zinc, two grains to one ounce of water, can be advantageously dropped into the eye several times daily. At night the lids should be lubricated with some simple ointment. The application of more powerful remedies, sulphate of copper crayon, or alum in stick form, will probably be necessary. Antiseptic washes containing boric acid, eight grains to one ounce of distilled water, or eucalyptol in hama- melis water, a teaspoonful to a gill of the latter, are valuable. BLEPHARITIS CILIARIS. Dogs that are ill-kept, especially in filthy kennels, and are poor in health, sometimes have the edges of their lids inflamed and covered by a thick secre- tion which forms crusts about the roots of the lashes. This affection is also observed as a sequel to severe and prolonged diseases, of which distemper is a notable illustration. Cleanliness is of great importance in the treatment, and can best be attained by bathing the lids with an alkaline wash made by dissolving one teaspoonful of common baking-soda in a pint of tepid water. This should be used upon linen rags, by rubbing the lids until the crusts are all removed. Then, after drying, vaselin or cold cream should be applied. In severe cases, and in all of long standing, simple ointments will not be powerful enough, and one composed of ENTROPION AND ECTROPION. 187 the nitrate of mercury ointment, one drachm, and vaselin or lard, two drachms, should be applied after cleansing. As this ointment is irritating, it ought not to be allowed to enter the eye. The most convenient means of application is a swab made of a little cotton wound around the tip of an ordinary wooden tooth- pick. In general eczema of long standing the eyebrows and lids of the victims usually become eczematous, and in consequence of this extension of the skin disease there is often ulceration of the lids and loss of the lashes as well as of the hair on neighboring parts. Local cleanliness should be insisted upon in these eczematous cases, and sulphur mixed with lard applied freely. When this fails to effect a cure, the mercurial ointment, diluted as advised with twice its weight of vaselin or lard, should be used. Animal parasites sometimes infest the roots of the eyelashes and cause obsti- nate itching, which excites scratching, and thus a local eczema is produced. The same mercurial ointment is the remedy for this eye affection. ENTROPION AND ECTROPION. Entropion is a deformity of the eyelid which causes it to curve or turn in, so that its edge or lashes come in contact with the eyeball, and by pressing upon its delicate structures induce constant irritation or serious inflammation. It occurs quite frequently among bulls, Newfoundlands and setters. Now and then it is present at birth. Occasionally it follows inflammations of the lining membrane of the lids, —the conjunctiva —and sometimes results from the use of caustic substances in the eyes or injuries to the lids that destroy their natural curvature, which in the healthy eye is admirably and exactly adapted for the protection and comfort of the eyeball. The upper lid is more often inverted than the lower, but both may be affected, and even in the same subject. Besides the annoyance and discomfort caused by entropion there is constant irritation. The eyes are watery; a grayish mucus accumulates in the corners of them; there is frequent winking; and at times the eyes are shut tightly. The lashes adhere; and while sleeping, often the lids are glued together. Roughness of its surface and inflammation of the cornea are frequently associated. Individual lashes are sometimes displaced without any particular curvature of the lids, and if these are repeatedly drawn out the fault may be in time overcome. Some injuries of the lids are of so destructive a character that their results are irreparable. As a rule, however, surgical operations for the relief of entro- 188 KENNEL DISEASES. pion are successful in a goodly proportion of cases. But since they are the con- sequences of disease or injuries, and not primary affections, it would be too much to expect the pleasing results that might be obtained were treatment ad- dressed to original affections. There are several operations for entropion, but the most common is excision of a portion of the skin from the eyelid. When the edges of the wound are stitched together the lid is drawn outward, and generally remains so, although relapses may occur. Ectropion is a turning out of the eyelid from the eyeball. The trouble is usually on the lower lid, and may be the result of wounds or burns of the skin under the eyes, and loss of tissue, which causes subsequent contraction in healing and a pulling downward of the lid. It may also be the consequence of severe and prolonged conjunctivitis. The affected lid is turned out, so as to show its lining membrane, which is reddened and inflamed from exposure to the air, dust, etc. The eyes are watery, mucus collects in their corners, and tears fall down over the cheeks. Only in recent and very mild forms of the affection are favorable results likely to be obtained by means of medicinal treatment. That failing, an operation would be necessary. The former consists in “touching” the connective tissue of the eyelid with the nitrate of silver or sulphate of copper. It must necessarily be done by a physician; and it were better always that he at once remove a portion of the eyelid without trying this experimental treatment, which does not promise well. PTERYGIUM AND SYMBLEPHARON. Pterygium is a triangular-shaped thickening of the mucous membrane cover- ing the eyeball and enlargement of the blood-vessels situated in one or both corners of the eye. From its fancied resemblance to the wing of a bat that name has been given it, the word meaning “little wing.” Although it may arise independently of any general inflammation, it is usually the consequence of conjunctivitis. It can be quite easily removed by a surgical operation, but it is never advi- sable to interfere unless it grows upon the cornea, and thus obstructs the vision. Symblepharon is the name given to a condition in which a portion of the lids have grown to the eyeball. This is usually in consequence of severe inflamma- tions resulting from burns of the eye, and such are generally caused by the use of too powerful caustics employed in the treatment of eye affections. It is very hard to cure, because it is extremely difficult to break up the adhe- sions permanently ; and even a most skilful operation is liable to fail. LACHRYMAL DISEASES. 189 AFFECTION OF THE HAW. In the inner corner of the eye is a semilunar fold of the mucous membrane, which is called the membrana nictitans or the haw, and resembles somewhat the third eyelid of birds. Its purpose is to protect the eye and sweep dust and foreign bodies from the eyeball. It is subject to inflammations, which may be induced by injuries, irritants, faulty management, and likely by constitutional diseases; and such trouble existing, the following symptoms are noted: Redness, swelling — which is some- times of such extent as to affect the sight — profuse flow of tears, and more or less pain. Generally only one eye is affected, and when both are involved the assump- tion is justified that the trouble is probably secondary to some disturbance within the system; and as a rule it is then found that the general health of the victim is poor. Bathing with warm milk is the usual treatment of kennelmen, and this appli- cation is of the efficiency of tepid water, and no greater. If as soon as the swelling appears a solution of borax and camphor water, ten grains to an ounce, or one of the sulphate of zinc and water, three grains to two ounces, is freely used, the affection should yield readily. In event, however, it resists these applications, it will be necessary to snip the membrane with blunt scissors. This can be easily done, though it were best to entrust the operation to a physician. A few drops of 5 per cent solution of cocaine should first be dropped into the eye. Then the membrane should be pierced by a light suture needle and a thread drawn through, by means of which it should be lifted up as far as possible from the eye. Now with the scissors a goodly piece of the membrane through which the thread runs should be cut away.. To bathe occasionally with cold water will be all the after-treatment required. LACHRYMAL DISEASES. The tears are produced in glands situated at the upper part of the orbital cavity, which open by ducts upon the surface of the conjunctiva between the eyeball and upper lid. The office of the tears is to keep moist the parts over which they flow, and preserve the transparency by preventing their surfaces from drying up. The movements of the lids spread the tears uniformly over the eyeball; they are then conducted off through the lachrymal canals, which finally dis- charge into the nasal passages. 190 KENNEL DISEASES. The lachrymal glands may be the seat of disease, though only rarely; and the chief troubles of the so-called lachrymal or tear-apparatus are in the canal which carries off the tears. This canal is obstructed in what is popularly termed “ weeping eye,” in which the eye is constantly wet with tears that run over the cheek instead of being con- ducted into the nostril by the natural way. The canal or tear-passage in question being very narrow, a slight swelling of its lining membrane is sufficient to impede the passage of the tears; and this swelling is generally the result of a cold in the head, in which there is a like © condition of the lining membrane of the nostrils and throat. . A valve-like opening within the nose at the end of the canal is closed by swelling, which causes backing up of mucus or tears. Usually, however, a pre- © vious thickening, by “ head-colds,” causes an extension of the catarrhal inflamma- tion to the tear-passage and eye itself. j Special treatment is required for the eye when this inflammation occurs in consequence of a cold, though as the cause disappears it may speedily subside. In cases, however, where mucus collects in such quantities in the sac, which exists at the head of the tear-passage, as to enlarge it, then an abscess is liable to form; in which event lancing will be necessary. Camphor water and borax, as recommended for conjunctivitis, can also be used in this affection, though a solution composed of two grains of zinc in one ounce of water may be better. A 2 per cent solution of cocaine dropped into the nose will shorten the rhinitis and remove the epiphora — watery eye. DISLOCATION OF THE EYEBALL. Dislocation of the eyeball without much injury to the same sometimes occurs in man; and if reduction is speedily and skilfully effected, in many instances recovery is complete and the sight wholly restored. This accident with as for- tunate results occasionally occurs in dogs, but as a rule there are deep lacera- tions and the vision is destroyed. It usually happens while fighting, especially among bulldogs, pugs or other dogs that do not possess any bony arch of the eye; and in most cases the injury is more than mere displacement, consequently the eyeball must be removed. When it occurs, medical aid should be summoned; but if there must be a delay of more than a few minutes the owner or caretaker should make an effort to return the eye to its socket, employing the following method: First, let blood- warm water fall from the hand upon the eyeball, to remove dust or other impuri- ties. Then apply a little pure sweet oil, if it is at hand, but if not attainable without delay, the work must be done without it. With an assistant drawing the CATARACT. I9gt eyelids open as much as possible, firm, steady pressure should be made on the eyeball for about five minutes, unless it is sooner restored. This should be tried with clean fingers only. ; If success does not attend these efforts within the time stated, until the phy- sician arrives let the eye be covered with a soft handkerchief wrung out of warm water; and meanwhile the poor dog be kept as quiet as possible. The doctor should try pressure at first, but that failing, he should snip with scissors the outer corner of the eye and enlarge the palpebral opening. This in turn being unsuccessful, he should remove the eyeball. The operation is not a difficult one, still it ought never to be attempted except by a skilful physician or veterinarian. Unfortunately the number of the latter who have been educated up to operations like this is comparatively small, and they are seldom to be found except in large cities. All educated practitioners of medicine are equal to the removal of an eyeball, and yet if a physician who makes a specialty of diseases of the eye is within reach it would be far better to entrust the operation to him. CATARACT. There seems to prevail among the most experiencéd dogmen a belief that cataract occurs but rarely, if ever, excepting in old dogs, and that there is but one form of the affection. As a matter of fact this grave trouble sometimes exists in puppies at birth. It may also be caused by injury, as a blow, while in some instances it occurs in consequence of inflammation. But of the various classes doubtless the cataract of advanced life is the most common. The abnormal change which occurs can scarcely be understood without some anatomical knowledge of the eye, so it will be well to glance at its construction. The eyeball has often been compared to a photographer’s camera, and the comparison is apt and convenient. It is essentially a hollow box, and contains, with its refracting fluids, a lens by which images can be formed, and a screen upon which they can be received. While in front of the lens there is a diaphram with a variable aperture to regulate the amount of light admitted. Beyond this the interior surfaces are darkened with black pigment, as is the case with the camera; and the eye has much the same power of adjustment. The lens is an elastic, bi-convex body, which not only looks like an ordinary glass magnifying-lens, but is equally as transparent — that is, in its normal state, but in cataract it becomes opaque, and in corresponding degree, of course, loses its transparency. This opacity or cloudiness prevents the image upon the back- ground from becoming sharp and clear, as is essential for distinct vision. Cataract in young puppies is generally attributable to defective nutrition 192 KENNEL DISEASES. while the eye is forming in early embryonic life—to want of proper building materials or imperfect use of the same, owing to some defect in the mother, in consequence of which the lens is imperfect. And in these cases, as a rule, the trouble is rarely detected early unless the examiner has had much experience, though attention is usually first drawn to the eyes by the ordinary evidences of impairment of sight, or total blindness. In advanced life, however, it scarcely long escapes detection, provided the abnormal changes are extensive, for a gray- ish white opacity ‘is plainly to be seen back of the pupil. Once cataract begins to form it is almost always progressive, and although in puppies it may in extremely rare instances disappear spontaneously, such happy result is never likely to occur when the trouble manifests itself after maturity. Until of late it has been held that no internal or external medication could cause an opacity of the lens to disappear, and the only recognized remedy has been the surgeon’s knife, but some three or four years ago a case of a man in this country was reported in which the lens cleared up under the use of the juice of the Cineraria Maritima. Since then several other cures have been recorded, one of which occurred in a physician who tried the remedy after failure to improve under the care of eminent specialists. And he was led to do this by a knowledge of the practice of the natives of India, who have for years been accustomed to rely upon this agent in cataract (zaza/a). The results, so well authenticated, excited no little interest among physicians generally, and many have since been anxious to give it a fair trial. But how to obtain the fresh juice, which has been proved to possess curative power, was for a long time a disturbing question, and until some one discovered among pot plants here in this country a variety of the Cineraria Maritima which is popu- larly called the cavtwhee?. And the juice of this is now being tried, but the results have not yet been recorded. Enterprising wholesale druggists have also ob- tained a supply of the juice from the countries in which the plant is indigenous, and it is now on sale. If the juice in question has the effect on man which is attributed to it, it should certainly have the same on dogs. And those who have cases of cataract in their kennels will do well to try this simple and perfectly innocuous agent. If the plant cartwheel is not obtainable the imported juice should be tried. Two drops of this should be dropped on the pupil three times daily; and the treatment be persisted in for several months. Surgical interference in congenital cataract is a simple and easy process when it consists of needling or rupturing the anterior capsule through the pupil, but is necessarily attempted only by experts. It is to be recommended in place of tedious treatment, because the early months of a dog’s life are most important for his training. BLINDNESS. 193 BLINDNESS. In advanced age the sight often becomes much impaired. But rarely, how- ever, is it wholly lost in consequence of years; for, as a rule, in blindness of long duration some structural change has occurred within the organ to account for it, such as opacity of the cornea, failure or paralysis of the optic nerve, cataract, or destruction of part of the refracting apparatus by disease. Animal parasites may also invade the eyeball and destroy the sight, they or their germs having been first acquired by eating infected raw meat. In certain diseases, notably of the brain, blindness may occur. There are cases in which the causation is very obscure; but it is reasonable to attribute them in some instances to reflex irritation from worms in the intestinal canal, while in others intense derangement of some important organ, as the liver or kidneys, may rightly be held responsible. An injury to the eye is always a serious and important matter, and should claim immediate attention ; for if the damage is not irreparable at the instant of the accident, destructive changes may be set up which are apt to go on until the sight is nearly or entirely destroyed. The most serious injuries as a rule are those received in fighting ; and while some may be entirely recovered from, in the majority of the cases of wounds thus received the eye is practically ruined. Nor is this painful result always limited to the injured eye. Indeed its fellow eye is often in time as seriously affected by sympathetic disease excited therein. Judicious treatment, however, will often accomplish great good, and possibly save the entire sight. It is evident, therefore, that in all injuries the best medi- cal advice available should be obtained, and, if possible, always that of physi- cians who make the eye a specialty. Excepting those cases in which it is caused by intestinal worms, the chances of recovery from blindness are never good, although the cause and duration are in some degree influential in forming a favorable prognosis. In blindness of recent and quite sudden occurrence due to injury or acute inflammation, partial or complete recovery occurs in some cases. On the other hand, in cases of several months duration in which the loss of sight was gradual, entire recovery is exceedingly rare, for then structural changes beyond repair have almost always taken place. : Where the indirect cause is intestinal worms the loss of vision is only moderate, unless it is of long standing, although it may appear to be quite com- plete ; for it is exaggerated by the affection of the nervous system with which it is associated. This latter affection is commonly a paralysis of considerable degree, especially of the hind parts. If the worms are speedily removed, the blindness is generally recovered from. SECTION VII. DISEASES OF THE EARS. CHAPTER I. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. Ir is not surprising that the term “canker ” is still employed for almost every affection of the ear, since traditional names applied to diseases by the laity continue to be used even after they have long been proved indefinite, vague, and inappropriate. If a dog shakes his head and scratches the side of it occasionally for a day or two he is said to have this disease, whether his ears are affected superficially, from a slight irritation of the skin, or internally, from severe inflammation. When the hearing apparatus was a thing of mystery this was perhaps pardon- able; but at the present time it is certainly not so, and the term canker should be obsolete. In order to avoid confusion and make clear the purpose of the writer, the discussion of the anatomy and physiology of the ear will be omitted, and only a brief description of the essential parts of the hearing apparatus considered. These, divided broadly, are respectively the external, middle and internal ears. The external ear comprises not only that outer portion which can be grasped with the hand, which is the auricle, but also the canal or passage leading inward. This passage ends at the drum membrane, which constitutes the dividing line between the external and middle ears. The middle ear is situated at the bottom of the auditory canal, and includes the drum membrane and the little bones or ossicles which are to be found in the drum cavity or tympanum. In conformity with the rule distinguishing inflammatory aieedus by the suffix zfs, general inflammation of the ear becomes otitis; and to this can be added terms to designate the particular localities and structures affected. Thus, inflammation of the external ear may rightly be otitis externa, that of the mid- dle ear, otitis media, and of the internal ear, otitis interna. But the internal ear rarely alone suffers from inflammation, and as a rule, if not invariably, where it exists it is but an extension of like trouble in the middle ear; therefore it is 194 OTITIS EXTERNA. 195 quite sufficient for the purpose of this work to make but two divisions, and term inflammation of the external ear, otitis externa or external otitis, and inflammation beyond the drum membrane, otitis interna or internal otitis; the latter comprising all affections of this nature which occur in the middle and internal ear. OTITIS EXTERNA. Inflammation of the external ear is a common and often very obstinate affec- tion, from which no part of the canine race is exempt, although some breeds are more frequent victims than others, owing to the peculiar formation of the outer ears, which favors an increase in intensity of every trifling irritation therein. For instance, dogs with small, upright ears are less liable to suffer seriously from such trouble than others with long and heavily coated flaps, for the reason that the passage to the ears of the latter is not as well ventilated; moreover, when affected the long eared shake their heads more violently and often, and this aggravates the existing irritation, which even if trifling at first is thus prone to become severe. There are various degrees of severity of this affection. Thus in some cases there is scarcely any appreciable inflammation ; in some also it is of such mild- ness there is simply slight redness; while in others the inflammation is almost as severe as in erysipelas, and attended by deep redness and much swelling. Again, the inflammation may be limited to a small area, but generally it extends over the entire inner surface of the ear-flap and into the passage of the ear. This is the rule where the trouble has existed several days and there has been much scratching at the ear or shaking of the head. External otitis also varies much in character, for it may be a true eczema, or a mere congestion due to increase of blood in the parts, or an inflammation attended with an eruption of blisters, pimples or pustules, and even small abscesses. Various causes for otitis externa have been assigned, and include sudden chilling of the heated body, digestive disorders, improper food, over-eating, insufficient exercise, accumulation of the natural secretion, —the cerumen or wax —the presence of animal parasites and insects, a tendency to eczema, etc, The cause may be from without, as scratching, dirt, sand, or other irritating particles in the passage, direct injuries to the outer parts, as from a blow, or it may be simply an expression of some internal disorder, and of like nature to that which gives rise to eczema. During prolonged and severe attacks of distemper an eruption frequently appears on the skin, and in some instances the ears are invaded by it and otitis results. Indeed, there appears to be in all constitutional diseases of acute form 196 KENNEL DISEASES. in which eruptions occur on the skin, a special liability to inflammation of some portion of the ear. To include the vegetable parasite among the causes of otitis externa is strictly proper, because it sometimes gives rise to true inflammation. This parasite is a fungus growth or mould, something like that which accu- mulates on stones in damp cellars. It forms quite deeply within the passage, usually on the drum membrane and adjacent walls, lessens the hearing power, and excites in some cases itching and twinges of pain sufficiently intense to cause constant shaking of the head. The parasitic fungus in the ear passage is dependent upon the lodgment therein of its spores, which are doubtless conveyed in the air; yet it is evident that these spores would not germinate and increase rapidly unless they found favorable conditions. Precisely what constitutes such conditions is not known, and they may thrive where no abnormality about the passage can be detected, but it is safe to assume that dogs kept in damp and mouldy kennels or localities are the most favorably situated for harboring the fungus growths. In cases of sarcoptic mange, otitis externa is a frequent complication, and it is easy to believe that the ear trouble is induced by the same parasite which causes the affection of the skin. This insect appears in considerable numbers on the outer ear, and can be seen making its way in and out of the ear passage onto the skin. The detection of a tiny animal parasite in the ear has led to the conclusion on the part of some that otitis externa is sometimes contagious, and that the parasite is distinct from that which causes mange. No satisfactory evidence has been produced that otitis, fer se, is contagious. As found occurring with mange, when that disease has been transmitted of course the accompanying ear trouble may be set up. An inflammation of the ear also occasionally occurs in scarlet fever and measles, but although these diseases, like mange, are contagious, there is nothing to show that ear complication is necessarily likewise communicable. Furthermore, it has not been satisfactorily demonstrated that this parasite found in the ears of dogs decidedly differs from that which causes mange. Unless the ears are frequently examined, the first noticeable symptoms of otitis externa are likely to be shaking of the head, scratching at the ear, and rest- lessness. On examination the outer ear is usually simply reddened if the trouble is of recent origin, but it may be hot and swollen, even in such cases; and the longer otitis exists, as a rule, the more severe the inflammation. The notable exceptions to this rule are the cases caused by the presence of fungus growths, which may exist in an ear for a long time without giving rise to any appreciable inflammation. Such cases are not common, however, and in most instances of these growths a careful examination of the deeper parts of the ear passage reveals considerable redness and swelling; generally, also, the OTITIS EXTERNA. 