_The Canine Asthma_ is hardly ever observed to attack any but old dogs,
or those who, by confinement, too full living, and want of exercise, may
be supposed to have become diseased by these deviations from a state of
nature. It is hardly possible to keep a dog very fat, for any great
length of time, without bringing it on. This cough is frequently
confounded with the cough that precedes and accompanies distemper; but
it may be readily distinguished from this, by an attention to
circumstances—as the age of the animal, its not affecting the general
health, nor producing immediate emaciation, and its less readily giving
way to medicine. The cure is often very difficult, because the disease
has in general been long neglected before it is sufficiently noticed by
the owners. As it is in general brought on by confinement, too much
warmth, and over-feeding, so it is evident the cure must be begun by a
steady persevering alteration in these particulars. The medicines most
useful are alteratives, and of those, occasionally, emetics are the
best. One grain of tartarised antimony (_i. e._ tartar emetic), with
two, three, or four grains of calomel, is a very useful and valuable
emetic. This dose is sufficient for a small dog, and may be repeated
twice a week with great success—always with palliation.
* * * * *
It derives its origin from the artificial mode of life forced on pet and
fancy dogs, whose close confinement and over-feeding lead to an
extraordinary accumulation of fat: and according to the degree in which
these predisposing causes have been applied, the disease appears earlier
or later in life. In some it comes on at three or four years old: in
others, rather less artificially treated, it may not appear until seven
or eight.
In some cases, the irritation of the cough, and the accompanying hectic,
emaciates and wears down the animal: in others, the pulmonary congestion
stops respiration, and kills by a sudden suffocation; or the obstruction
the blood meets with in its passage through the heart, occasions
accumulation in the head, and convulsive fits are the precursors of
death. Now and then a rupture of the heart, or of some large
blood-vessel, suddenly destroys: but by far the most common termination
of the complaint is in dropsy, or serous collections within the chest or
belly, or both, but most frequently of the latter. In these cases, the
limbs and external parts of the body waste, but the belly increases in
its size; the legs also swell; the hair stares; the breathing becomes
very laborious; and, in the end, suffocation ensues.
Of the various remedial plans I have pursued, none have appeared more
uniformly beneficial than a course of emetics, steadily persisted in
twice a week. In the intermediate days _alteratives_ were administered,
with the occasional use of a purgative, provided the dog was strong,
fat, and plethoric; otherwise this was dispensed with: but it should be
remembered, that this remedial plan must be uniformly and long
continued, to ensure permanent benefit. The alterative is as follows:—
Calomel (_submuriate of mercury_) ½ gr.
Nitre (_nitrate of potash_) 5 gr.
Cream of tartar (_supertartrate of potash_) 10 gr.
Antimonial powder 2 gr.—Mix.
This may be given either as a powder, or it may be made into a ball with
honey; this dose being repeated once or twice a day, according to the
urgency of the case: the quantities may be also lessened or increased
according to the effect produced; the recipe is intended for a dog of
middling size. On the morning that the emetic is given, the alterative
should be omitted; and where the alterative is repeated night and
morning, it will be prudent to watch the mouth, that salivation may not
unexpectedly come on. If this should happen, discontinue the medicine
for some days. Where also the calomel has been found to disagree, I have
substituted the following alterative with benefit:—
Nitre (_nitrate of potash_) 2 gr.
Tartar emetic (_tartarised antimony_) ¼ gr.
Powdered Foxglove (_digitalis_) ½ gr.—Mix.
This may be given as the other, and alternated with the emetic also,
watching the effect of the foxglove, through the medium of the pulse,
that they may not be too violent. In some cases of long standing, where
the attendant cough has been very harsh, noisy, and distressing, I have
added ten, twenty, or thirty drops of tincture of opium (_laudanum_), or
the eighth, sixth, or fourth part of a grain of opium, to each
alterative with advantage. In other instances, the cough has been best
allayed by an evening opiate of double the strength before prescribed. I
have, now and then, experienced benefit also from the use of the
balsamic gums, which may be all tried, therefore, in obstinate cases.
Relief has been obtained likewise from the following, given every
morning:—
Powdered squill ½ gr.
Gum ammoniacum, powdered 5 gr.
Balsam Peru 3 gr.
Benzoic acid 1 gr.
Anisated balsam of sulphur to form a ball.
Or,
Inspissated juice of the white garden lettuce ½ dr.
Tincture of balsam of Tolu 1 dr.
Powdered gum arabic and extract of liquorice 1 oz. each
Make into balls, and give one night and morning.
* * * * *
The following I have found to mitigate the severity of several cases,
and it deserves a trial:—
Extract of cicuta ½ dr.
Extract of hyoscyamus 10 gr.
Powdered digitalis a scruple
Conserve of roses to make 10, 8, or 6 balls, according to the size of
the dog; of which one may be given night and morning; increasing the
dose if it occasions no disturbance in the system. Mr. Youatt has, I
believe, found benefit in asthmatic cases from the exhibition of prussic
acid: but the powerful nature of this remedy requires _professional_
assistance when it is administered.—_Blaine._
ASTRINGENT, _a._ Binding, contracting.
Astringents are useful in suppressing unnatural evacuations in diarrhœa,
diabetes, &c. Opium, bark, and preparations of copper, iron, lead, and
zinc, are principally employed in combining astringent preparations.