Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 4 (of 5)Law, James
Science
Text book of veterinary medicine, Volume 4 (of 5)
Law, James
Veterinary medicine
The eyes assume a remarkable expression. They are often fixed, and at
times the pupils are widely dilated allowing the reflection of light
from the brilliant tapetum lucidum, resembling flashes of fire, and
adding greatly to his ferocious appearance, and the sense of terror that
he inspires. The conjunctiva is congested, of a dark red and the general
expression of the eye is very striking. The soft, trusting, affectionate
eyes may still for a moment meet those of the loved master, but there is
in them a dull, hopeless, anxious and suffering expression, which
appeals for pity and should be viewed with dread. To others there is
likely to be less of the affectionate appeal and more of the sinister,
suspicious, resentful and malicious expression. To the stranger,
therefore, the eye may be a better guide than even to the owner.
Squinting of the eyes and closure of the lids for a few seconds are not
uncommon. As the disease advances the dilatation of the pupils is more
marked, indicating the paralysis of the optic nerve.
In this stage the disposition to wander is characteristic. The rabid dog
leaves his home and wanders off a long distance, say ten or twenty
miles, snapping in his travels at man or beast that may irritate him,
returns dirty and exhausted, and seeks anew his dark place of seclusion,
or he may snap at and bite even his master. To those who come in contact
with him at this time the dog is especially dangerous from his extreme
irritability though weak and exhausted.
If the wandering rabid dog meets a strange dog he attacks him and bites
without growling or barking. If the bitten dog does not yelp nor
retaliate, but simply flees, the rabid animal moves on, but if he bites
back, or howls, he worries him, rolling him over and biting again but
always in silence, in marked contrast with an enraged but healthy dog.
If he comes up with a herd of cattle or pigs or a flock of sheep or
fowls, the result is similar. If they remain perfectly still they may
possibly entirely escape, but if they scamper off with noise as usually
happens, he rushes at them and bites one after another, so that in a
confined yard or park all may suffer. A man meeting the dog increases
his danger by making an outcry, whereas if he remains perfectly quiet he
may possibly escape. Bouley says that a canine attendant is, in a sense,
a measure of protection to a man, as the rabid dog attacks first the
animal of his own species, giving the man a chance to escape.
In his wanderings the rabid dog will swim rivers, having _no dread of
water_, just as at home he will plunge his nose in water though unable
to swallow. When abroad in this way he exhausts himself by his paroxysms
and may perish in one of them, or he may meet his death from man or
animal. He may in his exhausted state seek a dark secluded place where
he may remain for a time and renew his travel later, or he may pass into
the paralytic condition and gradually sink.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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