BARRENNESS
Cause.—Either the extreme of overfeeding and insufficient exercise or of overworking and insufficient supply of food. Contraction of the neck of the womb or atrophy of the ovaries may produce barrenness. There are also other conditions that produce failure to breed, such as inflammation or growths in the womb or ovaries, leucorrhea, etc.
Symptoms.—If due to Leucorrhea there will be a white, glary discharge from the vagina, which looks like curdled milk. It sometimes accumulates in the uterus and comes away in large quantities and there is a fetid smell. The animal generally becomes debilitated. In other cases, where there is a contraction of the womb or atrophy of the ovaries, no abnormal conditions will be noticed except that the animal fails to conceive when bred.
Treatment.—Use both local and constitutional treatment. Feed sparingly on nitrogenous food that is easily digested. Allow to exercise moderately and the bitch may become fertile, if no morbid conditions are present. If the animal is constipated administer one to two ounces of Castor Oil and if in a run-down, debilitated condition give Pulv. Nux Vomica, Pulv. Ginger Root, Pulv. Ferri Sulphate, each one dram. Make into thirty-two capsules and give one capsule three times daily.
BRONCHITIS
Cause.—Sudden change of temperature, etc., choking, drenching, inhalations of irritating material as certain vapors, dust, etc., containing infectious material; accumulations of gas in the stomach containing particles of food may be regurgitated up into the esophagus frequently producing bronchitis.
Symptoms.—The chief symptoms consist of fever, hurried breathing with a sense of tightness about the chest, but not always acute pain. The cough is severe and dry at first, but later expectoration commences. The discharge that is raised from the bronchial tubes at first is a clear, thin mucus, but afterwards it becomes thicker, more abundant and purulent. It is difficult for persons not accustomed to examining the chest to always distinguish the disease from pneumonia, if the case is one of severity. In mild cases the symptoms need not usually occasion much alarm.
Treatment.—This disease may be prevented frequently by giving five to ten grains of Dover’s Powder as soon as it is discovered that the dog has taken a cold. It is best given in the evening then placing the dog in a warm bed; also give some warm stimulants to drink as Tincture of Capsicum, five to fifteen drops in a teaspoonful of luke warm water. In the morning, give one to two grains of Calomel. If the above does not cut the disease short, then keep the dog confined to warm quarters and give inhalations of steam from hot water and Turpentine. For the cough, which is usually troublesome, give the following mixture: Potassium Chlorate, one dram; Liquor Ammonia Acetate, three ounces; Vini Ipecac, two drams; Tincture of Camph. Co., one-half ounce; Aqua Chloroform, quantity sufficient to make four ounces. Give one to two teaspoonfuls three or four times daily. Also feed nutritious food that is easily digested and permit the animal to have access to pure cold water.
BURNS AND SCALDS
There is considerable difference in the extent of injury from the burns produced by hot vapors, fluids, etc. In some cases, which are only superficial, there will be slight inflammation or redness produced, while in others the burn may be of severity and cause the death of the skin, followed by sloughing.