197 wallsof that passage appear as though fine coal-dust had been sprinkled over them. If simple treatment is promptly applied, in many instances a speedy cure of the commoner forms of otitis externa can be effected; but if delayed the affec- tion is likely to prove obstinate, deep and important structures becoming involved. Once the passage is thoroughly inflamed, recovery will generally be slow, and there is liability of ulceration occurring in its cutaneous lining and cartilages. After the disease of the external ear becomes established in the passage, as far as can be seen it will appear to have a brownish coating. This collection is at first pasty, but in time may thicken, and if there is much inflammation it dries and forms crusts. If ulceration occurs, there is quite a copious discharge, which is at first a muddy brcwn, and after a time yellowish. With the occurrence of the brownish coating there is an unnatural odor, which generally becomes highly offensive; and this constitutes a positive sign that the passage is quite seriously ulcerated, or the drum membrane is ruptured and the parts beyond are diseased. A thick, yellowish discharge, — of what is commonly called matter — appears only in a very small proportion of cases, and in these there is either abscess, ulceration, or disease of the bones or cartilages; or the drum membrane has been ruptured and the discharge is from the middle ear. The intensity of the symptoms, — shaking the head, scratching at the ear, and other signs of distress — are seldom in proportion to the existing disease. For instance, a dog may present them in violent form and yet have merely a mild and trifling irritation of the ear-flap; whereas another may suffer from seri- ous inflammation or ulceration deep within the passage, the same having existed for a long time, and these symptoms be far less pronounced. However, in the latter the shaking of the head is generally more constant and occurs every few moments, and the head is often turned to the affected side. This disease is usually unilateral, that is, in one ear only, although both ears are, of course, sometimes affected; but this is never likely except in cases of very long standing. An accumulation of the natural secretion of the ear, if excessive, causes feel- ings of discomfort, with consequent shaking of the head, but there are no signs of inflammation to be detected, nor does any exist from this cause alone. Con- sequently such trouble cannot rightly be included under this head, but for convenience this mention is made. When the passage and drum membrane are not involved in the inflamma- tion the hearing-power is not affected except where the ear passage is blocked by “wax” or some foreign body, or the drum membrane covered in a similar way by a vegetable parasite ; and an ear passage may even be inflamed without deafness resulting if not closed by the accompanying swelling. But in cases in which the inflammation is deep within the canal or there is ulceration, or the 198 KENNEL DISEASES. ear has long been affected, the drum membrane is usually congested, and in time is apt to become thickened ; from which condition there is decided loss in hearing-power. Where the inflammation is almost entirely confined to the ear-flap and the passage does not appear much affected, the trouble is generally eczema, and as a rule it yields very readily to the oxide of zinc ointment, or an ointment com- posed of the oleate of zinc, one drachm, vaselin, half an ounce. In a few cases the frequent application of the sulphur and lard ointment is sufficient, provided there is but little swelling and the victim does not seem to suffer very great discomfort. Yet even in mild cases the shaking of the head and scratching at the ear are so constant that rarely is it advisable to trust to so simple a remedy. To control the shaking of the head and flapping of the ears by means of a cap or bandage is desirable if possible. But the same should be of light ma- terial and open texture, for anything of the sort that is closely woven, warm or heavy must shut out the air from the affected parts, and thus, by intensifying the heat and inflammation therein, add much to the sufferer’s discomfort. Again, not very often can an ordinary appliance of the kind be kept in place without quite constant vigilance on the part of the caretaker. If, however, a dog per- sists in constantly shaking his head and frequently pawing at his ears, there is no alternative, and a covering must be used. A knitted cap or bandage is the best; but in the absence of such, preference is to be given to one made of muslin or thin cotton. The form usually chosen is generally too wide and comes too far forward. It should be broader in the middle than at the ends, to each of which should be attached three pieces of tape. The cap adjusted so that its anterior edge comes a little back of the eyes, one tape should be tied in front of it, one over its middle, and the other around the neck. It will not be easily removable then, but if the dog succeeds in pull- ing it off over his eyes, more tapes must be sewed to its posterior edge, and by the means of these the cap be fastened to the collar. Endeavoring to dispense with a cap or bandage and rely on some medicinal application to control the itching and consequent flapping of the ears, cocaine is the remedy to be tried; and it should be incorporated with the oxide of zinc ointment, the proportion being not less than 3 per cent of the former. This ointment should be applied to the reddened parts as often as necessary to keep them coated with the same; and if there is notable improvement it should be persisted in until recovery has occurred. Should the case be obstinate and the gain very slow, a mixture of carbolic acid and glycerin should be obtained, there being one-half a drachm of the former to one-half an ounce of the latter. While treating the affected parts with this mixture, once a day for two or three days, the ointment containing cocaine is to be used, being first applied fifteen minutes after the painting, and frequently during the day. OTITIS EXTERNA. 199 If this treatment is not speedily successful, an ointment consisting of the ointment of ammoniated mercury and vaselin, in equal parts, should be substi- tuted, and used two or three times daily. Where the redness and swelling extend over all or the most of the ear-flap, and the ear passage is also more or less swollen, the inflammation within gen- erally subsides as improvement occurs in the outermost parts. Even when the ear-flap is much inflamed sometimes the passage is not seri- ously affected. Itis a fact also that in the most severe cases of inflammation deep within the passage the ear-flap may not share in that inflammation and if it does become reddened and inflamed this condition is generally attributable to the shaking of the head and flapping of the ears. When a dog exhibits these symptoms, — shaking the head and flapping the ears —and the ear-flap is not much reddened or inflamed, it may safely be assumed that there is trouble deep within the ear passage or beyond the drum membrane. If the passage does not appear inflamed and swollen it may be that there is a fungus growth, or dirt, gravel or other foreign body that is causing this dis- comfort, and a syringe should be called into service. Were skilled hands to use it the form of the syringe would not be very important, — that is, it might be large or small, of glass or rubber, etc. — but for common use the safest and best is the so-called “ Fountain Syringe.” But even this will require some modification, because the smallest end-piece or nozzle, being of hard rubber, cannot be used to advantage. In all drug shops there is on sale very small rubber tubing which is com- monly used on nursing bottles. A piece of that, or the smallest tubing obtain- able, three or four inches in length, should be drawn onto the smallest nozzle. The free end of this can then be inserted into the ear passage, and being flex- ible and soft, will adjust itself to the passage, enter deeply, and do no harm. The capacity of an ordinary fountain syringe is about two quarts, and it should be filled with clean, warm water, the temperature of which must be right, because it would do harm were it too high or too low. One’s cheek near the nose is very sensitive, and after the syringe has been filled with water that feels comparatively warm to the hand, and the water allowed to flow away until all within the long tube has been changed, the stream should be directed against the face, and the temperature adjusted if not right. -This done, the reservoir or bag of the syringe should be hung on a nail five or six feet from the floor, and the small, soft rubber tube, that has been drawn over the end of the smallest nozzle, should be gently inserted as deeply as possible into the ear passage, and the water allowed to run in. When the flow has stopped, remove all the water that remains in the ear passage by having the head of the dog so twisted that the affected ear is on the under side, and then the outside of that ear gently kneaded or rubbed with the 200 KENNEL DISEASES. finger tips, to encourage emptying. This should occur in the course of a minute under skilful manipulation. If these directions are carefully followed, syringing can do no harm, but any departure from them might be hazardous; and even at best in unskilled hands it is seldom wholly satisfactory unless used for the removal of some foreign body which has got into the ear. Therefore, use a syringe no more than seems absolutely necessary. If the ear passage appears inflamed and the shaking of the head and the flapping of the ears are of recent occurrence, it may be accepted that the trouble is acute, provided no very bad odor can be detected. In such cases, after using a syringe, and thus making sure that the passage is free and clean, it will be well to pour into it, from a teaspoon, a few drops of a solution of borax, ten grains, in camphor water, one ounce; and repeat the appli- cation every five or six hours if improvement is noted. If the case is a mild one and the foregoing does not speedily act well, a solu- tion of the acetate of lead, eight grains, and water, four ounces, should be sub- stituted; and a small quantity be dropped into the ear three or four times daily. These solutions are unlikely to have much effect except in mild cases, and in others severe, one composed as follows should be used: Goulard’s extract of lead, laudanum, and the fluid extract of hamamelis, of each two drachms ; water, one-half ounce. The ear should be filled with it twice daily. If this in turn fails to effect a cure in the course of two weeks, it should be discontinued for a week, and during that time a 3 per cent solution of carbolic acid and glycerin should be used instead; a few drops of it, warmed, being dropped into the ear, two or three times daily. Simple inflammation of the ear passage usually disappears promptly under the foregoing methods of treatment, but if in any case recovery is not effected it will be safe to assume that the trouble is more serious than a simple acute inflammation. The most discouraging sign is a highly offensive odor. Though this may be present when the disease is confined to the external ear, in which case it is usually due to ulceration in the walls of the passage, more often the drum mem- brane has been ruptured and the trouble is in the inner ear. In cases in which the odor is manifested and does not disappear in the course of a week under proper treatment, the outlook is doubtful. They are sure to prove very obstinate and tedious, and only rarely will a cure be effected. The first step in the way of treatment may properly be a thorough syringing, the instrument being used as already advised. After that a solution of the per- oxide of hydrogen must be largely relied on. In a coffeecupful of water should be first dissolved one-half a teaspoonful of saleratus, to render it alkaline; then should be added one ounce —two table- spoonfuls — of the peroxide of hydrogen. OTITIS INTERNA. 201 This solution, after being slightly warmed, should be poured into the ear every five hours. The passage should then be filled with iodoform gauze, first cut in very narrow strips. As long as there is a notable gain it should be persisted in, but if improve- ment is not plain, a solution of double the strength should be tried. That is, instead of one ounce there should be added two ounces of the hydrogen perox- ide to a cupful of water. Some writers have recommended the introduction of iodoform powder or iodol in this class of cases. They would doubtless act fairly well if properly ap- plied, but when simply dropped into the passage, as many would use them, the effect would scarcely be more than to convert one bad odor into another equally, if not more offensive. Again, if the passage is much swollen and there is con- siderable discharge, the use of powders is not advisable, for they coat the sides of the canal and choke it up. However, if a solution of the peroxide of hydro- gen does not effect a cure, boracic acid powder may be tried as follows: Obtain an ordinary small blower such as is commonly used with insect powder. Draw over the tin tube two or three inches of the smallest soft rubber tubing that can be obtained. Introduce two or three teaspoonfuls of the powder into the blower, gently insert the end of the rubber tubing into the passage as far as possible, and then start the blower. By this means the powder will be forced to the parts most affected, and which it could not reach were it merely dropped in. Another very simple method of introducing the boracic acid is by means of a piece of small rubber tubing, about one foot in length, in one end of which has been inserted, for a short distance, a goose quill. The powder is taken up in the quill, which is then carefully carried into the ear passage as far as possible ; and when in place, the operator gives a short, quick blow through the tube, to free the powder from the quill. Then he blows steadily for a fraction of a minute, for the purpose of forcing the powder as far as possible into the ear passage. This method is Sewell’s, and he repeats the operation from three to six times at one sitting, as it is necessary to nearly fill the ear passage, taking up evi- dently only a comparatively small quantity of the powder at each dip of the quill. He has very great confidence in boracic acid in cases in which the discharge is copious, offensive, and purulent; applies it morning and night for a week, or until the discharge has materially lessened, and thereafter once daily until a cure has been effected ; and urges that by this treatment he has permanently cured cases of the very worst form that have existed for years. Time, patience, and care, however, are required, and in many cases the treatment must be persisted in for several weeks. Every day also before applying it the ear must be cleaned by syringing, and methylated spirit used in the operation, in the proportion of 202 KENNEL DISEASES. two tablespoonfuls to each half a pint of water; one-half of which quantity will be quite sufficient for one ear. Manifestly if the general health seems to be impaired, tonics and a generous diet are indicated. If a case resists treatment for several months without improvement it may be accepted that some structural change has occurred in the ear which makes a cure quite doubtful. Then, if the dog is not of much value, it will be advisable to sacrifice him, although he might live for several years and otherwise seem fairly well. OTITIS INTERNA. As stated in the opening section, the drum membrane divides the external from the middle ear; and although inflammation of the latter should properly be termed otitis media, and inflammation of the deeper parts otitis interna, it is quite sufficient for all purposes to combine inflammations of the middle and inter- nal ear under one head — otitis interna. Inflammations sometime originate in the cells, canals and structures that constitute the inner ear; but, as a rule, to which exceptions are comparatively rare, they first occur in the middle ear and extend inward. They also extend outwardly, in the opposite direction, and involve the drum membrane and external ear. Such inflammations may be confined to the mucous membrane that lines the middle ear, to the membrane covering the small bones, or even the bones themselves, though all these may become affected by them. The usual causes of otitis interna are exposure to cold, shock, such as may result from plunging into icy water, from remaining too long in cold water, and from injuries and blows in the region of the ears. It may follow and be a part of an inflammation that started in the external ear, otitis externa, and broke through the drum membrane; but this accident is far from common. Certain constitutional conditions and disturbances, which do not directly cause this affection, at least favor its occurrence. For instance, a dog whose blood is poor and his system debilitated, falls a victim to otitis interna much sooner than one in good health. In some cases of inflammation of the ear it is not possible for non-profes- sionals to determine whether the same is external or internal otitis, though the existing disease has been on for weeks or months; but, as a rule, in acute cases, in which the inflammation commenced within a short time, it is easy to discrimi- nate between the two forms, because the symptoms of internal otitis are much more severe than those of the external. Otitis interna generally commences quite suddenly, usually attacking one ear, and is characterized by pain that is sometimes so severe that it is almost mad- OTITIS INTERNA. 203 dening, causes the poor victim to shake his head violently, rub his ear on the ground, utter sharp, shrill cries, and often run about and otherwise act as though delirious. When the affected ear is examined he shrinks under the touch, and likely endeavors to break away, so great is the tenderness. The passage to the ear may not at first seem affected, but generally it soon becomes more or less reddened, quite swollen, and hot and dry to the hand. There are also signs of disturbance of the general system, as a hot nose, fever, rapid pulse, thirst, and entire loss of appetite. The painful symptoms usually persist four or five days, although in occa- sional cases death soon occurs from meningitis, caused by extension of the inflammation in the ear to the brain. Sometimes the victim dies during an attack of convulsions. If the sufferer lives, fluid exudes within the middle ear, and in the course of four or five days bursts through the drum membrane, and makes its way out through the external ear passage. This discharge, yellowish and streaked with blood, becomes purulent; and although odorless at first, in three or four days it is highly offensive. After an opening has been made in the drum membrane and a discharge occurred, the pain speedily subsides, together with the signs of general disturb- ance. In most cases that discharge keeps up for two or three weeks and then disappears, and the opening in the drum membrane closes and heals; but this happy result is rare indeed. Asa rule the injury is permanent, the hole in the membrane remains, the small bones of the ear are attacked and destroyed, and other delicate structures become diseased beyond repair; and, although the victim may live for years and keep in apparently good condition, very generally the habit of shaking his head continues to his death; there also persists a highly offensive odor about the ear, notwithstanding there may be little or no external discharge. Much less often the disease of the structures of the internal ear gives rise to an abscess at the back of the ear. In these cases the usual signs of an abscess appear upon the surface, as swelling, tenderness and fluctuation on pressure. During an attack of otitis interna, in consequence of the severity of the symptoms, the general system suffers severely, the victim is soon weakened, and there is notable loss in weight or decided emaciation. The results of internal treatment are never highly satisfactory in this disease, because relief of the pain is the first requirement, and that is difficult, owing to the peculiar resistance of dogs to the action of opiates. Cocaine in a five per cent solution should be tried, ten drops being dropped into the affected ear, and the head held firmly for a few minutes, to prevent it being thrown out, or the finger used to plug the ear. Or, better still, by means of a glass dropper, which can be obtained from any druggist, take up about one- fourth of a teaspoonful of the cocaine solution, gently enter the tip of the 204 KENNEL DISEASES. dropper into first one nostril and then the other, and force the medicine in as deeply as possible. Better results follow the use of the medicine in the nose than in the ear. If this has a good effect it should be resorted to every two or three hours, as required. If, however, it does not seem to lessen the pain, a teaspoonful of warm water and laudanum, in equal parts, should be used in the ear, in precisely the same way. Soft cloths should also be wrung from hot water or hot alcohol and kept on the affected side of the head if possible. Or a warm poultice of boiled onions will have even greater soothing effect. If, notwithstanding the use of cocaine or laudanum and the hot applications, the pain continues intolerable, morphine should be given in doses of from one- quarter to one-half a grain each, and repeated every hour, until some relief is noted. During the painful period, of four or five days, efforts at feeding will scarcely be successful, yet they should be persisted in, the debilitating character of the attack being kept in mind. After that stage has passed the diet must be gene- rous and highly nourishing, and the appetite stimulated, if necessary, by quinine, given three times daily, the dose being one or two grains. When the discharge appears the ear should be well syringed every day. If this treatment is insufficient to remove any offensive odor from the ear, the peroxide of hydrogen should be used as advised in otitis externa. In cases in which the discharge soon ceases and the opening in the drum membrane closes and heals quickly, there is usually but slight, if any, notice- able impairment of the hearing power, but where the opening is permanent the hearing is generally, though not always, much affected. When the discharge persists, however, and the deeper and delicate structures become diseased and are destroyed, very decided, or total, deafness results. A case that has resisted a cure for several months will generally prove hope- less. OTITIS PARASITICA. Several writers on canine diseases treat of a parasite to which they attribute an aggravated form of otitis. From their description it would seem to bear a very striking resemblance to the sarcoptic canis. One observer found this parasite in an ulcer of the ear, which was accom- panied by a deep-seated otitis. Sewell states that where it was present he found the ears looking slightly dirty, that appearance being caused by a little dried, brown excretion or cerumen; that if the inside of the ear is closely examined and carefully watched, tiny white specks, oval in shape, and about the size of the MAGGOTS IN THE EAR. 205 eye of an ordinary sewing-needle, will be observed. These he believed to be parasites, and the cause of some cases of canker. “They may be seen running about the skin, and also along the hairs in the ear at a fairly rapid rate consid- ering their minute size.” Again he says: “I have never been able to find the acari anywhere else about the dog but in the ear; in truth, they do not seem to wander outside the canal and crevices formed by the cartilage, not even upon the flap of the ear, either inside or out. They vary in numbers — sometimes one can only find a few, about twenty; in other cases they are present in hundreds, lying in clusters, like heaps of fine white powder. I have also frequently found these same parasites in cats’ ears, and in some cases they induce rather extraor- dinary symptoms, the cat being almost unable to walk. In fact, when it at- tempts to do so, the animal rolls about as if intoxicated, frequently falling over on its side. I have never seen the acarus produce the same symptoms in the dog.” Where this parasite is present and troublesome, the appearance of the ear differs but slightly, if any, from ordinary otitis. There seems, however, to be less discharge. The head is carried to one side, and from time to time the dog whines, and scratches the affected ear gently with his paw. One author de- scribes, as an effect, epileptiform fits, in which the victim emits a peculiar, husky cry, and rushing wildly about, running into various obstacles, finally falls insensible ; and after a number of such attacks becomes totally deaf. The parasite is said to be readily destroyed by mercurial ointment, which should be diluted as follows: Ointment of the nitrate of mercury, one-half a drachm ; simple ointment, four drachms. A little of this should be applied, morning and night, to the inner surface of the ear, and carried into the passage as deeply as possible, by means of a bit of cotton on the end of a wooden toothpick. MAGGOTS IN THE EAR. Several cases are on record in which maggots were found in the ears of dogs. The insect from which they came was probably the blow-fly, and after in- vading the ear it doubtless remained long enough therein to “blow”; and in one instance the number of maggots hatched out were over one hundred. Pain appeared to be the most pronounced symptom produced, and the con- duct of the victims while under the infliction closely resembled that of dogs suffering from severe attacks of otitis. Turpentine was used in one instance and sweet oil in another, and both with good effect, the maggots speedily crawling from the ear passages. Doubtless no better remedy can be recommended than the oil of turpentine, which has for a long time had the reputation of being a strong antagonist to larval life. 206 KENNEL DISEASES. POLYPUS. This is a growth of a fleshy substance, similar in appearance to some warts, and is the result of a natural effort to heal up a broken drum membrane or some spot of denuded or ulcerated tissue, either in the external canal or drum cavity. Most frequently it is an accompaniment of one or another of the diseases of the external or internal ear, in which a granulating mass of proud flesh, so-called, has existed for a long time. Of polypi there are two forms to be considered, although one is rare. The latter is nearly colorless, of the appearance of flesh, and is attached by a stalk at about the middle of the passage to the ear. Its surface is smooth; it is not sen- sitive under touch, and frequently exists without causing any discharge. Cases of the other form, although it is more common, are not often encoun- tered. It bleeds easily, and for that reason is sometimes called bleeding poly- pus. It varies in size, and may be sufficiently large to appear at and fill the outer opening of the ear. In color it is deep red, and its surface rough and glistening. It is almost like gelatin in substance. Unlike the other polypus, it is exceedingly sensitive, and bleeds easily; it also forms more deeply within the passage, and nearer the drum membrane. As polypi are favored by, if not the product of, inflammation of the ear and discharges therefrom, they are most common in old cases of otitis, externa or interna; and therefore they may be suspected to be present when such cases do not improve under treatment, and when yellowish, bloody, and highly offen- sive discharges persist. Only when seen, however, can their existence be deter- mined, for none of the symptoms occasioned by them are positive. Powdered alum or boracic acid blown into the ear might cause a polypus to shrivel and waste, but a physician should be employed to remove it by means of proper instruments. DEAFNESS. Impairment or loss of hearing power is generally the consequence of otitis, during which the drum membrane was ruptured or seriously involved by the inflammation; and it may be caused by direct injuries, such as blows on the head, and by accumulations in the passage to the ear. It is an occasional accompaniment of age, although old dogs as a rule retain their hearing to a sur- prising degree. After disease of the brain the hearing may be affected, but death is generally speedy in such cases. Deafness is also sometimes caused by quinine ; but this effect is usually transitory. It may be transmitted by inheri- tance; and in some breeds, notably bull-terriers, instances of this fact are quite WOUNDS OF THE AURICLE. 