Remedial Means for the Cure of Diseases
There are but few remedies useful for the cure of diseases in the human race that might not he employed by a skilful practitioner in overcoming the same or different ailments in the dog. There are, however, several drugs that cannot be used in the same proportions for the one as for the other, without danger of producing fatal consequences, as instanced in
calomel
, a medicine so often abused by those who pretend to a knowledge of its administration in the maladies of dogs.
This article, though given with impunity to mankind in doses varying from five grains to twenty grains, as also oftentimes administered to horses in quantities three or four times as great, without any appreciable effect, will not unfrequently, in minute doses of three grains to four grains, produce the most violent symptoms in the strongest dogs. We have seen severe vomiting and purging occasioned by these small doses, and we once salivated a large mastiff by the administration of two blue pills. It is thus that both the regular physician, and even the veterinary surgeon, unacquainted with this remarkable peculiarity, will make fatal mistakes; and how much oftener must such blunders take place when we intrust our canine friends to the care of stable-boys, or a "routine horse-doctor!"
Nux vomica
,
medicine much used, and most important in the treatment of all nervous affections, is particularly noxious to dogs even in small quantities; a dose sufficient for a human subject under some circumstances, would almost inevitably destroy the animal under the same or analogous conditions.
A drachm of the powdered nux vomica is sufficient to destroy the largest and most powerful dog, while a few grains will sometimes produce death in a few minutes if administered to smaller animals.
We prescribed forty grains in a roll of butter for a worthless cur a short time since, which, as expected, produced great anxiety, difficulty of respiration, severe vomiting, tremors, spasmodic twitchings of the muscles, convulsions, and ultimate death in the course of half an hour. This powerful drug acts by causing a spasmodic stricture of the muscles engaged in respiration, as no signs of inflammation are observable in the stomach and other organs after death.
Spirits of turpentine
,
remedy both simple and innocent in its operations upon the human economy, and so frequently prescribed for the expulsion of worms from the bowels, is a dangerous medicine for a dog, and will often in very small quantities prove fatal.
Aloes
, a medicine more extensively used in canine pathology than any other in the
materia medica,
is also very peculiar in its operations upon these animals, they being able to bear immense doses of it, in fact quite sufficient to produce death if given to a hearty man.
Thus we might continue to enumerate other drugs which we have ascertained, from practical observation as well as the experiments of other, to exercise a peculiar action on the vital functions of the whole canine race, quite at variance with that common to both man and the other domestic animals.
In combating with the diseases of animals, the veterinary surgeon has more to contend with than the regular physician, and, in fact, should possess a knowledge and habit of observation even superior to the former; although the responsibility of his calling, in a moral sense, is much inferior to that of the other, as the importance of animal existence, under no circumstances, can be placed in comparison with that of human life: still acuteness of observation alone can direct him to the main cause of suffering in the brute creation, as the animal, though groaning under the most severe pains, cannot by any word of explanation point out to us the seat, the probable cause, or peculiar characteristics of such pain. We see that our dog is ill, he refuses his food, retires gloomily to his house, looks sullen, breathes heavy, is no longer delighted at our call. We cannot question him as to his feelings, or ask him to point out the particular region of his sufferings; we watch his motions, study his actions, and rely for our diagnosis upon general symptoms deduced from close observation.
Besides these external ocular evidences of morbid action, we have, as in the human subject, guides to direct us in forming a just opinion as to the nature of a dog's indisposition.
state of the
circulation
is the first thing that should command our particular attention.
The pulse of dogs in health varies from
one hundred to one hundred and twenty strokes per minute,
according to the size and peculiar temperament of the animal, being more frequent in the small breeds.
The standard of the setter, pointer, hound, &c., may be stated at one hundred and five.
The action of the heart may be felt by placing the hand immediately over that organ, or applying the fingers to several points in the body and limbs where the large arteries are somewhat superficial, as on the inside of the fore-knee and the thigh of the hind-leg.
If the pulse in a state of rest exceeds the average standard in frequency, regularity, and softness, and a general feeling of uneasiness be present, together with reddened eyes, warm nose, and coated tongue, we know at once that there is an unnatural derangement of the vital functions, and that
fever
in some form is present. The next question to determine is, upon what does this fever depend? whether it be idiopathic, arising from morbific causes difficult to define, or whether it be sympathetic, with some organic affection yet to be discovered.
The appearance of the
tongue
in canine diseases will often materially assist us in forming a correct diagnosis; this organ in simple fever loses its rose-colour and becomes pale and coated, the gums and fæces also participate in this change.
If, however, the tongue be much furred, with a bright inflammatory appearance around the edges, with high arterial excitement, and disgust of food, with general anxiety and craving for water in small but frequent quantities,
inflammation of the stomach or bowels
may be suspected. If, on the other hand, the tongue remains brown and streaked, with less action of the pulse, variable appetite and diminution of pain, derangement of the
liver
may be apprehended.
If, in connection with some or all of the above symptoms, the
breathing
be laboured and painful, with a disposition to remain in the erect or sitting position, with great anxiety and general distress, we must look to the
pulmonic viscera
as the seat of the disease.
