Little can be done in these cases, except to encourage cleanliness about the face and nostrils. It is, in the majority of these cases, a disease of old age, and must take its course.
A terrier uttered a continual loud stertorous sound in breathing, which could be plainly heard in our parlour when the dog was in the hospital. The animal was evidently much oppressed and in considerable pain. He made continual, and generally ineffectual, efforts to sneeze. When he did succeed, a very small quantity of pus-like fluid was discharged; the dog was then considerably relieved, but a quarter of an hour afterwards he was as bad as ever. I ordered a slight emetic every third day. There was some relief for seven or eight hours, and then he was as bad as ever. I could neither feel nor see any cause of obstruction. The owner became tired, and the dog was taken away; but we could not learn what became of it.
Another terrier was occasionally brought for consultation. The dog breathed with considerable difficulty, and occasionally snorted with the greatest violence, and bloody purulent matter was discharged; after which he was somewhat relieved; but, in the course of a few days, the obstruction was as great as ever. I am not aware of a single instances of this affection of the pug being completely removed. The discharge from the nostrils of the bull-dog is often considerable, and, once being thoroughly established, is almost as obstinate as in the pug.
[Contents]/[Detailed Contents, p. 5]/[Index]
Ozæna
Ozæna, or fetid discharge from the nose, is, perhaps, the most troublesome and frequent affection that this organ is subject to; it is attended, at first, with slight fever, swelling of the parts, and a fetid discharge from the nostrils, which, if not corrected in the early stage of the disease, subsides into a chronic purulent secretion, that not only weakens the dog, but renders him peculiarly offensive. Caries and destruction of the bones of the nose will ultimately take place.
| Causes. — Inflammation of the lining membrane of the nose, either
idiopathic, or arising from distemper, or other morbid disturbance of
the system. It may also be a symptom, or the produce, of polypi in this
organ. Treatment. — In commencing the treatment of this disease, it will be necessary first to prescribe some alterative medicines, as balls of aloes and rhubarb, and protect the animal from all severe atmospherical vicissitudes. This precaution, in connexion with mild astringent injections into the seat of the disorder, will generally effect a cure. [Any] of the injections opposite will answer a good purpose. No. 3 is particularly useful to correct the fetidness of the discharge. When the disease is an old chronic affection, it should not be arrested too suddenly by astringent injections; in such cases it will be better to insert a seton in the poll, and thus keep up a drain from the system after the suppression of the other. — L. |