207 common. Excepting where the deafness is due to accumulations which can be removed, the results of treatment so often prove negative that it is therefore not encouraged. ABSCESS OF THE AURICLE. Occasionally blisters form on the ear-flap, and commonly in consequence of blows or tugging at the ear. The violent and constant shaking of the head induced by otitis may also excite them if the victims have long and heavy flaps. They have the baggy appearance peculiar to all blisters, and contain a thin, watery fluid at first. If, however, proper treatment is not promptly applied, their contents thicken, to become yellowish ; and then the blisters are converted into abscesses. An opening of fair length should be made at the lowest part of the blister, and its walls pressed together, to cause them to unite readily. If they fail to do this, and ulceration occurs, to be followed by a running sore, it should be treated with the oxide of zinc ointment. BLOOD TUMOR OF THE AURICLE. Othzmatoma or blood tumor occasionally appears in dogs, and is commonly the result of blows or violent flapping of the ear. It is sometimes of small size, but now and then cases are met with in which the tumor covers nearly or quite the entire inner surface of the auricle. The proper treatment is to pass a needle, threaded with white silk, in and out of the tumor at its lowest part, and tie the latter so it cannot slip out. By these means there will be two small openings which cannot close, and the contents of the tumor will be evacuated and keep drained off. A piece of sheet lead should be cut as nearly as possible to the shape of the tumor. This, used as a compress to keep the walls of the empty sack together, assists it to unite. With holes at its various corners, it may be carefully adjusted over the tumor and then stitched to the ear, the needle being driven through the holes and ear-flap and back again, and the silk tied — but not too tightly. WOUNDS OF THE AURICLE. A tear of the flap of the ear, even if it is only a small one, often proves to be intensely troublesome. The flap as a whole is highly vascular, or in other words, Dad Jo 4 ! i 208 KENNEL DISEASES. it contains many blood vessels. The most of these are small; but it is far more difficult to control bleeding from them than where the same occurs from large vessels. Besides this, even a very small wound of the flap is annoying to a dog, and causes him to shake his head at frequent intervals, in consequence of which healing is prevented. It is always best to stitch at once a tear in the ear if a notch is formed by it. After the operation, the dog should, by means of a hood, be prevented from flap- ping his ears. This is much easier said than done; still every effort to secure rest for the affected parts should be made; otherwise the stitches are sure to tear out if the wound is over half an inch in length; and if they do, the owner is in for a good deal of trouble; healing will be resisted, and the frequent oozing of blood in consequence of flapping the ears will prove exceedingly unpleasant. SECTION VIII. DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. CHAPTER I. RABIES. EstTimaTING fairly the real importance of rabies, all the subject deserves would scarcely occupy a single page; but unfortunately the average reader would not be satisfied with a distinction in this instance, and what must seem an indif- ferent and incomplete discussion, especially of the symptoms, which are many and varied, also difficult to describe understandingly if any attempt to abbre- viate is made. It will therefore be treated exhaustively, in keeping with the tule observed throughout this work. Many able physicians have stoutly insisted that hydrophobia, which is sup- posed to be contracted from rabies in the dog, is purely a disease of imagination, and the result of fear and education, for which the newspapers and their hair- raising descriptions of the sufferings of supposititious victims of that so-called disease are accountable. In other words, these physicians insist, and endeavor to fortify their assertion with statistics, that hydrophobia never occurs in the human family, and that all alleged cases of it are utterly increditable and wholly spurious. Be they right or wrong, the fact stands out, in such bold relief it cannot be mistaken, that if members of our family ever do suffer from hydrophobia, it is one of the rarest of all diseases. Another fact of equal prominence is, that rabies is one of the rarest diseases of the canine race. : For a long time a most obstinate unbeliever, the writer now holds that there is such a specific malady as rabies, and that dogs are sometimes victims of it; but that it is so extremely rare, the most extensive breeder and zealous investi- gator is never likely to see a case of it. As to the fear of hydrophobia, it cannot with justice be said that the people among whom it is prevalent are the most superstitious, credulous and imagina- tive, and that, being utterly groundless, it is scarcely possible to disassociate the delusion from mental feebleness and over-excitability ; for while deploring such needless agitation over the subject of hydrophobia, that it has attracted so much 209 210 KENNEL DISEASES. attention to itself cannot occasion any surprise, considering the tragic features of the final struggle, the long uncertainty as to the outbreak, and the invariable failure of medicine to effect a cure. Moreover, the impartial investigator must believe it to be a real danger, slight though it may be. Of the reputed cases of hydrophobia in man, it may be said that nearly all, if not all, are the products of imagination, which simulates the characteristics ascribed by popular superstition to the disease called rabies; and the deaths in the most of such are attributable to lock-law, or to fear, epilepsy, acute mania, or hysteria and nervous collapse. Indeed, the picture of hydrophobia is so stamped upon the minds of all, that the mere thought of it, after being bitten by a dog, throws imaginative people into such panics of nervous excitement that they unconsciously reproduce its supposed symptoms, and die without having experienced a touch of any real dis- ease. And notwithstanding the efforts that have been made to dispel this delusion, and thus ease the public mind, a gain is scarcely perceptible; and he must be near right who has said that hydrophobia “can best be cured in the patient’s grandfather,—that is, by educating the people now that there is no such disease, or at least that it is as rare as hen’s teeth, and by so doing our grandchildren will not know of nor suffer from it.” It has been aptly said that the serious and ofttimes fatal influence of terror and expectant attention, fostered by popular alarm, is attested by other epidem- ics of imitative nervous disorder, and is a familiar fact to those who have care- fully studied the influence of the mind on the body. From the fifteenth century, when Alsatian peasants imagined that they were changed to wolves, ran on all fours, howling and tearing children to pieces, insisting that their limbs be lopped off in order to convince others that the wolfish fur grew inward from their skins, down to the present day, when those dreading hydrophobia bark like dogs, mew like cats, and are thrown into convulsions at the sight of water, the records of hydrophobia are replete to overflowing with delusion, superstition, hysteria, and unconscious simulation. Rare as hydrophobia certainly is in the human family, as already said in sub- stance, there is sound reason for the belief that rabies is scarcely more common in the canine race, At all events it is safe to assert that not one dog out of a thousand supposed to be rabid or mad is really so. Indeed, in some countries where dogs are notoriously numerous not a single case of the disease has ever been heard of. Dogs frequently have attacks which so closely resemble rabies that even an expert would find it difficult to distinguish between them. For example, in hot weather they sometimes suffer intensely from the heat, and are then extremely liable to become delirious, run wildly about, and finally go into convulsions. Such an attack occurring while a dog was away from home and on a public street, there would be every chance of his being killed as rabid; whereas were a RABIES. 211 bucketful of cold water poured on his head, or even were he left undisturbed, in the course of an hour he would likely be playing about, showing no sign what- soever of his ill turn. Among the causes of coryza or nasal catarrh is a small tenia-like parasite. This excites a severe inflammation of the upper nasal cavities and sinuses of the forehead, which may extend to the brain and produce terrifying symptoms, as great excitement and restlessness, snapping and biting, also paralysis of the lower jaw, which are certainly identical with some of the most prominent signs of rabies. Some breeds, as, for instance, sporting-dogs, have nervous systems that are adjusted with exceeding nicety. They are what would commonly be termed “high strung,” and easily thrown off the balance. With this condition there is associated a natural tendency to certain disorders which are likely to be compli- cated with brain symptoms, as delirium and convulsions. Again, there are affections that give rise to symptoms so closely resembling those exhibited by a rabid dog that one could not distinguish the positive ailment with anything like certainty. As an illustration, the effects of the parasite giant strongle are cited. This occasionally finds its way into the kidneys, not only of men, but of dogs, and in the latter causes symptoms which are very like those of rabies. There is a disposition to bite, the sufferer avoids the light, his mouth is red, and from it there falls a thick, ropy, mucous discharge; while his voice is hoarse, gait vacillating, and expression changed, although indicating suffering rather than ferocity. A dog presenting those symptoms is sure to be killed as rabid, notwithstand- ing he is suffering from inflammation of the kidneys induced by the parasite named. The symptoms of dumb rabies are rather more distinctive than those of the maniacal form; and yet much the same may be induced by an irritant poison, which, taken into the mouth, causes the tongue to swell and protrude. A dog so unfortunate would for a time have mucus and saliva in abundance, and this discharge would be thick and ropy. His mouth would be very red and con- stantly open, and one could scarcely tell whether the inability to shut his jaws was due to paralysis—a characteristic symptom of dumb rabies —or to the swelling of the tongue. In such condition a dog could not swallow, or only with exceeding difficulty, and thus would exhibit another peculiarity so prominent in dogs with dumb rabies; namely, he would plunge his muzzle into water up to the very eyes, in order to get a few drops into the back part of his mouth, to cool his burning throat. Many other illustrations might be given of comparatively innocent derange- ments and diseases which are manifested by symptoms resembling those of rabies, as severe pain, especially in an ear or a tooth, excessive and terrorizing 212 KENNEL DISEASES. fear, starvation, worms in the nasal cavity, disease of the kidneys, inflammation of the ear, brain trouble, and certain irritant poisons, which, when swallowed, cause intense inflammation of the throat, stomach, and bowels. Some will be reluctant to believe it possible to mistake rabies for affections so radically different in many respects; but the fact should be borne in mind that fear prejudices reason, dulls perception, and blunts judgment, and that even the mere thought of hydrophobia is terrorizing. In consequence grave symptoms are overlooked, while many that are nowise significant are given an exaggerated importance. Here the fact may well be emphasized that it is not possible, in a single in- stance, for the highest qualified expert to determine positively from his sym- toms whether or not a dog is rabid, not even if the patient be kept and closely watched from the appearance of the first sign of trouble up to his last breath, his death being allowed to come naturally. Of course, had a suspected dog bitten other dogs, and they eventually pre- sented symptoms of rabies, it would not be reasonable to doubt but that he, himself, had that malady. But in the absence of such straight history, and, considering each case alone, positive proof of rabies can only be found under a microscope, or secured by the inoculation of a well animal from the one sus- pected of being rabid. The cause of rabies is a virus or poison, which exists in various parts of the rabid animal, and especially his saliva, through which it is communicable in biting. Thus inoculation occurs, and but rarely, if ever, in any other way. The wound from the bite of a rabid animal heals very readily, and is rarely attended by inflammation — that is, of greater severity than would commonly occur in a wound differently made. The period of incubation or development of the disease is near one month in the majority of cases. It may, however, be two months, or possibly a little more. But the genuineness of reputed cases in which it is said to have been of much longer duration, — seven or eight months, for instance, — must be open to grave doubts. Shorter periods than one month have been quite frequently reported; and in one case it was said to be only one week; but cases in which it is so much shorter than the average should be classed as doubtful, with those in which the delay of the occurrence of the first symptom was so very unusually long. Rabies assumes two forms, the violent, and the sullen or dumb. They have but little in common; and their symptoms are so manifold and so greatly in- fluenced by such conditions as age, temperament, conditions of life, etc., an accurate description of them is not possible without wearisome detail. Sometimes the first signs of trouble in rabid dogs are “gagging,” hawking, and pawing at the neck — precisely such symptoms as would be produced by a bone or something of the sort stuck in the throat. But very generally RABIES. 213 the first indication of the grave malady is a peculiar change of demeanor characterized by evidences of unusual affection for the master or caretaker of the victim. This, however, would not likely be noticed except in the very small class made up of the habitual undemonstrative. Of the very first symptoms, general restlessness is one of the most common. For a moment the unfortunate is dull or seems to sleep, then suddenly he starts up, on the alert and watchful, and as quickly subsides, but to remain quiet only for a few moments. He is inclined to creep under chairs or other furni- ture, hide around corners or in out-of-the-way places, choosing solitude, and shunning always a full light. He does not, however, at least at first, remain long in any one place, and is what is termed fidgety, now lying down, but soon up again, and jumping or running about in an excited manner; and likely he tries to get away if an attempt is made to restrain him. He is quite liable then to growl and snap at the hand holding him. Herein is a symptom of very great importance; and the fact should be ever in mind that when the signs previously described, — restlessness, etc. — have been noted in a dog of kindly and affectionate nature, and he attempts to bite one for whom he has had a fondness, the act should be accepted as indicative of a disordered brain, and very suggestive of rabies. While for a short time some dogs that are becoming rabid seem more ates tionate towards master or mistress, the same unfortunate is quite sure to appear unusually suspicious of mere acquaintances and others, from whom he shrinks, and by whom he is easily enraged if they attempt to interfere with him. For a time, even if he has not manifested any unusual affection, he likely comes when called by one who has known him intimately; but he generally does so reluctantly, his manner being crouching and frightened, and soon he returns to his hiding-place. It is not long before the dog’s power of recognizing people about him is lost. Then his eyes, which are slightly reddened, wear a vacant, far-away, listless look. It is now difficult to fix his attention for more than a moment, when generally his eyes will close in a sleepy manner, and remain shut for several seconds. In the early stage of rabies the appetite is perverted. At first food may be eaten sparingly, but soon it is either rejected altogether or only taken into the mouth to be immediately dropped. It is now that the unfortunates seem fond of resting their noses against cold substances, and licking the same. They may even lick their own urine; and this is a very suspicious symptom. They also show a disposition to eat, and will swallow, if possible, all sorts of indigestible substances, as small stones, pieces of wood, coal, straw, dung, rags, and like things within reach, and which under ordinary conditions they would not touch. And in this peculiar tendency appears another sign suggestive of rabies. In this stage the desire to constantly chew something seems irresistible, due 214 KENNEL DISEASES. possibly to a peculiar feeling in the jaws excited by irritation of the nerves. If in the house, the poor dog bites, tears, and worries chair-legs, the corners of carpets, boots, or other loose objects— in fact, anything that he can fix his jaws upon. Extreme thirst is now usually present, and water is drunk with avidity. The mouth is either perfectly dry, and the tongue parched, or the secretions therein are thick and ropy; and they occasionally excite efforts to vomit, which have often led observers to think there was a bone in the throat. The first stage in which the foregqing symptoms are manifested is denomi- nated the melancholic, and generally only of a few hours’ duration; it may, however, although but rarely, extend over two or three days. The fact should be appreciated that not all the symptoms are uniformly present. Indeed, in some cases those manifested are few and insignificant, and might possibly be overlooked, or if detected, sufficient importance would not be attached to them. This period, therefore, is the greatest menace to man. The next is the so-called irritative or maniacal stage, and this generally excites alarm, when it is perhaps too late. The dog’s eyes have now undergone great change. Alternately wide open with fury and then closed, they are red and inflamed; the pupils are dilated; the forehead has become wrinkled; and the look is sullen, ferocious, and terri- fying. A very strong desire to bite is exhibited. This can be excited by teasing; and even if a red-hot iron is used, it will generally be bitten. The presence of any living thing sends the poor dog into a rage, causing him to spring at and endeavor to rend the intruder; while mothers have been known to lacerate their puppies. Any shining object will also bring on like paroxysms of rage; and even water, if it reflects the light, will do the same. At first the excitement induced in this manner does not last long, and is followed by a period of great prostration, during which the unfortunate lies in the quietest spot he can find, insensible to all going on about him. This period is also short, and another fit of rage occurs on the slightest provocation ; or even without any he all at once springs up, greatly excited, and seemingly wildly delirious, and in a per- fect fury, which is always greatest when in the midst of noises and he can see living objects. It is now that a characteristic symptom becomes very pronounced; namely, a peculiar change in the voice or bark. This is more of the nature of a howl, and is short, hollow, dismal, and croupy. Early in this stage, when not confined, the sufferer exhibits a propensity to stray. If so, he often covers long distances in singularly short time, and if the malady has not far advanced, he may return slyly home. The violent stage well entered, however, his brain seems on fire. He runs on, evidently partially, if not wholly, blind; for he rushes at about everything that comes in his way, RABIES. 215 sometimes springing on the same, but generally biting or snapping as he goes by, and rarely turning from the course he is pursuing to attack anything unless it be animals of kindred species, which almost invariably excite his rage and invite encounters. He is evidently deaf as well as partially blind, for he seems oblivious of all shouts and yells, never varying for them from his direct course. His gait is somewhat characteristic. It is a jog-trot, and unsteady. His head hangs low, and his protruding tongue, often torn and bleeding, is swollen and covered with dirt, while his tail is carried as usual until weakness causes it to droop. It would seem that he still retained, to a slight extent, his ability to dis- criminate between the objects encountered, for he is somewhat less disposed to attack man than other living things. And notwithstanding his evident wild insanity, he appears to retain also a trace of the instinct that prompted him during his long run to divert his course toward his home. If the unfortunate is confined, as the disease progresses he seems possessed as.it were by spectral illusions; for now he springs at the door as though he heard some one approaching; again, he examines every part of his kennel or room in the most careful and minute manner, and then retires to an obscure corner, but to remain only for a few moments, when he recommences his weari- some search. At times his eyes appear fixed on some imaginary insect, the course of which, along the walls, he seems to follow, and at which he at last springs and snaps; when the spell is broken, and he returns to his corner as though ashamed. After a time the violent paroxysms become much longer and more severe, lasting sometimes for several hours, during which the sufferer snaps and bites at whatever he encounters. Not infrequently he will bite and lacerate his own body, even to gnawing his feet to the bone. During the paroxysms convulsive twitchings of the face are frequently noted, and occasionally they terminate in violent convulsions. At no time have rabid dogs any special dread of water. All have excessive thirst, and drink freely during the early stage of the disease; but soon they are unable to swallow fluids, hence plunge their muzzles deeply, that the water may reach as far back as possible in their burning throats; but their thirst be- ing unallayed, they become greatly excited, and thus are thrown into a state of fury, and even spasms. Doubtless this delusion as to dread of water springs from the fact that generally rabid dogs shrink with apparent fear when a pan of water is pushed toward them, and threaten witha fierce growl the person behind it; but it is the act itself, not the water, that excites them, for they exhibit the same disposition when other things are offered them in like way. That rabid dogs foam at the mouth is an ancient and unfounded tradition. 