Thus, by examining each and every individual symptom of disease, the intelligent sportsman will soon be able to arrive at the proximate cause of all this unnatural state of things, and then he will be competent to administer such remedies as may seem most likely to afford relief. Without these precautions, however, he would often be groping in the dark, and, consequently, not unfrequently, apply those remedies more calculated to aggravate than cure the malady.
[Contents]/[Detailed Contents, p. 4]/[Index]
[Chapter VI — Description of the Skeleton — Diseases of the Nervous System]
The Head and its Functions | The Trunk | ||
| 1. | The intermaxillary bone | a. | The ligamentum nuchæ (3) |
| 2. | Nasal bone | I-VII. | The seven vertebræ of the neck |
| 3. | Maxilla superior (2) | 13. | The thirteen dorsal vertebræ |
| 4. | Lachrymal bone | 7. | The seven lumbar vertebræ |
| 5. | Zygomatic bone | 21. | Os sacrum, or rump-bone |
| 6. | Orbit of the eye | 22. | Twenty caudal vertebræ — vertebræ of the tail |
| 7. | Frontal bone | 23. | The left os innominatum |
| 8. | Summit of the head | 24. | Right ditto |
| 9. | Occipital bones (2) | The nine true ribs, with their cartilages | |
| 10. | Temporal bones (3) | The four false ribs, with their cartilages | |
| 11. | Inferior maxillary or jaw bones (3) | o. | The sternum. |
| 12. | Seven inferior maxillary molar teeth (x2) | ||
| 13. | Six molar teeth of the superior jaw (x2) | ||
| 14. | Canine teeth of the superior and inferior jaws. | ||
| 15. | Three incisor teeth of the superior maxillary bone | ||
| 16. | The three inferior ditto | ||
|
| ||
| 1. | The scapula, or shoulder-blade | 1. | Radius — the lesser bone of the arm (2) |
| 2. | Os humeri, or shoulder (2) | 2. | Ulna — the elbow (2) |
| 3. | Radius — the lesser bone of the arm (2) | 3. | Os triquetrum — triangular bone |
| 4. | Ulna — the elbow (2) | 4. | Os naviculare — the navicular bone |
| 5. | Os naviculare — the navicular bone | 5. | Os semilunare, or semilunar bone |
| 6. | Os triquetrum, or triangulare | 6. | Os multangulum majus — the larger multangular bone |
| 7. | Os pisiforine, or pisiform bone | 7. | Os multangulum minus — the small multangular bone |
| 8. | Os semilunare, or semilunar bone | 8. | Os metacarpi digiti pollicis — the thumb |
| 9. | Os capitatum — the nail | 9. | Ossa metacarpi digitorum quatuor — the four bones of the metacarpi |
| 10. | Os metacarpi digiti tertii — the third metacarpal bone. | 10. | Phalanx prima pollicis — first phalange of the thumb |
| 11. | Os metacarpi digiti quarti — fourth metacarpal | 11. | Phalanx tertia pollicis — third phalange of ditto |
| 12. | Os metacarpi digiti quinti | 12. | Digiti quatuor — fourth phalange of ditto |
| 13. | the first digits of the fore-feet (4) | ||
| 14. | The second ditto (4) | ||
| 15. | The third ditto | ||
| 16. | The sessamoid bone | ||
|
| ||
| 1. | Os femoris — thigh-bone (2) | 1. | Os femoris — thigh-bone (2) |
| 2. | Patella — the knee-pan (2) | 2. | Patella — the knee-pan (2) |
| 3. | Tibia — the shank of the leg (2) | 3. | Tibia — the shank of the leg (2) |
| 4. | Fibula — the small bone of ditto (2) | 4. | Fibula — the small bone of ditto (2) |
| 5. | Calcareus — the heel | 5. | Calcareus — the heel |
| 6. | Astragalus — one of the seven bones of the tarsus | 6. | Astragalus — one of the seven bones ofthe tarsus |
| 7. | Os naviculare — the navicular bone | 7. | Os naviculare — the navicular bone |
| 8. | Os cuboideum — or cubic bone | 8. | Os cuneiforma primum et medium |
| 9. | Os cuneiforma tertium et maximum | 9. | Os cuboideum — or cubic bone |
| 10. | Os metatarsi digiti quarti. | 10. | Os cuneiforma tertium et maximum |
| 11. | Os metatarsi digiti tertii | 11. | Os cuneiforma secundum et minimum. |
| 12. | Os metatarsi digiti secundi | 12. | Radimentum ossis metatarsi hallucis |
| 13. | Os metatarsi digiti primi | 13. | Os metatarsi digiti primi |
| 14. | Phalanges primæ digitorum pedis | 14. | Os metatarsi digiti secundi |
| 15. | Phalanges secundæ | 15. | Os metatarsi digiti tertii |
| 16. | Phalanges tertiæ | 16. | Phalanges primæ digitorum pedis |
| 17. | Os sesamoideum — the sessamoid | 17. | Phalanges secundæ. |
| 18. | Phalanges tertiæ. | ||
| 19. | Os sesamoideum — the sessamoid |
[Contents]/[Detailed Contents, p. 4]/[Index]