Sporting Dogs: Their Points and Management in Health and DiseaseBarton, Frank Townend
Science
Sporting Dogs: Their Points and Management in Health and Disease
Barton, Frank Townend
Dogs
Although now and then affected with ringworm, the dog does not suffer
from the skin disease anything like so commonly as cattle.
The chief variety seen upon the dog is that induced by the vegetable
parasite, _Tricophyton tonsurans_, which assumes a circular, or
shield-like form. Honeycomb ringworm is another variety. The patch is
about an inch long as a rule, scaly, and shows the hairs broken across,
giving it a stubbly appearance. It is easily recognised.
Ringworm can be readily transferred from one dog to another, or to
animals of different species, and the converse.
_Treatment._--Paint the bare patch or patches with iodine liniment;
groom well and feed well. Keep dog away from others until cured.
SARCOPTIC MANGE
This is a very common form of mange, though often confused with
non-parasitic eczema.
The mange mite is known as _Sarcoptes canis_, and takes up its abode
upon the superficial dermoid structures.
The irritation thus induced, causes the dog to bite and scratch the
part, ending in the production of a raw, weeping surface, extending
from point to point, unless something is done to check the ravages of
the mites. With licking, biting and scratching, these parasites are
transferred as indicated, and an artificial form of eczema induced.
The diagnosis can be confirmed by microscopic examination of the under
surfaces of the crusts upon the sores.
_Treatment._--Being contagious, keep the diseased dog from healthy ones
until cured.
All fittings, clothing, and other appliances likely to have been in
contact with the diseased dog ought to be thoroughly scalded with
boiling water and soda.
Short-coated dogs are more readily curable than heavily-coated
varieties.
Wash dog twice weekly, and after thoroughly drying, dress all over with
a dressing, composed of 4 ounces of flowers of sulphur, ½ ounce of
oil of tar, and a pint of train, or colza oil.
This dressing should be washed off in about three or four days, and
repeated until cured.
A bath of sulphurated potash is a capital remedy.
Add an ounce of sulphurated potash to every ten gallons of tepid water.
In some instances it is advisable to clip the dog, thus facilitating
the penetration of the dressing.
Almost every kennel man and doggy man has his so-called mange cure, but
the first principles are to make a diagnosis of the complaint under
which the animal is labouring.
FOLLICULAR MANGE
This is a very intractable variety of mange, resulting from the
invasion of the hair-follicles by a minute mite, known as _Demodex
folliculorum_, easily recognisable on microscopic examination. It is of
lobster-like shape.
It will readily be understood that the inaccessible habitats of these
mites renders the effective application of medicinal agents at a
disadvantage.
Destruction of the roots of the hairs is a common result, and a
permanent bare patch often remains as a legacy of the parasitic attack.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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