216 KENNEL DISEASES. As long as they can swallow, their mouths are hot and perfectly dry, and it is only after there is difficulty in doing so that the saliva is discharged. Even then it is not in the form of foam, but instead it is stringy and tenacious, or in other words, thick and ropy. Early in the disease the desire for food nearly, if not entirely, disappears, and it is only rarely and during the first hours that the victim will touch even the most toothsome morsels when offered him. But, as said, he will try to eat, and often swallows in large quantities, small stones, bits of coal, hair, straw, etc. He also has a very decided tendency to devour filth and excreta of all kinds, and has even been known to eat portions of dead dogs. The indigestibles mentioned remaining in the stomach, that presents after death a condition characteristic of the malady. As it progresses, emaciation rapidly supervenes, the appearance of the suf- ferer is sadly changed and most repulsive, even appalling. His coat is staring; his skin is drawn tightly over the ribs, and abdomen tucked up. Frequently his head has swollen, and his eyes, which have sunken into their cavities, are brilliant and glistening. The lining of his mouth, dry and parched, has as- sumed a purplish color; while on his tongue there is a thick, brownish coating, and his nostrils are glued with a foul and offensive matter. During the inter- vals of prostration he breathes quite naturally, but in the paroxysms of excite- ment his respiration is hurried and jerking. The duration of the maniacal stage is generally not longer than three days, although it may extend into the fourth, and very rarely into the fifth day. As the unfortunate is weakened and the paroxysms grow less severe and distinct, the disease merges into the so-called paralytic stage. The change in appear- ance now becomes more striking — surprisingly so considering the short time that has passed since the first symptoms were manifested. The eyes have be- come dim; the tongue, now purplish, protrudes; emaciation has reduced the victim to a mere skeleton; and he presents a heartrending picture. He stag- gers and stumbles blindly about his quarters, until increasing exhaustion at last overpowers him. He still snaps or bites at things used to arouse him; but, strength departing, his efforts are more and more feeble. His breathing is short and labored. He barks at times, but his voice is nearly lost. He passes into a stupor, or possibly into a partial or complete convulsion, and soon death mercifully closes the scene. Always rapid, the different stages of rabies may be passed and death ensue on the second day, or life be prolonged until the tenth day; but the latter, set as the limit, is very rarely indeed reached, and from four to five days is the common duration. The dumb or sullen form of rabies, which constitutes from fifteen to twenty per cent of the total number of cases, is but a peculiar type of the disease, which runs a much shorter course, and without the violent or irritative stage. RABIES. ary There is decidedly less excitation of the brain; the violent paroxysms, the illu- sions, the constant motion, the disposition to bite, and the propensity to stray, are all absent, or present only in a slight degree, and the animal is quiet, silent, and dejected. Paralysis of the muscles of the lower jaw is a characteristic symptom of this form of the malady, and manifests itself early in the attack. The jaw drops and the mouth remains constantly open. In rare cases a partial control of the mus- cles is retained for a time, sufficient to lift the jaw, and possibly allow the animal to bite if sufficiently irritated. Rarely more than a few hours, possibly three or four, elapse after the disease manifests itself before this paralysis appears. There is great difficulty in swallowing, and the poor dog will plunge his muzzle into water up to the very eyes, in order that he may get one drop into the back part of his mouth, to cool his parched throat. In this form of rabies the flow of mucus and saliva is abundant, the same dripping from the open mouth. The voice, changed and of a hoarse tone, is seldom heard, and that peculiar com- bination of bark and howl, characteristic of the violent form of the disease, is entirely absent. Death in the dumb form results more quickly than in the other, life being but rarely prolonged more than two or three days. The appearance of the eyes and the generally haggard and depressed look, — marking the derangement of the brain,—the loss of appetite, the rapid emaciation and paralysis, are symptoms resembling those of the violent attack. Passing in review, the characteristic symptoms of the violent form of rabies are: The marked uneasiness, the delirium and very great excitement occurring in paroxysmal attacks, the tendency to bite, the efforts to break away, the peculiarly changed voice, the perverted appetite, the rapid emaciation, ex- haustion, and invariably fatal termination. In the sullen or dumb form the violent stage is omitted or hardly recogniz- able; it runs an extremely rapid course; the animals are quiet and depressed; they have but little disposition to bite or run away; early in the disease they are paralyzed in the lower jaw, have changed voice, rarely heard, progressive emaciation and exhaustion, and seldom live beyond the third day. Preventive treatment must always afford immense satisfaction, even if there is not the slightest occasion for applying it; and certainly no harm could result were every dog-bite cauterized, whether or not suspicious symptoms were ex- hibited. Immediately after the bite of an animal presumably rabid, the whole wound should be sucked, and as soon as possible thoroughly cauterized. If there are no abrasions on the lips or tongue, there can be no danger whatever, from the virus, of harm to the one who applies the suction. During the time the lips are employed, the mouth ought to be frequently rinsed with warm water, and the teeth used freely in gnawing, as it were, the edges, to keep the wounded vessels 218 KENNEL DISEASES. open and bleeding. To promote a flow of blood, which is decidedly favorable, a cord or handkerchief can be tied fairly tight between the wounded part and the body. The suction should be, if possible, persisted in until the bite can be cauterized, and then, of course, it must be discontinued. If the individual bitten lives at a distance from druggists, and delay must ensue before chemical caustics can be obtained, an iron, heated until it is just beginning to turn red, should be used to burn the wound thoroughly, the fact being in mind that the general tendency is to apply the iron much too lightly, and consequently merely burn the surface, whereas it should go deeply. The chemical and corrosive agents penetrate to every part of the wound with greater certainty, and when possible they should be secured. The most active are nitric, sulphuric, and carbolic acids, caustic potassa, and nitrate of silver. Regarding the sucking of a wound made by a suspected animal, it is of in- terest to recall the fact that in Lyons, during the first twenty years of the pres- ent century, certain women made it their business to apply suction to the wounds made by rabid dogs, for which they were paid ten francs for the first operation, and five for each succeeding one. Of thirty-eight persons bitten and subsequently subjected to this operation, not one contracted hydrophobia. Attention may properly be called here to the absolutely senseless notion that if a perfectly sound and untainted dog bites a person and ever afterward becomes rabid, his victim will also go mad. It ought not to be necessary to urge that only an animal suffering from rabies can communicate to another the virus or poison of that disease, for in none other does it exist. He who has been bitten, and, greatly frightened, had the offending dog at once destroyed, has done grievously wrong. Indeed, he has deliberately thrown away his only chance of soon recovering his lost peace of mind; and he will likely now for a long time be in grave doubt and suffer more or less anxiety, through the fear that the dog was really rabid when he inflicted the bite, or about to become so, the seeds, as it were, of the malady being in his blood; whereas, had he allowed him to live, he would have had, in the well dog, the best proof that there was not the slightest occasion for him to be uneasy. It follows that, invariably, every dog that has exhibited symptoms of rabies and bitten some one should be safely confined, and allowed to recover or die a natural death, that all doubts may be at rest. In the last decade, and during “hydrophobia scares,” the writer has several times discussed this subject in a newspaper with which he was connected, and as often stated in substance as follows: — The chances of a person giving up his life on a scaffold are quite as many as those of his dying from hydrophobia. No sensible person will ever make himself unhappy over so slight a danger. The hydrophobia crank will find some con- INJURIES TO THE BRAIN. 219 solation in a small stick of caustic, which he can buy in a wooden holder, se- curely capped, for about a shilling. Let him carry this in his pocket, with his preventive for rheumatism, the horse-chestnut, and burn all bites of which he is a victim. He cannot do himself any harm, and if he uses it freely enough, it will provide a rare diversion,— at least while it is “taking hold well” — and he will have something else to think about besides hydrophobia. As for the delusion that rabies is more likely to occur in hot than in cold weather; summer’s heat is no more conducive to it than winter’s cold, but thirst is conducive to suspicious attacks. Let dogs be strangers to it, and pro- vided always with fresh, cool water in abundance, and symptoms suggestive of the dread malady will be, indeed, rare among them. INJURIES TO THE BRAIN. Concussion signifies a sudden shock and suspension of the functions of the brain. Such accident is rare among dogs, but may exist, and be caused by a blow on the head. Generally the victim lies for a time motionless and unconscious. If an attempt is made to arouse him, he opens his eyes, moves slightly, and is again insensible. After a time in this state his brain begins to recover itself. He grows restless, possibly vomits, and it is then not long before he is walking about ; but at first is quite unsteady. In the most severe cases of concussion the sufferer is, for an hour or more, unconscious of efforts to arouse him. His breathing is slow, pulse quick and feeble, and extremities cold. Vomiting rarely occurs in such. Death may follow concussion, or recovery may be only partial; the animal remaining physically infirm, with intelligence lessened. Active interference is not necessary. To keep the head cool and body warm is about all that is required; and beyond this the case should generally be left to nature. Compression of the brain is usually produced either by effusion of blood, by fracture of the skull with the bones forced in, or by the formation of pus or a watery fluid within the cranial cavity. The symptoms are substantially those of apoplexy. The treatment required is also much the same as in that accident; that is, in the absence of surgical assistance, which should of course be sought in severe cases. 220 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER II. CONVULSIONS. Amonc dogs, and especially in early life, convulsions, popularly called fits, are of frequent occurrence. Epilepsy is the term commonly used to designate such attacks by writers on canine diseases; but such application is open to objections unless properly re- stricted, for the so-called “falling disease ” is a chronic affection excepting in quite rare instances. In other words, a dog cannot rightly be said to have epilepsy until he has had several attacks of convulsions, and the same have recurred during fairly short intervals, and with some approach to regularity. Of the causes of convulsions in dogs, worms are by far the most common. The nervous systems of some breeds, especially those in which there has been much inbreeding, are highly strung and easily disordered, — even shattered, — and among such dogs, convulsions due to other causes than worms are liable to occur. They may be induced in any breed by indigestion, suckling large lit- ters, intense heat, terrorizing fear or fierce anger, and much meat if allowed without sufficient exercise. Puppies may have them during the teething period, and the attacks be due wholly to the process then going on; but fortunately such accidents are far from common. They may come on, also, in consequence of over-exertion immediately after feeding; and if a long and fast run be taken by a dog that is over-weight and too fat, he would likely fall in a fit. The liability to convulsions appears to be intensified when the general health is impaired, hence they are somewhat more common in cases of debility, poverty of the blood, etc., and especially while the system is in conflict with exhaust- ing diseases. In acute affections, notably distemper, the convulsive tendency seems decidedly increased. Numerous poisons, as strychnia and the like, have important places among the causes of convulsions. Such attacks also occur as symptoms of diseases and injuries of the brain and spine; and in irritations, derangements, and diseases of the internal organs, as kidneys, liver, etc., the liability of their hap- pening is somewhat increased. Finally, there comes the important fact that convulsions are contagious. That is, a dog not previously affected is singularly prone, through the force of imitation, to have convulsions on witnessing an attack in another dog. In some cases convulsions are preceded by twitchings of the face or limbs, CONVULSIONS. 221 lasting, perhaps, a minute or a trifle longer; but as a rule, the attacks come on abruptly and without such warning signs. If the victim is at exercise, he stops suddenly, likely remains for an instant fixed, as it were, to the spot, his legs trembling, then he reels and falls, emitting a short, sharp cry or low moan. Possibly he immediately attempts to rise, but if so, falls again, becomes un- conscious, and convulsive movements commence at once. The head, limbs, and body jerk violently; the jaws are clamped; the tongue is sometimes caught between the teeth and bitten; and the mouth is filled with frothy saliva or foam, which is frequently tinged with blood from the wounded tongue. The eyes become prominent,— bulge, as commonly expressed. Respiration is either suspended altogether for a short time or is irregular and incomplete; and, in consequence, the mucous membrane of the lips and mouth becomes livid and congested; while involuntary discharges from the bladder and bowels occur in some instances. En passant, the nursing mother, whose pups are too severe a tax, may suffer from true convulsions, but in many instances her attacks are merely convulsive movements. When such movements are coming on, she usually pants for half an hour, or more, as she would have done had she taken a long run; then there are muscu- lar twitchings, and her legs grow stiff. If on her feet she is very unsteady, and it is not long before she falls on her side, with legs extended. If an effort is made to flex or bend them, they yield easily, but when the hands are re- moved they return to their extended and stiffened position. The twitching of the muscles grows gradually more pronounced and frequent; but the poor mother does not lose consciousness, and if called, will turn her head in the direction from whence the sound came, possibly whine and wag her tail, and, by the ex- pression of her eyes, give evidence that she fully retains her senses. All this time the panting has persisted; her head is very hot, and her condition gen- erally appears to be one of great discomfort. Frequently she gets up, and, moving about, exhibits a preference for cool, dark places. For an hour, and perhaps for two or three hours, the panting continues, so also the muscular twitchings. Finally these symptoms begin to subside; but it is quite a long time before they have entirely disappeared, and when she returns to her pups, she seems thoroughly tired out. But the following day she is quite herself, and likely remains well for several days, when she again suffers from a similar attack. A convulsion may be short and quickly over; as a rule, however, it lasts not less than two or three minutes, and may be prolonged for an hour, or even longer. The victim of convulsions may speedily regain complete consciousness, and in from five to ten minutes be moving about as though nothing unusual had occurred; but in some instances he passes into a profound stupor, in which he remains for half an hour or more. 222 KENNEL DISEASES. On returning to consciousness he makes several attempts to rise, reels for a few steps in a bewildered manner, then grows steadier, and soon thereafter is recovered or much improved. In rare cases, however, he appears delirious for a time, and rushes off wildly or toward those about him. Premature whelping brought about by blows, kicks, or other injuries to the abdomen, also deliveries at term by force,— the pups being too large, — are sometimes followed by puerperal tetanus, which is characterized by signs re- sembling somewhat those that appear during an ordinary attack of convulsions. But mistake should not be easy with the careful student, for in some respects the difference is sufficiently marked. The duration of a convulsion depends much on the cause. When the attack is epileptic, and other attacks like it have previously occurred, it is generally short, and soon entirely over. If occasioned by worms, it generally lasts five miuutes or longer; and the duration is about the same where the attacks are attributable to indigestion, debility, etc., or they are complications of disease, as distemper. When induced by strychnia or like-acting poisons, the convulsions usually keep up until death occurs, or is near. Convulsions occasioned by this poison are at first somewhat different from those due to other causes. For instance, the spasms are intermittent. That is, the muscles are convulsed, then they relax, and remain so for a few moments, when the convulsion is again on in all its intensity; and during the spasms the back is bowed. At first, also, and for a short time, during the intervals of rest, the sufferer often whines or cries when touched; and if a door is opened and a gust of wind strikes him, it will generally bring on a spasm. It is not long, however, before consciousness is entirely lost, and the convulsions thereafter differ but slightly if any from the common form. Notwithstanding the frequency of convulsions among dogs, and that the conditions and influences capable of exciting them are many and varied, the fact is plain that worms and poisons are the causes in much the largest proportion of cases—so large indeed that when a puppy is attacked it is fairly safe to assume that he has worms. The same may be said of the matured dog con- stantly kept in kennels. But when convulsions occur in dogs permitted to run at large, the chances are that they have been poisoned; and one may rightly act on that assumption after an attack has persisted for about ten minutes, for if it had been caused by worms, it would likely have ended or begun to subside. The chances of recovery from convulsions depend upon the causes which induce them. Death rarely occurs from such attacks alone, although possible from suffocation; and generally where the result is fatal, it is attributable to the condition or disease that caused the spasms. For instance, such an attack coming on during the course of distemper and terminating in death, the end would be due to that disease, not to the convulsions. So, too, where strychnia CONVULSIONS. 223 had been taken, if death resulted it would be caused by the poison and not by the convulsive attack, which was merely a symptom. A simple epileptic convulsion or similar attack brought on by worms, indi- gestion, fear, or other derangement, does not require special treatment, because it will likely soon be over with; yet it is a wise precaution always to secure the victim, lest he be delirious, and run away after it has passed off. To cool the head by bathing with cold water, and keep the body and limbs warm by ample coverings or friction with the hands, —thus diverting the blood from the brain and lessening the temporary congestion therein, —are the sim- plest measures of treatment; and they can always be applied by those who choose to interfere. After the convulsion has ended, if the victim seems sluggish and disposed to sleep, he should be left to himself. One can rarely anticipate with anything like certainty whether or not a con- vulsive attack will soon be recovered from, — being unable to tell whether it is due to simple derangement or to poisoning, — therefore, in all cases, as soon as possible after the spasm has commenced, provisions should be made for serious trouble. The first step to be taken is to despatch a messenger to the nearest drug store for at least four ounces of ether. Also for a mixture of chloral hydrate, consisting of two drachms of the same in two ounces of water. As this mixture must be administered by injection, it will also be necessary to obtain of the druggist a glass syringe which will hold at least half an ounce. When a convulsion has lasted over five minutes, the caretaker should com- mence to administer the ether in the following manner: — First secure a piece of muslin or quite thin cloth,—a lady’s handkerchief will answer admirably, — and press the same to the bottom of a teacup. Now moisten it with ether, invert the cup, and hold it over the sufferer’s muzzle; let it remain there for about half a minute, then move it away a short distance, keep it away for a few seconds, and again apply it. Thus he will take a few whiffs of the ether, then a little fresh air, again the ether, and so on; whereas he might strangle were the ether administered too quickly. By keeping the cup always bottom upward the ether will not evaporate nearly as fast as it would were the dish right side up; but still it will be necessary to moisten the handkerchief with the anzsthetic every two or three minutes, since it passes off into the air so very quickly. Every case of convulsions can be stopped with ether if enough is given; and when given it should be pushed or persisted in until it does its work, and the convulsions cease or are subsiding rapidly. Having once stopped, only in desperate cases—as of poisoning or grave disease of the brain—are they likely to recommence as soon as the effects of the ether are wearing off. 224 KENNEL DISEASES. The chloral hydrate mixture can be used instead of the ether, or with it. When made up in the proportion advised, each tablespoonful of it contains thirty grains of the chloral hydrate; and that quantity is sufficient for injection for any dog of medium or large size; while one-half of it, or two teaspoonfuls, would be about right for dogs about the size of fox-terriers, and one teaspoon- ful for toys. If the glass syringe to be used holds more than the quantity of the mixture that is to be given, first draw up with it the proper dose of the medicine, and then enough water to fill the syringe. Enter the tip of the syringe into the rectum, force it up as far as it will go easily, and then gently press the piston. When all has been injected, quickly withdraw the end of the syringe, and stop the passage into the bowels with the “flat of the thumb,” keeping the same in place for at least ten minutes. Thus expulsion of the medicine from the. bowel will be prevented. If in the course of fifteen minutes the spasms are very evidently subsiding, a delay of perhaps five minutes would be justifiable ; then, if they have not ceased altogether, or seem quite certain to do so within a few minutes, another like injection of the chloral hydrate mixture should be administered, and be repeated every fifteen or twenty minutes as long as the convulsions last. In strychnia poisoning, if nothing be done, the spasms are likely to keep up for several hours, and until ended by death; orif stopped by treatment, for a time they are liable to return if the same be at once discontinued. The chloral hydrate mixture should be given every fifteen minutes until the convulsions have ceased, also, frequently, a few whiffs of ether if the chloral mixture fails to act speedily; and these measures be again resorted to in event the spasms threaten to return. As soon as an attack of convulsions is over, and the victim is nearly or quite recovered from its effects, every effort should be made to discover the cause, when of course appropriate treatment must be applied. For instance, if the cause is a too heavy drain from suckling large litters, the pups should be per- manently withdrawn, and the mother liberally fed, also strengthened with tonics; and so on with each cause. In no small proportion of cases, however, there will be decided doubts as to its identity; in which event it will be advisable to assume that the trouble is worms, and administer the essential remedies. Cases of epilepsy, — that is, cases in which the convulsive attacks are habitual and recur at intervals — are fortunately very rare among dogs, for a cure would scarcely be possible. When a dog has a convulsive tendency which seems assignable only to ex- treme nervousness, a generous diet and hard work is indicated. As for medicinal treatment for such, the bromide of potassium is generally recommended by writers. Its beneficial effect has, however, been greatly overestimated; and although it can scarcely do any harm, the chances of its doing good are very small indeed. APOPLEXY. 