Diseases of the Nervous System: Epilepsy
in the dog assumes a most fatal character. It is an accompaniment, or a consequence, of almost every other disease. When the puppy is undergoing the process of dentition, the irritation produced by the pressure of the tooth, as it penetrates the gum, leads on to epilepsy. When he is going through the stages of distemper, with a very little bad treatment, or in spite of the best, fits occur. The degree of intestinal irritation which is caused by worms, is marked by an attack of epilepsy. If the usual exercise be neglected for a few days, and the dog is taken out, and suffered to range as he likes, the accumulation of excitability is expended in a fit.
The dog is, without doubt, the most intellectual animal. He is the companion and the friend of man: he exhibits, and is debased by some of his vices; but, to a greater degree than many will allow, he exhibits all the intelligence and the virtues of the biped. In proportion to his bulk, the weight of his brain far exceeds that of any other quadruped — the very smallest animals alone being excepted, in whom there must be a certain accumulation of medullary matter in order to give origin to the nerves of every system, as numerous in the minutest as in him of greatest bulk.
As it has been said of the human being that great power and exertion of the mental faculties are sometimes connected with a tendency to epilepsy, and, as violent emotions of joy or of grief have been known to be followed by it, I can readily account for its occurrence in the young dog, when frightened at the chiding of his master, or by the dread of a punishment which he was conscious that he had deserved. Then, too, I can understand that, when breaking loose from long confinement, he ranges in all the exuberance of joy; and especially when he flushes almost his first covey, and the game falls dead before him, his mental powers are quite overcome, and he falls into an epileptic fit.
treatment of epilepsy in the dog is simple, yet often misunderstood. It is connected with distemper in its early stage. It is the produce of inflammation of the mucous passages generally, which an emetic and a purgative will probably, by their direct medicinal effect, relieve, and free the digestive passages from some source of irritation, and by their mechanical action unburthen the respiratory ones.
When it is symptomatic of a weak state of the constitution, or connected with the after stages of distemper, the emeto-purgative must be succeeded by an anodyne, or, at least, by that which will strengthen, but not irritate the patient.
A
is an admirable auxiliary in epilepsy connected with distemper; it is a counter-irritant and a derivative, and its effects are a salutary discharge, under the influence of which inflammation elsewhere will gradually abate.
I should, however, be cautious of
in distemper fits. I should be fearful of it even in an early stage, because I well know that the acute form of that general mucous inflammation soon passes over, and is succeeded by a debility, from the depression of which I cannot always rouse my patient. When the fits proceed from dentition, I lance the jaws, and give an emetic, and follow it up with cooling purgative medicine. When they are caused by irregular and excessive exercise, I open the bowels and make my exercise more regular and equable. When they arise from excitation, I expose my patient more cautiously to the influence of those things which make so much impression on his little but susceptible mind.
If the fit has resisted other means, bleeding should be resorted to. A fit in other animals is generally connected with dangerous determination of blood to the head, and bleeding is imperative. A fit in the dog may be the consequence of sudden surprise and irritation. If I had the means I should see whether I could not break the charm; whether I could not get rid of the disturbance, by suddenly affecting the nervous system, and the system generally, in another way. I would seize him by the nape of the neck, and, with all my force, dash a little cold water in his face. The shock of this has often dispersed the epileptic agency, as it were by magic. I would give an emeto-purgative; a grain or a grain and a half of calomel and the same quantity of tartar emetic: I would soothe and coax the poor animal. Then, — and if I saw it at the beginning, I would do it early, — if the fit was more dependent upon, or was beginning to be connected with, determination of blood to the head, and not on any temporary cause of excitation or irritation, I would bleed freely from the jugular.
following singular case of epilepsy is narrated by M.W. Leblanc:
A dog of small size, three years old, was very subject to those epileptic fits that are so frequent among dogs. After a considerable period, the fits would cease, and the animal recover the appearance of perfect health; but the more he advanced in age the more frequent were the fits, which is contrary to that which usually happens.
The last fit was a very strong one, and was followed by peculiar symptoms. The animal became dispirited. The eyes lost their usual lively appearance, and the eyelids were often closed. The dog was very drowsy, and, during sleep, there were observed, from time to time, spasmodic movements, principally of the head and chest.
He always lay down on the left side
. When he walked, he had a marked propensity to turn to the left.
M. Leblanc employed purgatives, a seton to the back part of the neck, and the application of the cautery to the left side of the forehead; but nothing would stop the progress of the disease, and he died in the course of two months after the last fit. The nearer he approached his end the smaller were the circles that he took; and, in the latter part of his existence, he did little more than turn as if he were on a pivot, and, when the time arrived that he could walk no more, he used to lay himself down on the right side.
On the
post-mortem
examination, a remarkable thickness of the meninges was found on almost the whole of the left lobe of the brain. The
dura mater
, the two leaves of the arachnoid membrane, and the
pia mater
did not constitute more than one membrane of the usual thickness, and presented a somewhat yellow colouring. The cerebral substance of the left lobe appeared to be a little firmer than that of the right lobe. The fissures of the cerebral devolutions were much less deep than those of the other side The red vessels which ran in the fissures were of smaller size, and in some places could scarcely be discovered.
Confinement, over-feeding, blows on the head or spine, drying up of old ulcers, repelling of cutaneous affections, or, in fact, anything that is liable to derange the general health of the animal, will produce epileptic fits.
We formerly had a beagle hound of very active temperament, which we were necessarily obliged to keep much confined while in the city; and to restrain her from running too wildly when taken into the streets, we were in the habit of coupling her with a greyhound of much milder disposition. Not being willing to submit lamely to this unpleasant check upon her liberty, she was ever making fruitless attempts to escape, either by thrusting herself forwards, or obstinately pulling backwards. These efforts resulted on several occasions in fits, produced by congestion of the brain, owing to the pressure of the collar on the neck, thereby interrupting the circulation, and inducing an influx of blood to those parts. We were ultimately obliged to abandon this method of restraint, which nearly proved fatal to our much-admired beagle: she being suddenly seized with one of these fits on a hot summer's day in one of our principal thoroughfares, the crowd of ignorant bystanders concluded it to be a case of rabies, and nothing but my taking her up in my arms, and carrying her from the scene of action, saved her from falling a victim to their ignorance.
If the disease appears dependent upon plethora the result of confinement and gross living, the animal must be reduced by bleeding and purging, low diet, and exercise. If, however, the malady proceeds from weakness, as is sometimes the case in bitches while suckling a large litter, it will be necessary to relieve her of some of the pups, and supply her with the most nutritious diet, as also administer tonic balls; the following will answer.
[Symbol: Rx]: Extract of Gentian, Quassia, ââ (each) grs. V, made into two pills, and one or two given morning and evening;
or,
[Symbol: Rx]: Powdered Columbo. Carbonate of Iron, ââ , grs. V, made into two pills, and one given morning and evening, or more frequently if desirable.
A seton placed in the pole will often prevent these attacks, particularly when depending upon slight cerebral irritation, accompanying distemper and mange. Blisters and frictions to the spine are also serviceable. — L.
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