Beeton's book of poultry and domestic animals - Thurman Lodge ...

worst symptom of all is when the breath is exceedingly ho*
and foul, and when the belly and the extremities feel cold to
the touch. Even then, however, so long as it keeps on its legs
and is able to walk there may be a chance of recovery.
" During the recovery from distemper, small and delicate
animals, terriers and spaniels, are very liable to faint. The
dog is lively, perhaps excited, when suddenly it falls upon its
side and all its Umbs stiffen. A series of these attacks may
follow one another, though generally one only occurs ; when
numerous and rapid there is some danger, but as a general
rule httle apprehension is to be entertained. The fainting fits
are of some consequence if they exist during a sickening for or
maturing of distemper. In pups that have not passed the
climax of the disease they are not unseldom the cause of death ;
but even in that case I [Mr. Mayhew] have never been con-
vinced that the measures adopted for the relief did not kill
quite as much or even more than the affliction. When the
symptom is mistaken and the wrong remedies are resorted to,
the fainting fits wiU often continue for hours or never be overcome.
When let alone the attack does not last, as a rule,
more than a quarter of an hour, and under judicious treatment
the consciousness almost immediately returns. When the
fainting fits occur during the progress or advance of the disease,
that is, before the symptoms have begun to amend, it is usually
preceded by signs of aggravation. For twelve or twenty-four
houi'S previously the dog is perceptibly worse ; it may moan or
cry, and yet no organ seem to be more decidedly affected than be-
fore. I attribute the sounds made to headache, and, confirming
this opinion there is always some heat at the scalp. The un-
certain character of the disease renders it a difficult matter to
lay down laws for its treatment ; there can be no doubt, how-
ever, that food and exercise have much influence over the
complaint, in whatever shape it may appear. Everything sweet
and everything fat must be rigorously withheld. Skim-milk
even is preferable to new, and ship-biscuit to be chosen before
wheaten bread. If these two latter articles can be procured a
more wholesome dish of bread and milk may be prepared witli
them than with any other. Boiled rice may be given in con-
siderable quantity, moistened—and this is the extreme limit as
regards animal food—with broth from which every pai-ticle of
fat has been skimmed. Whatever the sop consist of let it be
I'OLD before offered to the sick animal."
Should the disease appear to be conquered your care of the