225 The oxide of zinc is a more potent remedy for nervousness and nervous affections than this, and it might be given twice daily. The dose for a dog of medium size is two grains; for largest breeds, three grains ; for small breeds, as fox-terriers, one grain ; and for toys, one-half a grain. To have any marked effect, in nervous cases the zinc must be given regularly for a month or more. VERTIGO. Vertigo, dizziness and giddiness, is an occasional symptom among dogs. Occurring in man, sometimes his own head seems to be turning around, while at other times everything in sight appears to turn instead. When a dog suffers from an attack, it is as a rule immediately after he has been lying down. He starts up as usual, but stops while rising, then slowly lifts himself, as it were, onto his feet, with difficulty and hesitation. Once on all fours he takes a few steps, but reels like one intoxicated, and spreads his legs apart to prevent falling. He also closes his eyes for a moment, and likely there are a few slight twitchings of the head, which may sway to the side. For per- haps half a minute he seems afraid to move ; then suddenly shakes himself, and generally starts off as usual; although sometimes vomiting first occurs. The most common cause of vertigo is indigestion, accompanied by a disturb- ance of the liver which may come under the head of “biliousness.” It may be associated with trouble in the internal ear, also occur as a symptom of general debility, and more often of brain affection. A collar so tight that it interferes with circulation, and consequently causes congestion of the head, may induce an attack. Manifestly the removal of the cause is the all-important requirement in treat- ment; and this is effected in most cases by a generous dose of Epsom salts, castor-oil, or a mixture of the syrup of buckthorn and sweet-oil. Although other medicines may be needed in a small proportion of cases, correct feeding, judi- cious exercise, and better management all around will generally suffice to effect a cure after the bowels have been well swept out by the cathartic. APOPLEXY. The term apoplexy signifies a sudden attack, characterized by loss of con- sciousness and profound stupor; and the same is commonly called a stroke or shock. It is usually abrupt in its occurrence; and while the victim may seem to retain 226 KENNEL DISEASES. some degree of consciousness, as a rule its loss is complete. The most pro- nounced symptom appears in the breathing, which is slow, heavy, and noisy; loud snoring being more or less constant. The eyes are bloodshot and fixed; the mucous membrane of the mouth is of purplish hue ; and the pulse full, hard, and slower than in health. In much the largest proportion of attacks there are either convulsive twitch- ings or severe spasms. Apoplexy in man is generally caused by the rupture of a vessel in the brain, from which the blood pours, and by pressure produces the characteristic symp- toms. But attacks occurring among dogs are generally due to sudden and very severe congestion of the brain, consequent upon great excitement, as fear or anger, violent straining or exercise, intense heat, and the like. For this reason, and because the brain trouble is only temporary, the attacks usually quite speedily terminate; whereas were they caused by rupture, as in man, until the pressure was removed recovery would not be possible. A predisposition to apoplexy is created by over-feeding and want of sufficient exercise. To keep the body warm and head cool are the primary essentials in the way of treatment. If there are spasms, and they persist over seven or eight minutes, ether or chloral hydrate should be administered, as advised in the section devoted to consideration of Convulsions. Beyond this no general line of treatment can be recommended, and efforts should be restricted to overcom- ing disturbing symptoms as they arise. In rare cases, paralysis of certain parts remain after consciousness is restored and the victim is on the mend. Improvement in such is possible, but complete recovery is never likely to occur. HYDROCEPHALUS. Hydrocephalus, which is literally water in the head or dropsy of the brain, is occasionally seen among puppies, and then generally at birth. Asa rule, it is attributable to grave faults of constitution in either the sire or dam, or both; and such faults are akin to debility, rickets, scrofula, and the like. The victims generally die speedily ; which is fortunate, for really nothing can be done for them. SUNSTROKE. Under the influence of great heat, and especially the scorching rays of the sun, dogs sometimes suffer from much the same symptoms as those noted in SUNSTROKE. 227 members of the human family when similarly exposed; hence without impro- priety it may be said that they are sometimes victims of sunstroke. En passant, it is well to draw attention to the fact that there is a popular delusion about sunstroke that should be dispelled. It is not occasioned exclusively by intense heat from the direct rays of the sun, but other causes are generally combined to produce the result, such as over- exertion and consequent exhaustion. In fact, the affection known as sunstroke may occur in the night. Indeed, attacks between the setting and rising of the sun are not uncommon in large cities, among the poor people who are confined to small and ill-ventilated quarters. Again, atmospheric influences other than heat are involved in the causation of sunstroke. A hot, dry air is more easily endured than one of lower temperature but loaded with moisture. For instance, in Dakota men can work all day exposed to the sun when the thermometer stands much over 100°, and yet in New York, on a cloudy, wet day in August, with the temperature only 95°, large numbers of men and animals have been pros- trated. 4 As stated, dogs when exposed to intense heat in summer, suffer from symp- toms much resembling those appearing in man under similar influences. But there is this difference, which exists in nearly all, but not all, cases. When man is overwhelmed by the heat he may become delirious and have convulsions, but such instances are very rare; and almost always he passes into a profound stupor, as when stricken down by apoplexy. Dogs, on the other hand, commonly suffer from convulsions as a consequence of intense heat. As a rule, they pass gradually into them, and during the early stage there is twitching of the muscles, and often great excitement that borders on frenzy. In this wild state they run blindly about, snapping their jaws, frothing at the mouth, etc. As one might say, they act as though they were going into a fit; and they almost always do have such an attack unless relief comes promptly; moreover, the convulsions frequently prove fatal. It is while in this condition of threatened spasms that so many perfectly harmless dogs are accused of being mad and ruthlessly butchered. In truth, for no nearer approach to rabies than this are communities often terrorized and thousands of dogs slaughtered yearly. All dogs do not suffer alike from intense heat. Furthermore, certain in- fluences lessen their ability to resist it. Improper feeding, and more especially of too much meat, has a baneful effect on the resistant powers; so, too, does exhaustion, either physical or mental. For instance, if a dog becomes very much excited and is long under the strain, he is in a condition in which it is easy for him to be overwhelmed by heat. A long hard run afield also renders him liable to the accident. Closely confined dogs more often succumb to the heat than others at liberty. This is especially the case with sporting dogs, for if unrestrained they naturally 228 KENNEL DISEASES. seek water, and find there some relief if it is only a puddle. That nursing mothers are now and then victims of heatstroke is not surprising, because their susceptibility seems greater than when not with young. The list of affections that have been clearly proved to be caused by germs has been lengthening quite rapidly of late, and the fact can scarcely occasion surprise that an effort has been made to add sunstroke to it. Not long agoa micro-organism was discovered in the blood of victims of this accident, and the claim at once entered that the bacillus in question was the specific cause of it. Further support of this theory is, of course, necessary before it can be generally accepted, and until that has been furnished, the influences assigned as causes may rightly be considered important factors. Among the most marked symptoms presented at first are panting and ex- treme restlessness. There is fever, which quickly grows more pronounced, until the skin is intensely hot. It is then that the convulsive movements com- mence, and they may persist for an hour or more before a true convulsion occurs. : The muscles of the foreshoulders are first affected; then the hind shoulders, and finally nearly every large muscle is more or less involved. In the meantime the patient usually emits a husky moan, thus indicating that certain parts of the throat are affected; and in rare instances he howls dismally. He is conscious at first, and walks about, but unsteadily. After a time a glaring expression of the eyes is noted. Then snapping of the jaws follows; and he either falls in a fit or runs wildly about. And often, but not always, he runs in a circle for a few moments before the convulsion comes on. In some cases it soon passes off. In others, more severe, the victims lie for hours afterward, at frequent intervals moving their heads from side to side, much as a child does who has disease of the brain. Finally consciousness returns, but only slowly, and for a long time the poor dogs stagger about dazed and spiritless. The treatment to be pursued in sunstroke is simple, and should be speedily effective if commenced early. Mindful of the danger that dogs are in during very hot weather and while exposed to the heat, the conscientious caretaker would, of course, be on the alert, and promptly act as soon as the first threatening symptom occurred, which is a twitching of the muscles. In heatstroke the body is literally burning up, and the fire must be put out, — the fever be as quickly subdued as possible. A full bath is the means to be employed, and for the purpose a washing-tub may be called into service if one is at hand. The fact should not be forgotten that the patient’s brain is in a very exci- table state, that convulsions are imminent if they have not already come on, and there is danger in shock, such as would be produced by the sudden application SUNSTROKE. 229 of cold water, which it is necessary to use in such cases to reduce the temper- ature of the body. Therefore, for the general bath, tepid water must first be employed. In this the dog should be laid or stood, and sponged until his coat is thoroughly wet; after which he may be drenched. In the meantime an assistant should be sponging his head with water just a little colder than that in the tub. By judiciously adding at first cold water and finally ice, the temperature of both the water in the tub and that used on the head can be gradually and quite rapidly lowered without causing shock or exciting the patient, until the former is as cold as it comes from the well, and the latter is ice-water; by which time the heat of the body will be greatly reduced, and the bath likely have occupied about twenty minutes. There is some danger of crossing the line and chilling the patient, therefore the bathing should soon cease after the waters have been cooled as advised ; and if the work has not been well done and the fever properly controlled, it may be repeated in the course of fifteen or twenty minutes. If one is far away from home with his dog and heatstroke threatened, he should disregard the chances of shock and plunge him into the nearest water- ing-trough or pond, or pump cold water first on his head and afterward over his entire body. In no case should there be any delay, since the danger is great. If the dog becomes convulsed, the same treatment should be employed; and if the fit does not speedily pass off, injections of the hydrate of chloral should be administered, as advised in attacks of convulsions. That some modifications in the feeding of dogs are imperative during hot weather it ought not to be necessary to urge. They should be given only such quantities of food as are necessary to keep them healthy and strong. Meat is very stimulating, and should be fed sparingly in summer; while well-cooked vegetables, in puddings made of the different meals, are recommended as ad- mirable substitutes. To dogs that are out of condition because of being too fat should occa- sionally be given a small or laxative dose of magnesia, Epsom salts, syrup of buckthorn, or something of the sort ; also a cold shower or full bath each day. Manifestly a requirement of infinite importance at all times, and especially in hot weather, is fresh, cold drinking-water ; and he who furnishes his kennels with an abundant supply is not likely to have much experience in sunstroke. 230 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER III. ACUTE MENINGITIS. Tue brain is enveloped by membranes or “meninges,” and these are gen- erally affected in cases of so-called inflammation of the brain. Hence that inflammation is termed meningitis; acute if recent, and chronic if of long standing. There is sound basis for the belief that dogs are quite frequent sufferers from acute meningitis ; moreover, that cases of it are very generally mistaken for rabies. Considering that there is widespread a most pitiable terror of the latter, that it is excited by the merest shadow of a pretext, that while it exists reason is dethroned, that there are many inseparable delusions, also that in certain stages it is extremely difficult to discriminate between it and simple acute meningitis, such mistakes cannot occasion any surprise. Among the known causes of this affection are blows on the head and con- sequent injuries to the brain, intense cold, sunstroke, frenzy from fear or anger, and extension of inflammation from adjacent parts. It has had its origin in diseases of the ears and eyes, and has occurred as a complication of certain constitutional diseases, notably distemper, which seems to create a decided predisposition to it. While now and then the cause can be determined with reasonable certainty, much the largest proportion of cases are of mysterious origin, and they develop without any indication whatsoever of even the direction in which it lays or the general nature of the cause. No age is exempt from the disease; but it seems to have a preference for mature subjects, and occurs more often among females than among males. In rare cases the victims of acute meningitis for several days appear to be ailing ; but, as a rule, the disease comes on quite abruptly. That is, the unfor- tunates may seem well in the morning, and suddenly, or within two or three hours, be manifestly very ill. In instances of gradual approach, the poor dogs are a bit restless, and in moving about carry their heads low. They turn from their food, and one or more attacks of vomiting occur with some of them. Their sleep is dreamy and disturbed ; and during it their legs twitch, and they emit at times short cries oy barks. On examination they are found to have a hot nose, some fever, and quite rapid pulse. ACUTE MENINGITIS. 231 Where the onset of the disease is abrupt, the first symptoms manifested are those of active congestion. The victim is very restless and irritable, and evi- dently at times does not recognize those about him or know what he is doing. In other words, he is delirious. He shakes his head occasionally, and rubs the side of it along the ground or floor ; and now and then while doing so whines or cries piteously, thus indicating the location of the disturbing trouble. A symptom which plainly suggests rabies appears in his disposition to crawl under furniture or seek dark places, he evidently being sensitive to the light. That he is mad would also seem certain because of his peculiar susceptibility to sounds, and the excitement that they induce. He sleeps lightly, and is easily awakened; and when disturbed he starts up wildly, and makes a dash in the direction from whence the sound came, barking or growling as he does so. For perhaps a minute he continues to rage, then slinks back to his dark corner or nook. A dog in the first stage of rabies is not likely to bite his caretaker unless an effort is made to restrain him; but some victims of acute meningitis, even in the earliest stage, seem unable to recognize friends ; for when wildly excited they bite any one within reach, whether intimate or stranger. In meningitis the voice is altered; the eyes are glistening at first, and vacant in expression ; and the sufferer barks and snaps at imaginary intruders ; also bites at sticks extended to him. In meningitis, as in rabies, the violence and maniacal excitement occur in paroxysms, with intervals of comparative quiet. In both, also, convulsive move- ments are experienced ; there is snapping of the jaws and champing of the teeth, and not infrequently general convulsions come on, and last for ten or fifteen minutes unless controlled by ether. There is constipation in acute meningitis. For a time the hearing power remains unimpaired, and if not thrown into a rage when called, the dog raises his head as though listening ; but apparently unable to appreciate from whence it comes or the significance of the sound, he does not respond. When on his feet, if confined to a room, he circles around it, sniffing at the walls, and at times stops and barks for several minutes. While maniacal excitement and quite violent delirium are the rule in the early stage of acute meningitis, there are notable exceptions, and in those the victims appear dull and stupid. Or at least they are not easily disturbed or conscious of goings on about them, which would, in the other cases, be quite sufficient to bring on fits of frenzy. And these quiet subjects but rarely if ever show any disposition to bite man or animals. Acute meningitis has not been on long before the victim’s legs tremble under him, showing increasing weakness. Liquids he drinks readily and with feverish rapacity. Vomiting frequently occurs; the eyes are bloodshot, the face hag- gard, the pulse quickened, and the temperature of the body notably raised. Restlessness is a marked symptom in this stage. The writer recalls the case of 232 KENNEL DISEASES. a young mastiff, afflicted with the disease, which he allowed to run at large within his house, that the symptoms might be carefully observed by the inmates. This dog, while he had strength to make the distance, had a certain point to which he invariably journeyed. He would start from his bed in the kennel-man’s room, climb three stairs, enter the kitchen, pass from there into the dining-room and stop at the hall door; then, without pausing, would take a direct course back; and on reaching his bed, again turn and travel precisely as before, always making for the same points, and never deviating or passing through other doors or going beyond his self-imposed limits. Other dogs lay about the rooms undisturbed and unnoticed. At first his journeys were made on an easy walk, with head car- ried low; ere long he entered a run, which he kept up until exhaustion overcame him; then for a brief interval he remained quiet, and when his strength returned he again started on his wearisome run. The inmates of the house would occa- sionally meet him on his journeys; without any disposition to bite, he would deviate only sufficiently to pass them, and continue on. For two days only had he strength to climb the stairs, but, until he died, some three days later, he frequently made feeble efforts to do so. The stage of active congestion in dogs suffering from acute meningitis is short, and rarely more than two or three days; then the symptoms change, as an effusion forms within the cranial cavities and presses upon the brain. Drowsiness succeeds the maniacal excitement; the sight becomes dim or is wholly lost; obstructions are no longer avoided, but blindly encountered. In his movements the animal seems wholly unconscious, crazed as it were; his bark is low and feeble; he still drinks if his nose is guided to the basin; the intervals of quiet lengthen; he rises to his feet with difficulty, his legs weak and trembling; the stupor grows more profound; paralysis ends his tiresome walks; convulsions are frequent and severe; death finally brings relief. The disease may run a fatal course in two or three days, and but rarely does it extend beyond six or seven. From the foregoing symptoms it will be appreciable how easy it would be for an observer, unfamiliar with the manifestations in both diseases, to mistake acute meningitis for rabies. It must also appear difficult, if not impossible, for even an expert to discriminate with positive certainty in all cases. Unfortu- nately the prevailing disposition is to sacrifice dogs on the first appearance of symptoms barely suggestive of rabies; and yet to kill an animal suspected of being mad is not the first but the last thing to do if he has bitten any one. He should be secured, and every possible precaution taken to prevent injury to those around him, and thereafter be carefully watched. Many a mind has been nearly crazed by days of terror and horrible expectancy which might have been averted had not panic-stricken friends hurried the poor dog out of the world, instead of allowing him to die naturally, when it would have appeared plainly evident that he had meningitis merely, or other disease quite as innocent. ACUTE MENINGITIS. 233 The manner of the attack will aid much in reaching a diagnosis. Acute meningitis generally follows an accident, injury, or exposure, or is developed in connection with some other disease. There is no melancholic stage, as in rabies, no shrinking from strangers; the disposition to worry articles, carpets, chair-legs, etc., to eat indigestible substances, to lap urine, cold stones, and iron, to stray away or attack other dogs, are all absent in meningitis. Again, while the voice is altered, the bark is short, sharp, and high in pitch, entirely unlike the hoarse, croupy, blended how] and wail heard in rabies. In that malady, wood-work is bitten, straw shaken in the teeth of animals infected, and sticks thrust at them are snapped at savagely, and clung to so fiercely they can be loosened only with great effort. In meningitis these symp- toms are absent. A sufferer from it bites at a stick extended, but almost im- mediately relinquishes it. Another important diagnostic difference is, while maniacal excitement occurs in paroxysms, not often can it be induced by worry- ing, as it would surely be were the victim mad. In rabies there appear peculiar illusions. The unfortunates see, as it were, bugs, spiders, or the like, crawling along the walls, and follow them with their eyes in their imaginary course. This symptom does not appear in meningitis; neither is there a constant disposition to bite other animals, as is the case in rabies. In the former affection vomiting generally occurs; and one more im- portant fact to be accentuated is, that it is an inflammatory disease, conse- quently the febrile movement is more or less marked; while fever is not a symptom of rabies. Acute meningitis is a grave disease, and recovery but rarely takes place. When developed in connection with other disorders, as distemper, the danger is intensified, and the chances are small indeed. A dog that exhibits its symptoms should be secured; and a measure of anx- iety will be removed if care in handling is observed. The timorous can use heavy buckskin gloves, and will doubtless feel safer for it, although after the presence of meningitis is positively determined, such precautions are needless. Perfect quiet should be enforced. The food to be relied on is milk, and that should be often put before the sufferer. When inactive, the bowels ought to be moved every second day by a cathartic. If convulsions occur and threaten to persist, ether may be administered. Since the chances of combating this disease are so few, and after a time a professional must be in quite constant attendance, to draw the urine with a catheter, if for no other purpose, the discussion of remedial measures need not be carried further. And even were recovery to occur, the cure would not likely be complete; consequently other treatment than is necessary to lessen the amount of: suffering as much as possible cannot be encouraged. 