SYMPTOMS OF MUSCULAR RHEUMATISM IN THE DOG.
Muscular rheumatism is common in dogs. It is most common and most marked in the back and loins, though the neck may suffer, or the disease may be generalized. It is painful to move and the subject seeks to be as much as possible undisturbed. He walks stiffly and slowly, carrying the limbs with as little movement of the joints as possible, and in bad cases yelps occasionally from sudden pain. He can no longer be tempted to go up or down stairs or to make any special effort. When touched on the back or loins he will wince, cry out, or even snap at the offender. In some cases the pain is so acute that even a feint to touch the back will draw out a yelp. If the neck is affected it may be held so stiffly that the dog can barely reach the ground to find his food, or if unilateral the head is turned to one side. Even the muscles of the jaws may be affected, causing prehension and mastication to be difficult and imperfect. Defecation and urination are also interfered with and the straining may draw forth plaintive cries.
The rapid shifting of the morbid process from one group of muscles to another is often very striking, and if one pronounces on the exact seat of the disease, it is liable to be speedily rendered inexact by a sudden change of place. There is further a great disposition to the implication of the heart and especially the valves. This is shown by irregularity and inequality of the pulse by intermissions and palpitations, by a blowing murmur with the first heart sound and by oppressed breathing.
Short, shallow breathing is also caused when the intercostal muscles are attacked (pleurodynia). Various digestive troubles are also common, to which the difficult defecation and impacted rectum largely contribute.
Emaciation makes more or less progress, and the muscles of the hind parts especially become weak and atonic until marked paresis or actual paraplegia sets in, and the hind limbs are extended backward and dragged helplessly. In fat, sluggish, overfed and pampered animals the lack of control of the hind limbs may come on at an early stage. Stiffness due to strongylus gigas in the kidney or stephanurus or cysticercus cellulosa in the lumbar muscles must not be mistaken for rheumatism.
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF RHEUMATISM.
Prevention. Avoid known causes, untimely clipping, exposed buildings, over-fatigue, chills, cold rains, dews and frosts, disorders of liver and bowels, sweets, spiced food, overfeeding, constipation, torpid liver, injuries to joints or tendons. Treatment: warm stall and clothing, laxative food in moderation, purgatives, aloes, castor oil, jalap, saline enemas, colchicum, alkalies, trimethylamine, acetate of ammonia, salicylic acid, salicylates, salicine, oil of gaultheria, salicine for debilitated. Large doses hourly or every two hours. Less effective in chronic cases. Heart failure. Salol. Salophen. Phenocoll. Antipyrin. Acetanilid. Pilocarpin. Tartar emetic. Dover’s powder. Ammonium acetate. Chamomile. Boneset. Hot baths and packs, with cold on head. Hand-rubbing. Hot drinks. Nauseants. Hot iron. Anodyne liniments. Rubefacients. Blisters. Salicylate of methyl and other salicylates. Quinine and potassium iodide. Tincture of muriate of iron. In chronic cases, tonics, cod liver oil, arsenic, guaiacum, potassium iodide. Essential oils. Electricity.
Prevention. This consists in the avoidance of all known causes of the disease and must vary to some extent for different genera of animals. The avoidance of cold and exposure, of clipping at unsuitable seasons, of exposed sites for buildings (north and northwest exposures, narrow valleys and ravines), of over-fatigue, of perspiration and subsequent chilling, of cold rains, dews and frosts, of inactivity, or habitual overloading of the liver and bowels, and of local injuries of joints or tendons. House dogs especially should be protected from sweets, spiced food, frequent feeding, constipation and torpid liver.
Treatment. One of the most important considerations is a warm stall or building, or warm clothing including loose woolen bandages on the legs, in the horse. Laxative food is called for.
In acute cases and especially in fat pampered dogs, and in all cases associated with torpid or disordered liver, a preliminary laxative will be of great service, and others should be given later as demanded. The horse may have aloes or salines, and saline enemata may be given to all animals when called for throughout the progress of the disease. Pigs may take 1 or 2 drops croton oil, or like dogs they may be given castor oil or jalap. Torpid liver and constipation must always be carefully guarded against.