Treatment: Rub well into the pads night and morning some borate of glycerine. The loose horn should be removed with scissors. Give the dog cooling medicine, from three[1] to twenty grains of sulphate of magnesia, also from two[1] to ten grains of bicarbonate of potash twice a day with the food. Exercise the dog for a time on grass.
Feet (Swelling between Toes):
Symptoms: A swelling often suddenly forms between the toes, which makes the dog go exceedingly lame, and in fact, he is often unable to put the foot to the ground. As the swelling increases in size, it soon becomes soft, and as a rule quickly breaks.
Treatment: Directly the swelling is noticed, a hot bread poultice should be applied, and repeated two or three times until the swelling is quite soft, and then it should be freely opened and the parts scraped out. The wound should be kept open for two or three days by packing it with a little boracic wool or carbolic gauze, otherwise if it heals too quickly it gathers again. The dog should have a dose of purgative medicine, and in chronic cases when the swelling keeps reappearing first in one foot and then in another, a course of arsenic should be given, as from one[1] to eight drops of liq. arsenicalis in from one[1] to four teaspoonfuls of water. Repeat the medicine twice a day, and give after food. Dogs subject to this complaint should be fed principally on dog biscuits.
Fever:
This is a condition of the body characterised by an increase of temperature, shivering, lassitude, and loss of appetite; and, as a rule, is a symptom of some specific disease; but on some occasions it occurs as a result of some unascertainable cause, and generally in such cases the rise of temperature, which may go up to as much as 104 degs. F., is only temporary. This is more particularly the case in young puppies. This condition also occurs in dogs after exertion, especially when not in condition, as after a long walk on a hot day; but when due to such causes, the temperature soon drops, and is normal in a couple of hours, without any treatment. But if a dog, from whatever cause, ascertainable or not, continues feverish, say over twenty-four hours, some medicine should be given to relieve it, such as from two[1] to ten grains of salicylate of soda, or from one-half[1] to five grains of phenacetin; but this latter medicine should never be given to a dog in a low condition, as there is always a danger of causing collapse by inducing heart failure. Either of these medicines may be repeated every four hours, but if after twenty-four hours the temperature still keeps more than two degrees above normal, then salicylate of quinine should be tried: doses, from one[1] to five grains given in a cachet, or made into a pill, and repeated once in six hours. There are occasions when no medicine seems to have any permanent effect upon the temperature, and in such cases the application of an ice-bag to the head for an hour or so may be often applied with great advantage. A sheep’s bladder makes a capital bag for small dogs. The ice should be broken in small pieces, and the temperature taken from time to time whilst the bag is on, so that one can see whether the temperature is going down or not, as it is not advisable to reduce it below normal.
Fistula of Anus:
Symptoms: A small wound running from the side of the anus in an inward direction, and in many cases opening into the bowel. There is generally some discharge from the wound, and a good deal of irritation, which keeps the dog constantly licking the parts.
Treatment: The quickest and surest cure is to have the sinus freely laid open, and afterwards foment and keep the wound clean with hot boracic lotion—1 drachm to eight ounces of water.