234 KENNEL DISEASES. CHRONIC MENINGITIS. Inflammation of the membranes of the brain may assume a subacute or a chronic form. That is, it may have some resemblance to acute meningitis, or, as a chronic affection, differ quite radically from it. Chronic meningitis comes on insidiously, and usually its presence is not for a long time detected, the symptoms being attributed to some other disease. To determine the cause of this affection is difficult, if not quite impossible in many cases. Injuries to the head, however, are doubtless largely instrumental in exciting it, and now and then it occurs during the course of disease of the kidneys, which evidently lays a foundation for it. In true epilepsy the existence of chronic meningitis may rightly be suspected as the cause of the convulsions. Certain diseases may exist within the head for a long time without exciting symptoms of trouble. And where there is chronic inflammation of the meninges of the brain, the symptoms present may be so confusing that it is not possible to determine positively the true nature of the existing disease. If a dog’s disposition changes, he gradually grows dull, stupid, and disin clined to exertion, sleeps more than usual, has occasional convulsive movements, — possibly confined to the mouth, — carries his head low, his eyes become vacant in expression, dim in sight or sightless, his movements when on his feet are er- ratic, and it is known that sometime in the past he has experienced a severe blow on the head, then chronic meningitis may with reason be suspected. These symptoms are common to a variety of affections of the brain, but when following an injury, the membranes are more often affected than the brain substance. The treatment consists of mild laxatives, blisters or setons to the back of the head, perfect quiet, nutritious diet, the iodide of potassium in from one to five grain doses, three times daily; and possibly after this agent has been used for several weeks, strychnia can be wisely substituted. The appetite and general condition of the animal will indicate whether quinine and iron need be added to the strychnia. Unless the patient is valued highly, it were better to sacrifice him as soon as it is apparent that he is suffering from chronic meningitis, or indeed from any long-standing affection of the brain; for all the chances are that he will drift to the end, and treatment, no matter how skilful, will scarcely delay his progress, CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS. Cerebro-spinal meningitis, often called spotted fever, is quite different in character from the acute form of meningitis already discussed, and is analogous CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS. 235 to fevers, like distemper, in which the disturbance is general, throughout the system, not local merely. In acute meningitis the inflammation as a rule is at the top of the brain, — just underneath the roof of the skull, — whereas in the disease under considera- tion the inflammation is at the basis of the brain, and extends some distance down the spinal cord. It is not a common affection among dogs; although there is basis for the be- lief that cases have occurred and its true nature not been detected; the attacks being credited to other affections, or held to be mysterious. It is defined as a specific infectious disease of microbic origin. That is, its real cause is a morbific germ. But while it is undoubtedly communicable from one dog to another, it is evidently not easily so; and for dogs to contract it they must be in intimate and prolonged contact with a sufferer. In other words, a well dog may be under the same roof with the sick without “taking” the disease, provided they have separate compartments, feeding-vessels, etc.; but were they mates, occupied the same room, slept on the same bench, and ate and drank from the same dishes, the chances of the well becoming infected would be quite great. Epidemics have occurred in kennels, and but few therein escaped the disease; but the histories of such seem to indicate that instead of its being conveyed from one inmate to another, as a rule the inmates acquired the poison from outside of the kennels, and all about the same time. While the actual cause of the disease is a specific poison or germ, the chances of infection are greatly increased by certain external conditions; and where the kennels are cold, filthy, or damp, the inmates are crowded, and their food or drinking-water is bad, the germ finds the most favorable soil and easiest victims. Whereas healthy dogs properly managed, kennelled, etc., would be able to resist it and the disease to which it gives rise. There are certain local conditions which are favorable to the entrance and development of the germ in question. Inflammation of the internal ear, for in- stance, is liable to extend and involve the membranes of the brain; thus while it exists, there is a door open through which the germ may enter and find its work easy. And the same may be said of every inflammation in the nose, mouth, or throat. Whether or not this germ can reach the system from the stomach or intes- tines is an open question; but it is probable that it might enter with the food or drink, and find the conditions favorable to its growth and entrance into circula- tion, when, of course, cerebro-spinal meningitis would be the result. It is also probable that entering the mouth and nose, in the air, either along the passage to the lungs or in the lungs, it finds a way into the system, where it can do its baneful work. Cerebro-spinal meningitis begins suddenly and with symptoms that are indic- 236 KENNEL DISEASES. ative of a serious sickness. The limbs tremble; and the skin is hot. Usually the victim vomits several times. Soon after the onset of the disease he appears dazed and unlike himself. He paws at his head as though disturbed by trouble therein, and at such times moans or emits short, sharp, shrill cries. Decidedly “dumpish ” from the first, he at times arouses for a few moments and acts quite wildly — standing on the alert listening, or dashing off, then stopping suddenly and barking at an imaginary intruder. But violent demonstrations are soon ended, for he stiffens rapidly, and gets up and moves about with difficulty, drag- ging his hind legs, and carrying his head without turning, as though it was fixed to his body with splints. His sight and hearing are also impaired, and soon apparently lost altogether. He is quiet much of the time, but is in a stupor rather than asleep; and occa- sionally he stiffens, with head thrown back, legs extended, and all muscles rigid — suffering from a convulsive movement. That he is sore all over as well as stiff is apparent if effort is made to raise or move him, for he then cries out as though in great pain. The fever, in the beginning intense, usually moderates; and in occasional cases it almost wholly disappears for a time. The bowels do not move voluntarily at first; and in severe attacks the urine is retained. In some cases, but not in all, about the third day an eruption appears; and this may have the appearance of flea-bites, or be of much smaller size, and of deep red or purplish color. If the case is to end in death, which is the rule to which there are but few exceptions, it is in sight by the third day; when all the symptoms are greatly aggravated. The tongue is dry, glazed, and perhaps cracked; the fever has returned with much greater intensity ; the convulsive movements are more fre- quent, or real convulsions occur; and the stupor has grown so profound all efforts to arouse the sufferer are ineffectual. Diarrhoea may then follow consti- pation, the flow of intestinal matters from the bowel being unobstructed and continuous. These are the symptoms presented in an ordinary attack, but they may vary considerably in different cases, some of which progress so rapidly and with such violence that death occurs within a few hours, usually during an attack of con- vulsions; whereas in others it is delayed until the fifth or sixth day. Again, the nervous system may be soon overwhelmed, and the victim thereafter remain in a profound and unbroken stupor; or for a day or more he may be wildly delirious and his symptoms greatly resemble those of acute meningitis. But the disease is so rare an elaborate description of the different forms cannot be expected, and that of the common form should be quite sufficient. The chances of recovery from cerebro-spinal meningitis are so small treat- ment cannot be encouraged excepting in cases in which improvement is made after the fourth or fifth day ; and even in such, to enforce perfect quiet and sustain TETANUS. 237 the strength by suitable food, is about all that can be recommended, aside from meeting exigencies or symptoms as they arise, as diarrhoea, convulsions, etc. The fact that the disease is contagious need not cause any uneasiness, be- cause the extent to which it is so is very slight; and if dogs are kept from imme- diate and prolonged contact with the sufferer they are not likely to become diseased through him. TETANUS. Tetanus is an acute disease of the nervous system characterized by continu- ous tonic spasm or rigidity of certain muscles, with paroxysms in which the spasms are more intense and violent. Attacks of this distressing malady may be general or partial, and when the latter, it is mostly confined to the neck and jaws; hence it is popularly termed lock-jaw. Tetanus is due to infection by a specific poison or germ, known as the tetanus bacillus. This is always introduced through a wound or break in the skin or mucous membrane, where it generates a poison which gives rise to the character- istic symptoms. The wound through which the germ enters is in some cases so trifling that it may have healed completely before the symptoms of the disease have developed. That wounds contracted in a certain manner are far more liable to be fol- lowed by tetanus than others is a fact long recognized. For example, those that are small but deep, and produced by rusty nails or splinters of old or dirty wood, or wounds of the foot or hand into which dirt or filth has penetrated deeply, have been considered specially dangerous because of their tendency to cause lock-jaw. It seems that it is in the shallow wounds that the germ finds the conditions least favorable for its work ; and this is explainable when the fact is considered that the poison of the disease is quickly destroyed by the sunlight. Accepting the real cause to be a germ, exposure to cold, intestinal disturb- ances, and other debilitating conditions to which tetanus was once believed directly due, must be held as predisposing influences merely. This disease sometimes occurs after whelping, and is then called puerperal tetanus. It is exceedingly rare, however, excepting in cases in which the whelping is premature in consequence of injuries inflicted on the abdomen, as by kicks, or at term when the pups are too large to be delivered naturally, and their removal can only be effected by considerable force. Tetanus also sometimes occurs in pups within a few days after birth, but only very rarely unless the whelping quarters are exceedingly filthy. The period commencing with the occurrence of the injury and wound and 238 KENNEL DISEASES. ending with the first symptoms of tetanus, varies greatly in length; and while it is usually less than five days where the disease is puerperal or attacks the new born, in other classes of cases it is generally from five to ten days. Usually the first symptom noted is stiffness in the movements of the neck or jaws. A few hours later the jaws are, as a rule, firmly fixed and cannot be opened by the sufferer, nor without considerable prying. Owing to rigidity of the muscles of the neck, the head is set as though in splints, and bent back- ward. Gradually the trouble extends and involves the muscles of the. back and hind legs, and when they have become rigid the spine is arched backward and bent like a bow, while the legs are extended, and only movable with difficulty. The muscles of the face share in the general affection. The angles of the mouth are drawn backward and downward, and the upper lip is stretched over the teeth, producing hideous distortion. Rigidity of the muscles is almost persistent, but occasionally it lessens a little, while now and then it is for a time intensified in marked degree, and the sufferer appears as though in a violent convulsion. The temperature of the body may be at first nearly normal, but as the disease progresses high fever comes on; the pulse grows rapid and weaker; the body is bathed in a profuse cold sweat; and soon thereafter the terrible sufferings are ended by death. In some cases death results from exhaustion, the nervous system being worn out; in others it is caused by heart failure, or by suffocation, respiration being too long suspended during a paroxysm. Only in exceedingly rare instances and very mild cases does recovery occur; and then one is slow to believe that the existing disease was really tetanus. The duration of the malady is variable. Life may be prolonged for ten or twelve days, but the most of the fatal cases terminate between the second and fourth days. The symptoms of tetanus resemble somewhat those of strychnia-poisoning, yet mistake ought not be easy. Tetanus comes on quite gradually, the stiffness or spasms beginning in the neck and jaws; and it is not until several hours afterward that the latter are perfectly rigid and the muscles of the back and legs are involved by the spasm. Whereas, in strychnia-poisoning the effects are manifested suddenly, and the symptoms are at once severe; the muscles of the legs are first stiffened, and then the spasm speedily becomes general and violent. Finally, in this poisoning, death or recovery usually takes place within a few hours. The chances of recovery from this disease are so small it would scarcely be wise to attempt treatment unless the sufferer was valued very highly; otherwise to destroy by means of chloroform would be a merciful act. Where an effort is made to cure, perfect quiet should be enforced, and inhalations of chloroform and ether, in equal parts, be at once administered, TETANUS. 239 while a solution of the hydrate of chloral is being prepared. That solution should be of the same strength and doses advised in convulsions. Of all agents employed in tetanus it has proved the most efficient; and it should be pushed fearlessly, the injections being repeated as often as every half-hour until improvement is noted, or it is plainly evident that the case is hopeless. Calabar bean and curarine have been used on man successfully in a number of cases, and of course might be tried on a canine sufferer if other means had failed, a physician was in attendance, and these drugs were obtainable. Every three or four hours nourishment should be given by injection: and the same may rightly consist of a cupful of milk or beef tea, with a raw egg beaten in, and a tablespoonful of brandy. During the past year or two this disease in man has been very closely studied by physicians, and at present many experiments are being made with the so-called tetanus antitoxine. By means of injections of this, animals have been so immunized that they have failed to develop tetanus. It has also been used successfully in the treatment of a few cases. Which facts encourage the medical world to hope that at last a cure for this dread malady has been found in antitoxine serum. But, of course, further experience will be necessary before all doubts can be at rest. 240 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER IV. CHOREA. CHorEA, commonly termed St. Vitus’s Dance, is a nervous affection, charac- terized by irregular or jerking movements, over which the animal has no control, and which continue more or less pronounced all the time, excepting when he is sleeping. Much the largest proportion of the victims are puppies, or dogs that have but recently reached maturity. There is much uncertainty as to the causes of this affection, but since it occurs so often after distemper, that disease must have a very decided causative influence. It is evidently also sometimes brought on by fright ; and worms have been assigned as the cause, but whether rightly or not is not known. There appears reason for the belief that when the general health is impaired the liabil- ity of its occurrence is measurably increased. It may be quite extensive and involve several parts of the body, but as a rule it is confined to one set of muscles, or the head or leg. Chorea is one of the most obstinate affections which the owners of dogs are called upon to treat, and although it has been recovered from, the chances of a complete cure in any case are very small indeed. The purpose of treatment should be first, to overcome if possible any exist- ing derangements or impairments which may tend to aggravate the trouble, such as constipation, indigestion, worms, debility, etc., also to tone up the nervous system by means of a highly nutritious diet and other influences conducive to health if any such have been neglected. Of the many different remedies recommended for chorea, strychnia and arsenic appear the most popular. In using the former more than ordinary skill is required, for it is not likely to have the desired action unless the doses are steadily increased until the physiological effects of the drug are reached. Or in other words, the strychnia must be pushed until symptoms of poisoning are threatened. Obviously few non-professionals would care to go thus far, and if they did they might not stop at precisely the right point, therefore of the two remedies arsenic is the better for general use. Fowler’s solution is the preparation to be employed by the inexperienced; and for convenience it should be in slightly diluted form, as follows: CHOREA. 241 Fowler’s solution, one-half an ounce; water, one ounce and one-half. Puppies can safely bear larger doses of this drug than mature dogs; and when over eight months of age for those of breeds of medium size, the com- mencing dose may be sixteen drops of the foregoing mixture; for the largest breeds, twenty-four drops; for fox terriers and the like, eight drops; and for toys, four drops. This should be given three times daily, in the food; and the dose be in- creased one-fourth after every third day. That is, puppies taking at first sixteen drops will, on the fourth day, take twenty drops, on the seventh day twenty-four drops, and so on. While for toys an increase of one-fourth will be one drop in every instance. The mixture having been given thirteen days, and increased four times, it should be stopped for three days. Then the administration should be resumed, the commencing dose being the same as that being taken when the stop was made ; which would be thirty-two drops were the patient of medium size. The increase should again go on as before, and continue until four more increases have been made. A pup of medium size will finally be taking forty-eight drops. After this fourth increase, which is the eighth from the beginning, the largest dose having been administered for three days, there should be a second stop of three days, during which the mixture must be withheld. That period of rest will be over on about the thirtieth day of treatment; and then the use of the medicine should be resumed, the commencing dose to be the same as that which was being given when the stop occurred. Thereafter there must not be any further increase. Instead, there must be a decrease; and it should be in precisely the same ratio and manner as the in- crease. That is, the maximum dose should be given for three days, and then a decrease of one-fourth made, and so on. After four decreases there should be a halt of three days; and then should follow four more decreases; when the dose reached will be the same as at first ; or sixteen drops for pup of medium size. Following the eighth decrease, for certainly one more month, even if the twitching has stopped, the medicine should be given three times daily, the com- mencing and smallest quantity being the dose. The twitching is not likely to cease before the largest dose is reached, if it does then, but even did the result of treatment prove so eminently satisfactory at any stage, the mixture should be persisted in as advised lest relapse occur. A return, however, should be made to the commencing dose. That is, in event the twitching ceases, further increase should stop at once, and thereafter the medicine be given for a month, the dose being the smallest, with which treat- ment commenced. While puppies will safely bear large doses of arsenic, there are of course limits of toleration, and it is assumed that these are reached under this treatment 242 KENNEL DISEASES. about the twelfth day ; hence the stops are recommended, that any ill effects of the drug may pass off before the administration is resumed. If under this treatment the chorea is not cured, the same system might, in the course of two or three weeks, be employed the second time. Given as advised, unpleasant or poisonous symptoms are not likely to follow the use of arsenic in large doses; but if any appear, manifestly the medicine should be at once stopped. The most notable of such symptoms is paralysis of the hind legs. Other indications of poisonous effects are, redness of the eyes, pallor of the lining of the mouth and covering of the tongue, stiffness in movements, tendency to spasms, gastro-intestinal irritation, with vomiting, pain and diarrhea. In some cases treatment by the sulphate of quinine promises rather better than any other ; the dose being two grains for a pup over eight months old and of medium size ; three grains if of largest breed; one grain if about the size of fox terrier ; and one-half a grain if a toy. These doses should be given three times daily for about three weeks, unless the twitching sooner yields, or symptoms of ill effects are manifested. Quinine in such doses might lessen the hearing power, but it is not likely to do so. The nitrate of silver has been strongly recommended by some, and it has even been claimed that it is a specific for chorea. Although it has acted well in occasional cases, to call it a specific or sure cure for the disease is going much too far. Rightly used it can do no harm, and it is certainly worthy a trial in the worst cases. Granules of various strength can be obtained from druggists, and the proper doses are as follows: For the largest breeds, one-half a grain; medium size, as setters and pointers, one-fourth of a grain ; fox terriers and the like, one- eighth of a grain ; toys, one-twelfth of a grain. One granule should be given in the middle of the forenoon, and another in the middle of the afternoon ; and the use of the drug be persisted in for at least a month. While it is being given it will generally be advisable to administer a tonic, for the purpose of sustaining or increasing the strength, and adding vigor to the nervous system. Pills composed as follows should therefore be obtained : Sulphate of quinine, one drachm; dried sulphate of iron, one drachm. To be made into sixty pills. One to be given morning and night, with the break- fast and supper. These pills are right for medium size breeds. They should be one-half stronger for largest breeds; one-half weaker for fox terriers and the like; while only one-fourth as strong for toys. Cimicifuga or black snake-root is considered by some an efficient remedy for chorea, but, like the iodide of potassium, which also has advocates, it would CHOREA. 243 likely be disappointing. However, there can be no objection to uniting it with the arsenical treatment; and indeed it may be well to give it a trial if one course of the arsenic mixture advised has been administered without good effect and a second round is contemplated. The fluid extract is the best preparation of cimicifuga, and the dose for a pup over eight months old and of medium size breed is six drops; for largest breeds, nine drops; for fox terriers and the like, four drops; for toys, two drops. Each dose can be given with a dose of the mixture of Fowler’s solution and water, prepared as advised in the foregoing. When chorea is associated with debility it will be well to combine the citrate of iron and ammonia, or the compound syrup of hypophosphites, with the arsenic given; and in such event the druggist can have the proportions right if informed that the dose for a pup of medium size breed is about the same as the minimum dose for an adult. The largest breeds can take one-half more; pups of about the size of fox terriers, one-half less; and one-fourth the dose would be right for toys. Hemlock has been much used in chorea, and some think highly of it. Given alone it is not likely to have much effect, but in event the quinine treatment has been tried without good results it might be well to modify it somewhat and give it another trial after a week has elapsed. The modification may be to combine with the sulphate of quinine precisely as many grains of the extract of hemlock and as many grains of ginger. For example, assuming the pup to be of medium size, two grains of quinine have been recommended for him. As modified, the dose would be the same quantity of quinine, two grains of the extract of hemlock, and two grains of ginger. Each dose will therefore be six grains of the mixture, and made up of the three drugs, the quantity of each being the same — two grains. The druggist should make pills of the right dose, or use gelatin capsules, each to contain one dose. Modifications for the various breeds will be easy. Thus, one-half more for largest breeds; one-half less for fox terriers and the like; and one-fourth for toys. That mistake may not be possible, the dose for the latter is given as tollows: One-half a grain of quinine, the same quantity of the extract of hemlock, and the same of ginger. Hypodermic injections of hyoscyamus have had good effect in some cases, but manifestly this treatment must generally require the services of a physician. Could one be interested in a case and persuaded to administer a hypodermic injection daily, it would be well to give the treatment a trial, other methods having failed. Instead of using hyoscyamus, the alkaloid of it, hyoscine, would be better. And better still, perhaps, the hyoscine hydrobromate. 244 KENNEL DISEASES. Certain chemists manufacture a tablet in which the latter appears with the sulphate of morphia and sulphate of atrophia; and this combination promises well. A tablet suitable for an adult would be right for a pup over eight months old and of medium size or large breed; while it should be cut in halves for fox terriers or the like, and quartered for toys. The medicine should be thrown under the skin directly over the muscles that twitch. As stated in the beginning, chorea is an extremely obstinate affection, and cures are unlikely to occur except in rare instances; but still, if the subject is valuable, an honest effort should be made for him. NEURALGIA. Neuralgia or nerve pain has been defined as the cry of a nerve for more or better blood. Such pain occurring in any part of the body may originate in and be solely in consequence of some defect in a nerve there, but as a rule it is a symptom and expression of a general faulty condition, due to some impairment of the nervous system, and in most cases, but not all, to poverty of the blood. An example of the former is face ache —tic douloureux— when produced by a decayed tooth. While hemicrania or neuralgic pain in one side of the head, when not due to disease of a tooth or inflammation of the cheek or jaw, is an illustration of the other form of neuralgia. This often has the character of “chills and fever,” comes and goes at intervals like that, and defies all other remedies except quinine, thus plainly showing that it is constitutional — not local — and due to a malarial taint in the system. Many exciting causes, both local and constitutional, are recognized as active in producing neuralgia. The former by pressure or other influence applied directly to the nerve itself, the latter by morbid states of the blood, exposure to cold, disorders of digestion, debility, and many other derangements. Neuralgia may appear in any organ or part of the body that is supplied with nerves of sensation. The pain usually comes on suddenly. In severe cases it is excruciating, and forces the sufferer to howl piteously. He also acts strangely. Possibly he runs wildly about and appears as though “out of his head,” but as a rule he first, and for a time, clings as it were to his master or mistress, evidently hopeful of relief from friendly hand. But failing to obtain it, he is singularly inclined to slink away and conceal himself for hours, and perhaps days, in the barn or an out-of-the-way place, where he generally remains until the attack has passed off. NEURALGIA. 