Treatment.—Both the Tape Worm and the Hook Worm are very tenacious parasites and are not expelled by Homeopathic Remedies nor by the ordinary Vermifuge. Oil of Chenipodium has lately come into prominence as a Vermifuge for worms of all kinds; this is an American drug commonly called “Worm Seed” and was used by the Indians before the days of Columbus and later was very popular among the Southern “Mammies” for the elimination of round worms. It has lately returned to favor particularly for the treatment of Hook Worms.
The Oil can be obtained at any drug store, 16 drops is the dose for a dog of 40 pounds or over, this should be reduced in proportion to the weight of the dog. The dog should be starved for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours; he should then receive three doses with intervals of two hours between the doses. Two hours after the last dose give a tablespoonful of castor oil with a teaspoonful of chloroform (reduce in proportion to size of dog).
Be careful to give the medicine exactly according to the directions. A Vermifuge is a drug that is strong enough to kill or paralize the worms without killing or paralizing the animal; however too large a dose, or, too short an interval between the doses, or, too many doses may kill or paralize the animal as well as the worms.
If during the treatment the dog appears unusually depressed, stop the medicine and give castor oil to move the bowels and strong hot coffee as a stimulant.
Thread Worms (Filaria Immitis)
These thread worms inhabit principally the heart, lungs, and sometimes the throat and air-passages of the dog. They are sometimes found in bundles, slowly unrolling themselves when the part is cut open, or are found stretched out along the surface.
The characteristic symptom is a peculiar cough exhibited by any movement, especially after sleeping, ending in a violent effort to bring up something, emaciation, difficult breathing. When affected, the dogs run violently; they fall down, become stiff, insensible, and after a time get up and renew the chase.
Gastro-Duodinal Catarrh—Jaundice
This disease is occasionally found in dogs, more particularly in fat ones. It may be the result of excess of food and deficient exercise, or exposure to cold or moisture.
Symptoms.—The dog vomits, at first a yellow fluid which may afterward become greenish and have streaks of blood in it, eats little and is thirsty, the white of the eye, gums, lips and parts of the skin not covered with hair are yellow; hence the name Jaundice or yellows. He is sometimes hot, at others cold, the urine is dark and the dung clay colored, is dull, sleepy, shrinks from notice and becomes thin. These symptoms all increase until the dog becomes thin as a skeleton and at last dies, quite worn out.