Lumbago:
Symptoms: A form of rheumatism affecting the loins. The dog shows signs of much pain when walking or upon pressure to the parts. Dogs affected with lumbago often lose all power for a time in the hind legs; in fact, it is the cause of many cases of paraplegia.
Treatment: See [Rheumatism].
Lungs (Inflammation of):
Symptoms: Not a common ailment of dogs, except in cases of distemper or influenza, but it may result from cold. The attack generally commences with rigors or shivering; the temperature rises to 103 or 104, in some cases even higher; pulse is increased in frequency, full and hard. The breathing is quick, and at each expiration the dog may give a suppressed grunt. The chest is tender on pressure. If the ear is put to the chest, crepitation will be detected; and as the disease advances, the parts of the lungs affected become quite dull, and there are no sounds to be heard except the air passing in and out of the large tubes. At the commencement of the attack, the dog may have a husky cough, but it generally stops after a day or so, to commence again later. The dog is generally off his food, and the eyes are congested.
Treatment: Place the dog in a jacket lined with thermogen wool, or apply hot linseed-meal poultices right round chest. If no better on second day, apply a blister to front of chest; the liquor epipasticus is as good as anything. The hair must first be cut off closely over the part, and the blister rubbed into the skin for five minutes. If the skin is not blistered the next day, rub a little red blister ointment into the place. Care must be taken that the dog is not allowed to lick the blisters, as they are poisonous. For medicine give from one[1] to ten grains of phenacetin every six hours to reduce the temperature, but it must not be continued for long; brandy may also be given in small quantities often. If the dog becomes very weak and the pulse feeble, give every four or six hours from two[1] to ten drops of Tincture Digitalis, with from one[1] to five drops of Tincture Nux Vomica, in water. In bad cases the inhalation of oxygen relieves the distressing breathing. It is important to keep the bowels open; in fact, it is generally a good plan to give a purge at first. The diet must be light, and consist of milk, beef-tea, meat extracts, and such like food.
Lupus:
See [Lips (Sore)].
Maggots:
Dogs with a long coat kept in a dirty state sometimes become infested with maggots, especially in those parts near the tail.