245 Nor does he come when called ; and if found, his manner indicates that he is resentful because something effectual has not been done to lessen his suffer- ings. A difference in manner is generally the evidence first noted in a painful attack. This may not be very pronounced, and scarcely more than a restless- ness, the animal lying down for a moment, then getting up and walking about his enclosure, and again down, but soon to return to his feet. Once attention is attracted to him, by patient watching the pain can generally be located, and with certainty, because the parts as a rule are highly sensitive, and the sufferer shrinks and perhaps cries under pressure of the hand. Manifestly, to bring relief as speedily as possible is the first object of treat- ment. Here the sympathetic master is confronted with the fact that he cannot rely on opiates as he could were he, himself, the sufferer, because they act very differently on dogs, and he might be destroyed by a dose that would not have any appreciable effect on his dog. Local applications should first be faithfully tried, and consist of hot water, hot rum, or alcohol. Strangely where these have failed, relief has been obtained in some cases by the application of ice. When the affected nerve lays very near the surface, menthol will often quickly dull the pain. It should be in solution with alcohol, the proportion being men- thol, one drachm; alcohol, one ounce. With this the painful spot should be thoroughly wet, and then covered with a cloth to prevent evaporation. The following liniment is quite a powerful anodyne: Oil of cajuput, one ounce; spirit of camphor, one ounce; spirit of ammonia, six drachms ; alcohol, one ounce; chloroform, one ounce. The coat on the affected spot should be drenched with this, and covered with a dry flannel. Another less expensive liniment, having the same effect and to be used like- wise, is the following : Chloral hydrate, one drachm; soap liniment, four ounces. The tincture of aconite is a powerful anodyne; but it must be used with exceeding care. When the pain is limited to a small spot, this tincture may be rubbed into the skin by means of a little swab made of cotton. An ointment composed of veratrine, ten grains, and lard, one ounce, when rubbed upon the skin over an affected nerve will often relieve pain in it in the course of ten minutes. Like aconite, however, it is a poison and must be used carefully. As for opium and its products, one of them should be tried if all local measures have failed; but still they are likely to prove disappointing. If mor- phine is used and the dog is of medium or large sized breed, the dose should be not less than one-quarter of a grain, and repeated every hour until relief is 246 KENNEL DISEASES. obtained. One-eighth of a grain for dogs of size of fox terriers, and one-twelfth of a grain for toys, would be safe. Neuralgia of intermittent form, and recurring every second or third day, requires large doses of quinine. Nutritious diet, tonics, and wise management are of course demanded in cases of debility, or in which the blood is poor. PARALYSIS. Paralysis is a symptom or the expression of an abnormality somewhere in the nervous system, and characterized by impairment or loss of nerve force and ability of the muscles involved to act in response to command of the will. It may be partial or complete; it may also be confined to one or a few muscles, or affect many muscles, as all of a leg, or one-half of, or even the entire body. Paralysis may be due to a defect in the brain or spinal cord, in the nerves branching therefrom, or in the muscles themselves. Among the causes are included contusions, wounds, fractures, and other injuries produced traumatically, also diseases of parts in the region of the affected nerves which cause compression, as in the case of tumors and enlarged glands. Diseases of the brain and spinal cord are among the most frequent causes. It is the inevitable result of plugging an important artery in the former by a clot formed in the heart, the supply of blood from a portion of it being thus cut off. Certain poisons are capable of producing paralysis. In some instances also it occurs after acute diseases, notably distemper; and it may result from severe exhaustion of the nervous system. Puppies especially often suffer from the so-called reflex paralysis, which is the consequence of some disease, injury, or irritation at the points of nerve dis- tribution, as in worms, constipation, and other intestinal disorders, affections of the kidneys, bladders, etc. And this form of paralysis is commonly exhibited by impairment or complete loss of power in the hind legs. If the paralysis is partial it is shown by a trembling, feebleness, and uncer- tainty of the movements of the parts involved. When it is complete the muscles are commonly relaxed and incapable of the slightest resistance. In spinal paralysis both sides are commonly affected ; but when the brain is the seat of the trouble, loss of power almost always occurs on one side of the head or body, and that opposite to the injury. When the affection is reflex, the impairment or loss is limited to the region supplied by one or a few nerve trunks. Paralysis may come on suddenly or gradually. After existing for a time the affected muscles lose their contractibility, and waste, and the power of motion in PARALYSIS. 247 them is ultimately permanently destroyed; or the affected nerves may become incapable of conducting impressions, and thus recovery be no longer possible. Lameness in one or both the hind legs without known injury, or partial or complete paralysis of them would justify the suspicion of worms, and the appli- cation of appropriate treatment; and when the diagnosis is right, as a rule improvement at once follows their expulsion. In other cases of paralysis occurring suddenly, the first step should be to free the bowels by means of an active purge. Then the condition of the bladder should be determined by watching ; and if paralyzed, and the animal unable to void his urine, he must be relieved by means of a catheter. Where the cause of paralysis can be determined, manifestly it should be removed if possible. If occasioned by pressure, the same must be relieved; or if by a poison, the proper antidote is in order. Paralysis following distemper or other acute disease may not at once require any special medicinal treatment. If by the means of careful nursing, generous and nutritious diet and tonics, the general health is built up, some improvement in the paralysis may occur in the course of two or three weeks; but if not, a nerve stimulant must be given. In the meantime the paralyzed parts should be manipulated and hand-rubbed for at least ten minutes daily, to maintain the integrity of the affected muscles, that they may be able to respond to the nerve current and force when it is again turned on. Electricity would be of great benefit in most cases, but its application to the dog is attended with so many difficulties it can never be a popular remedy. The beneficial effect of hand-rubbing may be increased somewhat by a stimu- lating liniment; and in cases in which the paralysis has existed several weeks, small fly-blisters will likely be of value. Where the loss of power is only partial, rest for the first two weeks should be enforced, but after that, daily efforts to move about should be encouraged. The medicinal agent to be depended upon as a nerve stimulant is strychnia. From druggists may be obtained granules containing various amounts of the sulphate of strychnia,—from one two-hundredths up to one-twentieth of a grain, — therefore the doses can be easily adjusted; and the granules being of uniform Strength, the use of this powerful agent ought to be perfectly safe. As the doses are to be increased every sixth day, the purchases should be limited to twelve granules ; one to be given twice daily, with the breakfast and ‘supper. The commencing dose for pups over six months old and of medium or large size breeds is one-sixtieth ; if about the size of fox terriers, one one-hundredth ; for toys, one two-hundredths of a grain. The second lot of twelve granules should contain about one-twentieth of a grain more strychnia. That is, the granules right for medium and large size breeds would be one-fortieth of a grain; for fox terriers and the like, one- 248 KENNEL DISEASES. eightieth; and for toys, one one-hundred and eightieth. While in preparing the third lot a similar increase should be made. As arule, three such increases are perfectly safe. If, however, at any time the physiological effects of the drug are noted, —as stiffening of the legs, — its use should be at once stopped. Strychnia having failed, simple borax should be given a trial, in the following doses: largest breeds, six grains; medium size, four grains; fox terriers and the like, two grains; toys, one grain. This medicine should be in the form of powders, one of which should be given three times daily at first, but in the course of a week the dose should be doubled. INTESTINAL COLIC. RICKETS. SECTION IX. AFFECTIONS OF THE BONES AND JOINTS. CHAPTER I. RICKETS. RIcKETS is a constitutional disease of puppyhood, characterized by general debility and defects of nutrition, chiefly in the bones and cartilages, but also in the muscles and other anatomic structures, causing imperfect development of the bones and consequent deformities. Debilitated or rachitic sire or dam may transmit a taint to the offspring; or rickets may arise from improper feeding or insufficient food, and other faults of management, which include a deprivation of sunlight and pure air, unclean- liness and exposure to noxious emanations, dampness, etc. In some instances it is developed rapidly after other diseases, which have left the system in a state of debility. It has generally been accepted that this disease is either due to a deficiency of lime in the food or to imperfect absorption of lime salts, in consequence of stomach or intestinal disturbances. Beyond doubt there are forms of diet which predispose to it ; and they do so chiefly because they are either defective in some ways or do not supply in adequate proportion certain very essential elements. When the mother’s milk is poor in quality as the result of previous ill health, insufficient nourishment or unsuitable food, her pups are very likely to suffer from rickets in consequence, particularly if they are of large breeds. A lack of a goodly proportion of meat and an excessive amount of farinaceous foods greatly favor the occurrence of the disease, the latter especially, through the fermenta- tive process set up by the starch, and thereby the production of lactic acid; which is believed to be an active agent in the causation of rickets, it being sup- posed to form a soluble salt by union with the lime of the bones, and thus remove it from the system. Another popular theory is, that this disease is very liable to be developed when the system is deprived of an adequate amount of fat. In support of this there is considerable experimental proof; and it certainly is easily accepted in light of the fact that the happiest results follow the judicious use of oil in treat~ ing rachitic patients. 249 250 KENNEL DISEASES. Doubtless tne foundation of rickets is often laid during the nursing period; yet many pups that were perfectly healthy when weaned have afterward broken down with it because of having been improperly fed. The onset of the disease is slow. Although the first rachitic changes usually occur in the bones of the head and ribs, the presence of it is not likely to be de- tected until the forelegs are affected. The striking alterations there are a thick- ening of both their ends, and bending of the long bones ; which deformity is due to softness of the bones, and their yielding under the weight of the body. Soon the ligaments of the knee-joints are stretched and the victim walks on his pasterns. In consequence he appears down by the head, his hips being considerably higher than his foreshoulders. His gait is then peculiar, unsteady and very awkward. At the same time similar changes are going on behind, the deformity being especially pronounced in the hocks, while his legs are badly twisted. It is now impossible for him to run, and his attempts to do so are a series of short, lumbering jumps. Marked changes have also been occurring in the head and body. The former has lengthened ; it is flat and presents prominent angularities, while owing to alterations in the ribs the so-called chicken-breast has formed. On an all-around view the poor dog is a most unsightly object, while his rough and staring coat, pallid gums and lips, flabby muscles, etc., give unmistakable evidence of ill health. That animals used for breeding purposes should be of as high health as possible, is a self-evident truth. As pups of the largest breeds are the easiest victims of rickets, it is advisable always to use some measure of prevention with their dams, since it can do no harm, and may do great good. To them should be given the precipitated phos- phate of lime during the whelping period. This is a product of bone, and a most efficient bone-producer and hardener; also an active agent in nutrition. It is a white powder, odorless and tasteless. It should be administered once daily in the food during the first month of gestation, and twice daily thereafter until the pups have been weaned. An ordinary dose for the largest breeds is an even teaspoonful, but this can be safely and wisely increased during the last month before whelping if the litter promises to be large; in which event the demand upon the mother for bone material must be unusually great. The precipitated phosphate of lime may also be given to pups that exhibit signs of rickets, and the dose for medium size or largest breeds may be about ten grains, twice daily in the food; six grains for fox terriers and the like, and four grains for toys. When milk is fed it will be a wise plan to add to it the common lime-water of drug shops, in the proportion of about one-fourth. The diet, however, should consist as largely of meat as can be well borne. Cod-liver oil is of the highest value in this disease; and it can be given at the same time the phosphate of lime is being taken. The dose is from one DISLOCATIONS. 251 teaspoonful to one tablespoonful, two or three times daily, a decrease being necessary if the bowels become too loose. If it seems advisable to stop the cod-liver oil for a time, the beef, iron and wine may be properly given instead. Pure fresh air, ample sunlight, and dry, well ventilated quarters are impera- tive. Indeed every helpful influence to be gained by good management should be brought to bear during the treatment. Marked deformities are not likely to be entirely obliterated, yet under good treatment the improvement is often surprising. DISLOCATIONS. Of dislocations and fractures the reader should have some knowledge; not that he be encouraged to undertake their treatment, but that he may be at least led to strongly suspect, if not detect with certainty, such accidents when they occur. A bone is said to be dislocated when it is “out of joint.” To be a trifle more explicit, a dislocation is the displacement of one bone from another at its place of natural connection. When entirely displaced the dislocation is called “com- plete ;” when not so, “partial” or “incomplete.” It is called “compound” when with the dislocation there is an open wound that communicates with the affected joint; and “complicated” when there is a fracture of bone or laceration of a blood-vessel in addition to the dislocation. Dogs but rarely suffer from dislocations ; and when so unfortunate, the acci- dents are generally the results of falling or jumping from considerable heights, being run over, having a foot caught and hung by the same when attempting to jump fences, or of kicks or blows. The ends of bones are closely covered by cartilage or, as commonly called, “gristle,” which furnishes smooth bearings for the connecting bones, while they are held together by a very tough tissue, termed ligament, which envelops them completely like a tight bag. This bag is called a capsule, and is lined by a deli- cate membrane known as the synovial membrane, which secretes a fluid that lubricates the joint, and is called the joint-water or synovial fluid. This capsule alone is not sufficient to hold the bones together, hence it is fortified or strength- ened by short bands or ligaments constructed of similar substance, which extend from one bone to its connecting bone, and cover the capsule. Aside from these attachments there are other ligaments within the capsules of certain joints which connect the ends of the bones directly with each other. In all dislocations but of the lower jaw the capsule described splits to allow the dislocated end of the bone to escape; while the short ligaments, tendons, and muscles which cover the joint are more or less injured. Fortunately, how- 252 KENNEL DISEASES. ever, all these structures very readily unite and heal after the dislocated bones are returned to place, unless the dislocation be compound or complicated. While if a dislocation is not reduced, or, in other words, the displaced bone is not put back or set, Nature always endeavors to compensate for the injury by furnishing another socket for the displaced head of the bone in its new situa- tion, also new ligaments; and meanwhile the old socket fills up. Thus, thanks to her benevolence, a bone may be dislocated and neglected, yet a very useful joint be furnished in time; and where such injury has occurred in puppyhood and been left to itself, not having been detected, in not a few instances the adjustments were so perfect the dogs were as strong and active as ever on their legs and free from any notable sign of deformity or lameness. One radical difference between a dislocation and a fracture is that where the former occurs the affected leg is but slightly if at all movable by efforts of the victim, whereas in the latter the condition is directly opposite, and the leg can be moved about even more freely than would be possible were the bone not broken. A dislocated leg is usually stiffly fixed in its unnatural position, and any attempt to move it causes intense pain; moreover, during such attempt, there is not heard that grating sound which is plain when the ends of a broken bone are moved over each other. An evidence of dislocation that can scarcely escape detection is more or less deformity of the parts, which appears when the uninjured is compared with the injured member. With the dog placed in proper position it will be readily seen that the dislocated bone is longer or shorter than the like bone on the opposite side. Another fact to be remembered is, that if a dislocated bone be drawn back into its proper place any existing enlargement or deformity will disappear ; while if a broken bone be treated in the same manner the deformity will disap- pear, but invariably reappear as soon as the leg is released by the hands and allowed to slip back to its unnatural position. Pain and swelling are present in both dislocations and fractures, but as a rule they are more severe in the former than in the latter. The setting of a broken bone may be delayed for some hours without harm resulting, but a dislocation ought to be reduced at once; and the sooner it is undertaken the easier that operation. Again, if the attempt at reduction is made immediately after the accident, rarely will ether be required, whereas it must generally be administered where there has been any delay. He who would reduce a dislocated bone should be not only intelligent and of “good nerve,” but have some knowledge of the structure of the affected joint. A person so endowed ought to find the essential operation easy provided he undertakes it within a few minutes of the accident, but if the bone has been out of place any considerable length of time he should seek the assistance of a professional. Dislocation of the lower jaw sometimes occurs, but only rarely unless that DISLOCATIONS. 253 bone has been fractured. Diagnosis of this accident is easily made. If both sides are out of joint the lower jaw projects much beyond the upper, and the mouth is wide open and cannot be closed unless great violence is exhibited. If only one side is out, the tip of the jaw is turned obliquely, usually towards the unaffected side. Whereas in fracture of that bone the tip is toward the injured side. When it is dislocated a depression can always be felt at the place of the joint, while in front of it there is a hard bunch. With the mouth wide open there is constant drooling ; the tongue soon becomes purplish ; the eyes are forced into unusual prominence —they bulge as it were; there is great pain; and the poor dog is constantly on the move. This dislocation can be reduced in two ways. The first, which is’ the sim- plest, is sure to be successful with most of the small breeds, and ought to be equally so with the largest. The operator should bandage both thumbs with napkins; or possibly very thick gloves may afford sufficient protection. The dog being firmly held by assistants, he should stand or kneel in front of him and introduce his thumbs, one on each side of the jaw, until they rest upon the last lower teeth. Steady pressure must then be made upon the teeth downward and backward, while the tip of the jaw is slightly lifted with the little and ring fingers. By this means the heads of the bone are lowered ; and when sufficiently low they slide back into place. The jaws then snap together with considerable force, the irritated muscles contracting firmly, hence the importance of protecting the thumbs with several folds of linen or thick buckskin gloves. The other method of reduction is for the operator to sit or kneel on the floor with the dog’s head between his legs. A couple of corks or pieces of soft wood, or even a single piece, are placed upon the last lower teeth, one on each side if two are used, then with one hand over the upper jaw and the other grasp- ing the tip of the lower, the latter should be drawn steadily upward, the cork or wood acting as a fulcrum; and the bone should soon slip into place. Dislocation of the jaw of a dog is so difficult, after it has once occurred there is scarcely any danger of recurrence without severe injury being inflicted ; there- fore it would not be necessary to apply after-treatment by muzzling, as writers are accustomed to advise. Dislocation of the elbow is less rare than like injury of the lower jaw. Great force is required to produce it, and extensive laceration of the ligaments is inevi- table. It is usually caused by a direct blow upon the elbow or an indirect one on the foot, by a fall from a great height, or sudden and severe twist. This joint is complicated, and several displacements may occur which can scarcely be understood without a fair knowledge of its structure; yet unless several hours have elapsed since it happened, and there is consequently much swelling, a dis- placement ought to be easily made out; the leg being kept flexed and the joint immovable. A reduction of the dislocation is readily effected and without much difficulty. 254 KENNEL DISEASES. With the lower leg pulled downward and crossed on the opposite leg, and held firmly with the left hand, with the right the elbow-joint should be grasped, and by means of the fingers pressing against the head of the displaced bone, the effort should be made to force it back into place. In consequence of rupture of a highly important ligament, as soon as the dis- located bone is in place and the dog allowed to bear weight upon his foot, it will generally slip out of place again. For this reason the after-treatment is very exacting. The bones must be kept in natural position by means of a tight bandage, or one made of starch be applied. The stifle-joint corresponds to the knee-joint of man, and like the latter is provided with a knee-cap known as the patella. This may be dislocated on either side, but the dislocation is usually on the inner side; and such accident is especially liable to occur where the joint is weak and the ligaments are re- laxed and wanting in tone. In high jumping, also, the conditions are favorable for it; hence greyhounds are among its most frequent victims, although other delicately constructed dogs are now and then included, and even toy terriers and like small breeds are by no means exempt from it. Dislocation of the patella is attended by sharp and very severe pain. When it is inward, the victim holds his leg bent nearly as much as possible, and the hock and heel are turned outward. On examination of the joint the patella may be found lying sideways, and movable from side to side. If an effort to straighten or still further flex or bend the leg is made there is a howl of pain, and the most vigorous efforts to escape are excited. In order to reduce the dislocation or return the patella to its bed, the leg must be drawn backward and straightened as much as possible; then the dis- placed bone, being firmly grasped with the fingers, can be forced back to its normal position. If undertaken at once after the accident the operation is easy, but when de- layed and inflammation has set in, it is oftentimes quite difficult. In the first instance usually the dog immediately walks away without exhibiting any trace of the dislocation. The rule, however, is, that after one such experience, for quite a long time similar accidents are specially liable to occur; therefore a dog that has suffered from it should be kept under restraint for awhile and not allowed to run or attempt high jumps. After several dislocations and reductions the victim generally realizes his weakness and favors the affected leg, often running on three legs; and in walk- ing he exhibits very decided lameness. He must then be kept quiet for several weeks and have massage faithfully applied to his joint, to tone up the parts and overcome the existing tendency to dislocation. Material benefit may also be expected from the use of an adjustment by means of which the affected leg can be carried in a sling, and kept up close to the abdomen. In instances in which dislocation of the patella occurred long ago and the DISLOCATIONS. 