Spasmodic Cough
is a troublesome disease to manage. Dogs, and especially those considerably petted, are subject to frequent cough, requiring a material difference in the treatment. Sometimes there is a husky cough, not to so great a degree as in distemper, but followed by the same apparent effort to get something from the throat, the same attempt to vomit, and the ejection of mucus, frothy or adhesive, and occasionally discoloured with bile. It proceeds from irritability or obstruction in some of the air-passages, and oftenest of the superior ones. An emetic will clear the fauces, or at least force out a portion of the adhesive matter which is clogging the bronchial tubes.
A cough of this kind, and attended in its early stages by little fever, seldom requires anything more for its cure than the exhibition of a few gentle emetics, consisting of equal portions of calomel and emetic tartar, given in doses varying from half a grain to one grain and a half of each.
A harsh hollow cough is attended by more inflammatory action. The depletive system must be adopted here. A loud and harsh cough will yield only to the lancet and to purgatives, assisted by sedative medicines composed of nitre, antimonial powder, and digitalis, or small doses of syrup of poppies, or more minute doses of the hydrocyanic acid; this last medicine, however, should be carefully watched, and only given under surgical advice.
28th October, 1842
. A spaniel was apparently well yesterday, but towards evening a violent cough suddenly came on. It was harsh and hollow, and terminated in retching. There was a discharge of water from the eyes; but the nose was cool and moist. Give an emetic, and then two grains of the James's powder.
29th
The animal coughed almost the whole of the night. There was more watery discharge from the eyes, which appeared to be red and impatient of light; the nose continued cool, and the dog did not refuse his food. An aperient ball was given; and twice afterwards in the day, the nitre, antimonial powder, and digitalis.
30th
. The cough is as frequent, but not very loud. Give a mixture of syrup of poppies and prussic acid morning and night, and the ball as yesterday.
31st
. Nearly in the same state as yesterday, except that he is not so thirsty, and does not eat so well. Give the mixture three times daily.
Nov. 1st.
He had an emetic in the morning, which produced a large quantity of phlegm, but the cough is no better. No evacuation during the two last days. Give an aperient ball, and the mixture as before in the evening.
The prussic acid has been fairly tried; it has not in the least mitigated the cough, but begins to make the dog sick, and altogether to destroy his appetite. Give three times in the day a mixture consisting of two-thirds of a drachm of syrup of poppies, and one-third of syrup of buckthorn. The sickness ceased, and the cough remained as before, I then gave twice in the day half a grain of calomel, the same of opium, two each of pulvis antimonialis and digitalis, and four grains of nitre, morning and noon, with six grains of the Dovers powder at night. This was continued on the
3d, 4th
and
5th
of November, when there were longer intervals of rest, and the dog did not cough so harshly when the fit was on him.
On the
6th
, however, no medicine was given; but towards evening the dog coughed as much as ever, and a decided mucous discharge commenced from the nose and the eyes, with considerable snorting. An emetic was given, and the balls resorted to as before.
7th
. He appeared to be much relieved by the emetic. The cough was better, the dog ate well, and had regained his usual spirits. The ball as before.
9th
. Slight
tenesmus
now appeared. It quickly became frequent and violent. The dog strained very much; but the discharge was small in quantity, and consisted of adhesive mucus. Give two drachms of castor oil, and the fever ball with opium. The cough is worse, and the dog still continues to strain, no blood, however, appearing.
11th
. The opium and oil have had their desired effect, and the cough is better.
12th
, Except the animal is kept under the influence of opium, the cough is dreadfully troublesome. I have, however, obtained one point. I have been permitted to subtract four ounces of blood; but blood had been mingling with the expectorated mucus before I was permitted to have recourse to the lancet.
13th
. The dog is better, and we again have recourse to the fever mixture, to which, on the 14th, I added a very small portion of the carbonate of iron, for the dog was evidently getting weak. The sickness has returned, and the cough is decidedly worse.
16th
. Rub a small quantity of rheumatic embrocation, and tincture of cantharides.
17th
. The first application of the blister had not much effect; but this morning it began to act. The dog ran about the house as cross as he could be for more than an hour; there was considerable redness on the throat and chest. The cough, however, was decidedly better.
18th
. The cough is better. Again apply the embrocation.
19th
. The cough and huskiness have returned. Employ an emetic, and continue the embrocation.
20th
. The cough is decidedly worse. Continue the embrocation, and give the fever mixture.
23d
. The embrocation and medicine have been daily used; but the cough is as bad as ever. Balls of assafoetida, squills, and opium were had recourse to.
25th
. The second ball produced the most distressing sickness, but the cough was evidently relieved. The assafoetida was discontinued.
28th
. The cough, during the last two days, has been gradually getting worse. It is more laborious and longer, and the intervals between it are shorter. Give another emetic and continue the other medicine.
30th
. The effect of the emetic was temporary, and the cough is again worse.
Dec. 2d.
Very little change.
5th
. The cough appears to be stationary. Again have recourse to the antimony, digitalis, and nitre.
8th
. The cough is certainly better. Try once more the assafoetida. It again produced sickness, but of a very mild character.
12th
. The assafoetida was again used used morning and night. The cough continues evidently to abate.
14th
. The dog coughs very little, not more than half-a-dozen times in the day. Notwithstanding the quantity of medicine that has been taken, the appetite is excellent, and the spirits good.
16th.
The cough is still less frequent, but when it occurs it is attended with retching.
19th
. The cough is daily getting better, and is not heard more than three or four times in the four-and-twenty hours, and then very slight.
30th
. At length I can say that the cough has ceased. It is seldom that so much trouble would have been taken with a dog. It is the neglect of the medical attendance which is often the cause of death.
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