255 true nature of the accident escaped recognition — consequently it remained out of place — the chances are all that the disability will be permanent. A joint disabled by a dislocated patella soon becomes inflamed, and the swelling that results is largely permanent unless the bone is returned to place. If the inflammation be severe and of long standing, the ends of the bones in time become enlarged. The joint is quite stiff, and the leg not being used, its muscular tissues waste, until it is but little if any more than half its original size. Another natural consequence is noted in the general appearance of the dog. Unable to exercise freely and harassed and dispirited by pain and soreness, he falls out of condition. He is disinclined to exert himself; and when moving about does so with difficulty; his back is arched; his abdomen ‘‘ tucked up” ; and, all in all, he is an unsightly object. While recovery is out of the question in such cases, more or less improvement generally occurs; and possibly before a year has elapsed the joint has limbered up some, and the unfortunate is able to bear a little weight on his foot. Gradu- ally, but very slowly, he gains, and may in the course of six months be able to walk short distances fairly well ; but beyond that, in the way of improvement, he is not likely to go far. External dislocation of the patella is very rare. Where it has occurred and the bone not been restored, aside from the ankle-joint being much bent and the tarsus thickened and uneven, the changes in the affected leg are about the same as those which result from permanent displacement internally. 256 KENNEL DISEASES. CHAPTER II. FRACTURES. Tue composition of bones varies somewhat at different periods of life and in disease. For instance, during early life they contain proportionately more ani- mal or soft matter than mineral or hard matter, consequently the bones of pup- pies bend easily and seldom break, In old age there is a decided excess of mineral matter; there has been, also, a slight but steady absorption and reduc- tion in the size of bones, therefore the liability of fracture is then much greater. Again, there is a difference in the disposition to unite and heal readily, and after middle life the process is slower than in previous years; while in very old dogs there is marked reluctance to repair fractures. Rickets is the best illustration of the variability of the composition of bones in disease. While that exists they are weak, yielding, and easily broken. Bones of dogs are generally broken by direct violence, the force being ap- plied directly at the point of the facture, as a blow, from a fall, or the passage of a wagon-wheel over a leg. Less often fractures result from indirect violence, the force being applied at one part of the body, breaking a bone in another part, as a fall on the forefoot which breaks one of the upper bones of the leg. In very rare instances, also, small portions of bones have been broken off by what seemed enormous muscular strain, as required in making long or very high jumps. Fractures may be “ complete ” or “incomplete.” In the latter the bone may be cracked or splintered lengthwise, or bent or broken only half way through. A complete fracture extends entirely through the bone. A fracture is said to be “comminuted”’ when the bone is cracked or broken into several pieces. In an “impacted fracture” the same force that produced it drove one piece of bone into the other —in other words telescoped it and fixed it firmly. In a so-called “simple fracture” there is no open wound; but in a “compound fracture” a wound is made by either the same hard body that produced the fracture or by the ends of the bones forcing their way outward through the skin. A fracture may be simple or compound, and at the same time “complicated” if there is with it serious injury to other parts than the bone ; as for instance, when it opens into a joint, ruptures a large artery, lacerates or severs important nerves, or injures internal organs. The pronounced signs of fracture are pain, swelling, loss of power in the FRACTURES. 257 leg, change in the outward appearance of the injured parts, ability to move por- tions of the leg below the injury in ways and directions which would not be possible were it uninjured, and a low grating sound, called crepitus, to be heard near the broken ends of the bone when they are twisted or rubbed over each other. In other words, one may be reasonably certain that a bone is broken when its shape is changed, pain is caused by every movement, and a crackling sound is heard or a crackling felt by the examiner as he moves the parts. A broken bone is generally shortened; the muscles above and below the place of fracture drawing the two pieces so as to overlap each other. When the break is near a joint it is sometimes difficult to determine whether there is a fracture or a dis- location; and the difficulty is much increased if the examination is not made until several hours after the accident and inflammation has set in, attended by swelling. While it is sound, a leg is sure to be like its fellow on the opposite side. If after an accident there is a change in the shape of a leg there must be either a dislocation or a fracture; and to distinguish between the two should rarely be difficult. To produce the grating or crepitus, grasp the parts above and below the injury and gently endeavor to rub the ends of the bone together, or slightly twist the lower part. A fracture may be mistaken for a severe bruise, or for a sprain, as well as for a dislocation. If the injured dog is not examined until several hours after his accident and there is much swelling and inflammation, it may be that to at once determine the nature of the injury will not be possible, nor until after applica- tions of hot or cold water have been made to reduce the swelling. In a simple bruise there is merely pain and swelling, and possibly some loss of power in the leg, with slight changes in its appearance. But there is no un- natural motion below the point of injury, and no grating sound, as between the two ends of a broken bone. A sprain also lacks these last signs. As for the means of discriminating between a fracture and a dislocation, they have been already described. As a rule, broken bones will unite if their ends are brought together and kept in place. In very rare instances, however, they fail to do so and a so-called false joint is formed; the bones are either not united at all and easily movable on each other, or they are held together more or less firmly by cartilage or liga- ments. Sometimes also the false joint very closely resembles a true joint. If broken bones are not properly set or kept in place there is deformity. They may unite at an angle, making a crooked leg; or if there is destruction of a portion of a bone or overlapping of its fragments, the leg is shortened. Joints may also be rendered stiff by fractures which are near but do not enter them. In the treatment of fractured bones the first two essentials are to get the broken parts into their right places and keep them there until they unite or 258 KENNEL DISEASES. “knit together.” The union takes place by a natural process of growth, like that by which a wound is healed on the surface of the body. A thick colorless fluid — plastic lymph — is poured out around and between the ends of the broken bone. Gradually it changes to cartilage or “gristle,” and that eventually becomes solid bone. In “setting” a broken bone it is in most instances necessary to pull or stretch the leg, to overcome the shortening action of the muscles. At the same time, by proper manipulation and pressure over them, the fragments are to be adjusted. This done, means are required to keep the parts in place, and splints, bandages, etc., must be used. Although the pain caused by the operation may not be sufficiently intense to call for it, ether may be required because of the muscular resistance or struggles of the patient, and if so it should be administered. No unprofessional person should attempt, if avoidable, the treatment of a fracture without the aid of a sur- geon or duly qualified veterinary. It may happen, however, that at the time of the accident professional assistance cannot be obtained. It is therefore desi- rable, besides the foregoing considerations, that something be here said of the general requirements when fractures have occurred. Ordinary bandages cannot be applied to dogs with any reasonable hope of their remaining tight and in place, therefore, as a rule, the dressing must be of starch or plaster-of-Paris. In cases in which there is much swelling, or likely to be much, these dressings cannot, however, be used at first, and a splint must be temporarily adjusted. Splints of wood are generally out of the question, because of the difficulty of adapting them, and they must generally be of a material that can be easily bent and fashioned. Thin sheet-lead may do, but pasteboard is more serviceable. That should first be cut about the right shape and allowed to stand in water until it has begun to soften. It should then be limbered up a bit by being bent in various directions with the hands, then placed over the fracture after the bones have been restored to proper place; and finally be covered by compresses of cotton or linen. Even better splints can be made from a sheet of gutta-percha or wire gauze, but they are rarely easily and quickly obtainable. ‘As soon as the swelling has sufficiently subsided the temporary dressing should be displaced by one to be permanent ; and this had best be of plaster-of- Paris. Such a bandage might be applied directly after the injury but for the fact that dogs are so excitable and restless inflammation attended with much swelling is sure to be set up; in which event, of course, the bandage must be loosened; and that would be a very difficult matter were it made of plaster. A dressing of plaster may be constructed as follows : — Of old and thin cotton cloth, linen or cheese-cloth, cut bandages about two. inches wide and two or three yards long. Extend each strip on a table or a board, and on it, throughout its entire length, sprinkle powdered plaster-of-Paris. The layer of the powder should be of about the same thickness as the back of FRACTURES. 259 a common table-knife. Roll the bandage as tightly as possible, being careful not to shake off in the operation much of the powder. Prepare as many such bandages as will be required and have them at hand, together with a shallow basin containing water to the depth of a trifle over an inch. After applying vaselin, sweet oil or lard to the hair on the parts to be ban- daged, cover those parts with a few thin sheets of cotton wadding or a soft napkin. Now stand a bandage in the water, and after wetting one end, reverse it and wet the other. Securing the free end by pressure of the thumb of the left hand, unroll the bandage slowly and carefully, and while doing so perfectly adjust it to the leg. Having put on one bandage, wet another and apply it; and so on. Four or five thicknesses of the bandages will doubtless be required in making a good firm dressing. At each turn of a bandage it should be made to overlap about one-half of the previous turn. Care must be taken not to have the dress- ing too tight nor too loose. After the bandages are all on, wet the outside of them well and sprinkle over freely the powdered plaster; and then, without any delay, after dipping the hand in water, pass it over the dressing, wetting the powder and laying it down smoothly. This done several times, the dressing will not only be substantial but sightly as well. It will dry in two or three minutes if a little salt be added to the water used; and meanwhile the parts covered must be kept perfectly motionless. The dog will be quite sure to gnaw the dressing, therefore must thereafter be constantly watched or some protective adjustment be resorted to. Quite the best device is a circular piece of sole leather with a hole in its centre sufficiently large to admit the neck of the patient, and a cut between this hole and the outer edge, that it may be passed over his head. The sides of this cut can be laced or kept together by means of a strap with a buckle. A similar adjustment is used on horses to prevent their resting one foot on the other. To remove such a bandage is tedious work if the plaster-of-Paris is not soft- ened by a free use of vinegar. This done, it can be cut quite easily with knife or scissors. Another method which has been cordially recommended is to use a strong solution of bichloride of mercury; simply moistening the bandage along the line to be cut. A starch dressing is made by soaking the bandages in starch prepared as for the laundry. Several thicknesses of them are to be applied evenly and firmly, and thereafter the leg be kept in splints until they are dry. Whether the bandages are of starch or plaster they should be started at the foot and nicely applied to the entire leg, the pressure throughout being equal, otherwise swelling will result. Compound fractures or others over which the skin is badly bruised or lace- rated, also some peculiar breaks, require much more complicated treatment, which however, it is not necessary to discuss herein. A permanent dressing should be kept in place about five weeks if possible. 260 KENNEL DISEASES. SPRAINS. In accidents termed sprains very generally joints are injured, and simply wrenched or twisted, or there is momentary displacement, the ligaments or bands which hold the bones in position being stretched, or they may be partially or completely broken or torn. In cases of great severity, in which there is more or less extensive rupture of the ligaments, there at once occurs a sudden swelling and discoloration, which result from the pouring out of blood from the torn vessels into the tissues under the skin. Then follow more or less inflammation and lameness, which persist until the ruptured parts have healed; and this they do only very slowly, because the fibrous tissues of which the ligaments are constructed have only a low grade of vitality and not much blood is allowed them for nourishment. In consequence of the process of repair being so slow there is much truth in the old saying that oftentimes a bad sprain is worse than a fracture. Sprains are commonly the results of distortions of joints; they being over- bent or bent in a direction not provided for in the mechanical arrangement of their parts. The violence done to them of course may vary almost infinitely — from that which gives only a momentary twinge of pain and causes but a slight limp for a short time, to that which is followed by much suffering and complete disability of the leg affected. The signs of serious injury are pronounced and plainly suggest either a sprain or a fracture. The leg is carried, the foot not being allowed to touch the ground ; while extreme sensitiveness is displayed if any attempt at examination be made. A sprain of the hock, knee, or pastern is attended with noticeable swelling in severe cases, but it is scarcely ever prominent where the largest joints are injured. The belief has been quite prevalent that absolute rest of the parts involved is the most valuable means of repairing a sprain, and it doubtless is so in some cases; but certainly notin all. If the injury will permit of the foot touching the ground and some weight being borne by the affected leg, as a rule recovery will take place more quickly if moderate use is allowed than if rest were enforced. And since to distinguish between the two classes of cases is never easy, a dog suffering from sprain can best be left at liberty to move about as he pleases. Of external remedies, water as hot as can be borne in comfort is the best; and this should be applied for an hour at a time if possible, and at least twice daily. During the treatment the patient should be stood in a bathing- or wash- ing-tub and the parts drenched by means of a small basin or sponge. When a joint can be moved by the attendant without causing the patient to cry out or forcibly resist his touch, it may be accepted that it is no longer much inflamed, and that motion is not only admissible but will be beneficial. Massage may then be applied, and with dry hands or stimulating liniments, to overcome the re- maining stiffness and restore the normal suppleness of the joint. LAMENESS. 261 CHAPTER III. LAMENESS. Does are frequently more or less crippled temporarily, and by a variety of causes. The different forms of lameness closely resemble one another; and the treatment required in many instances is much the same. For these reasons to consider them individually and devote to each a separate section seems unneces- sary; therefore under this heading the most important will be included in a brief and general discussion. In one of the most common forms of lameness the exciting trouble is located in the stifle-joint; and it may be due to a wrench or sprain and stretching of the ligaments, or to an inflammation induced by a blow or kick, a run-over by a heavy carriage, or other direct injury. It is now and then at least partially at- tributable to a weakness of the joint induced by over-weight bodies; and cases of that class are furnished mainly by members of the largest breeds that are denied as much exercise as they ought to have, but still are fed generously. In these cases also usually the foundation of the lameness is laid in puppyhood, during which the cardinal quality to be attained by breeders is size; and with a latent weakness existing in that joint, a twist, wrench, even a slip while running, or a knock-over in play, may be productive of obstinate if not incurable lame- ness. Much has been written on stifle-joint lameness. That joint is not naturally very strong, and it is quite complicated, consequently might be easily disabled. But notwithstanding this, also the fact that there are various influences which are capable of crippling it, it is only reasonable to assume that in the most of the cases of lameness the real cause is dislocation of the patella. Such accident occurring and detected, the remedy is easy. If, however, the trouble is not discovered, destructive changes are allowed to occur in the joint, and to return the bone to its place is no longer possible, treatment can scarcely be encouraged, for the victim is permanently deformed. This form of lameness, as a rule, comes on quite suddenly. If the victim is laid on the unaffected side and the foot of the injured leg drawn forward, the pain induced is intense; while firm and deep pressure over the joint is also very painful. When standing, if not interfered with, he assumes a position which is quite characteristic of stifle-joint lameness, namely, his injured leg 262 KENNEL DISEASES. is behind the sound one, the toe of the former just touching the ground; from which however he is canstantly raising it, but only slightly, evidently in conse- quence of pain. Manifestly this is greatly intensified when he attempts to move about, which he does stiffly and with exceeding difficulty, his back being arched and all the upper muscles of the affected leg tense and hard. Ere long the injured joint is noticeably enlarged, much of the swelling being on the inner side. It grows stiffer and stiffer, and movements of it more and more painful. While, the result of being disused, the muscles of the leg waste steadily, and eventually it is much smaller than the sound one. If left to himself, without proper treatment, nearly a year may pass before a dog so crippled exhibits marked signs of improvement and he is able to get about fairly well. But even then the affected parts are very weak, and he has only to exert himself a little to be quite as lame as ever. If, however, he does not have any serious drawback, the chances are that in the course of another six months he will have made very decided gain and be able to move around quite easily ; but he will be a cripple always, and, the joint permanently stiff, he will carry his leg as though it were made of wood. Moreover, it being much bent and the joint abnormally large, he must be an unsightly object ; and even more pitiable if the opposite leg, as is sometimes the case, be drawn out of shape by Nature’s effort to compensate and adjust this to the leg deformed in conse- quence of the injury. In every instance of stifle lameness the first step to be taken is to determine positively: whether or not there is dislocation of the patella. Satisfied that that bone is in place, the dog should be put into quarters by himself. They should be small, and if a pen, the walls should be open so that he can look out even while lying down. They should also be at a distance from other dogs, and free from all disturbing influences. Here he should remain until all signs of in- flammation have disappeared from the affected joint. If he is full-blooded, he ought to have a purgative occasionally ; and be kept on a diet of milk, rice, gruels, and other bland foods. At first the inflammation of the joint should have the same treatment as a sprain — frequent and long- continued applications of hot water. After a week or ten days there may be ap- plied twice daily a liniment made of equal parts of the oil of origanum, spirit of ammonia, tincture of opium and olive-oil. This acts exceedingly well in all cases of joint trouble characterized by chronic stiffness and soreness. It is very strong, however, and should be used cautiously. The friction with which it is employed should be gentle; and care be taken that it does not get into the eyes or onto the lips, nor where the skin is scratched. It will also be well to cover with dry flannel the parts to which it has been applied. It may raise blis- ters, and if so, of course should be discontinued until they have healed. Having used this for several weeks, if the swelling of the joint is not much less than at first and slowly disappearing, the liniment should be discontinued LAMENESS. 263 and the swollen parts painted daily with the tincture of iodine, several coats of the same being put on at every sitting. This may be persisted in for a month or more, being stopped for a short time now and then if the skin becomes too much irritated. That it be kept slightly irritated, however, is desirable, drawing as it will then the inflammation from within the joint. In severe cases of stifle-joint lameness it will usually be necessary to main- tain as near absolute rest as possible for two or three months. If then the inflammation has not disappeared from the joint, the period of rest must be pro- longed until it is out. That having ended, walking exercise may be allowed ; but it must be gentle and nicely adjusted for several weeks, otherwise the joint may be again inflamed. The so-called kennel lameness is wrongly attributed to close confinement and deprivation of exercise, for its real cause is rheumatism. In all cases, on thorough investigation, the fact must be uncovered that either their quarters are not healthy, but, instead, are draughty or damp, or the victims are mismanaged after having been worked hard, and allowed to become chilled. No dogs are exempt from this affection, and, strangely, considering the preva- lent delusion as to its cause, sporting dogs are the most frequent sufferers; which is not surprising since often they are afield all day, and instead of being rubbed dry and carefully housed at night, are left to “ shift for themselves.” When kennel lameness is coming on the dog is disinclined to make exertion, and keeps much to his kennel and bench. He gets up with evident reluctance and some difficulty, and walks about stiffly for a time, when he seems to limber up abit. If lifted or an attempt to examine him be made, he shrinks or cries out. Ere long there is a decided change in demeanor, and the bright, active and willing dog usually becomes notably dull, sluggish, irritable, and sullen. A mor- bid appetite is another common manifestation in this trouble. The peculiarity of often emitting short and sharp half-howls and half-barks is also frequently observed. This “kennel lameness,” when detected early and rightly treated, very gen- erally speedily disappears. The first step demanded is to remove the patient from his usual quarters — which, by the way, may be faulty notwithstanding no defect can be discovered — and put him into others that are above suspicion. In his new place he should be accessible to sunlight much of the day, and kept warm and free from dampness and draughts. As for medicinal treatment and other essentials in the way of management, they are to be found, fully described, under the head of Rheumatism. Foot-soreness is quite a common cause of lameness, especially among sport- ing dogs, and it can properly be herein included with other forms. The trouble manifests a decided preference for old dogs, although the young are by no means exempt. Under ordinary conditions the thick and hard covering of the pad of a dog’s 264 KENNEL DISEASES. foot is reproduced with sufficient rapidity to fully replace that which is worn off. The hunting season over and a dog laid up, as it were, fora time that reproduc- tion is much less active; but the wear becoming great again the process of re- newal is quickened to meet the changed conditions. There are limits, however, and it is possible for the loss by wear to be decidedly in excess of the new supply. Hence if a dog is taken from his kennels and put afield very early in the season, and made to do fast and hard work before he has been properly brought up to it by moderate work or exercise, and his pads, which have softened during his lay off, have become toughened, firm, and hard, there is certainly a liability of his wearing through the covering, exposing the sensitive portion of the foot, and in consequence suffering from lameness. Foot-soreness is easily made out on examination ; and the essential treatment is very simple. The foot must be first soaked well in tepid water, and afterward thoroughly cleaned. It should then be covered with absorbent cotton, and in- closed in a small cloth bag. A solution of the chloride of zinc — two grains, to water one ounce — having been obtained, the cotton and bag should be wet with it, and over all can wisely be drawn another bag, to serve as a boot, made of chamois skin, kid, or other thin leather; and that be fastened at the ankle by means of a tape. As often as necessary to keep the dressing moist, a little of the solution should be poured into the boot. Unless the case be a very aggravated one the soreness should generally have disappeared at the end of a week or ten days; but thereafter for a time it would be advisable to dress the foot and apply the solution in like manner after every hard day’s work. Dew-claws are occasionally the cause of lameness. They are sometimes torn off, and the wound left as a rule heals very slowly.