Causes: dietary causes; constitutional debilitating diseases; dental
disorders; microbian infection; microbes. Symptoms: difficult sucking
or mastication; salivation; dullness; prostration; mucosa red with
gray patches, erosions, and ulcers; fœtor; loose teeth; excess of
tartar. Extensions to face, throat, lymphatics, nose, eyes, stomach,
liver, bowels. Duration. Treatment: clean teeth; antiseptics; mild
caustics; stimulants.
_Causes._ This affection is more common in this class of animals than in
the herbivora, being apparently dependent in great part on their
artificial habits of life, the sweet and stimulating diet and the
derangement of the digestive organs. The lowering of the general health
in connection with privation or disease and especially canine distemper,
rachitism or indigestion must be recognized as predisposing causes,
while the accumulation of tartar on the teeth, or the decay of the teeth
themselves, constitutes a potent exciting local cause. In connection
with such cretaceous deposits the decomposing elements of the food
collect, and the irritant products of their fermentation lead to disease
of the gums, congestion and ulceration. Superadded to this is the
bacteridian infection of such diseased parts, through which the
ulceration is started, maintained and extended. This infection is not
that of a specific microbe, but usually of a multiplicity of germs, one
or more of the bacteria that live habitually in the healthy mouth,
taking the occasion of the existence of a wound, or of a reduction of
vitality to colonize the mucosa which would otherwise have remained
sound. The microbes actually found in the ulcers are very varied.
Pasteur isolated a spirillum, Fiocca the bacillus salivarius septicus,
others have found pus bacilli, and in sucking kittens the bacillus coli
communis.
But the attempts made to convey the disease to healthy mouths by the
transfer of the microbes have usually failed (Pasteur, Netter, Cadeac).
To establish their pathogenic action therefore, it appears to be
necessary to furnish a susceptible mucosa as well as an infecting
microbe. This explains why the disease does not spread as an infection,
the average mouth is immune and it is only when it becomes the seat of a
wound, bruise or other injury, or when the general system has become so
reduced that the resisting power is a minor quantity, that the hitherto
harmless germ becomes actually pathogenic.
_Symptoms._ There is indisposition to suck or eat, the patient leaves
the teat or the food, and looks dull, depressed and disposed to lie down
apart. There is evident salivation and on opening the mouth we may find
the offensive odor, the tartar covered teeth with red or ulcerated gums,
and on the cheeks, lips and tongue dark red patches of congestion, or
whitish or yellowish gray, soft, pulpy spots of disintegrating
epithelium. This is followed by shedding of these epithelial patches,
and the formation of rounded ulcers of a line in diameter or less. These
are tender, and bleed readily. They may extend to the skin of the lips,
or deeply into the mucosa, the muscles or bones, and the attendant
morbid process may cause loosening and evulsion of the teeth. There may
be implication of the pharynx, the lymph glands, the nose, the eyes, the
stomach, the liver, or the intestines with corresponding symptoms. Death
may supervene in from six to thirty days, or a more or less speedy
recovery may take place.
_Treatment._ The first step as a rule is to remove the tartar from the
teeth. This is often done with a wooden spud dipped in a weak solution
of hydrochloric acid. A steel scraper will usually act well and without
the solvent action of the acid.
Next will come the removal of all diseased teeth which are operating as
local irritants and as centres for infectious microbes and their hurtful
products.
Then antiseptics in the form of liquids applied as in the other animals
with each meal, will be necessary to counteract infective action, and
give the tissues an opportunity to re-establish their integrity. Cadeac
recommends a 10 per cent. solution of oil of thyme, as a safe and
efficient application. Boric acid, borax, salol, salicylic acid, tannic
acid, sulphurous acid, or carbolic acid largely diluted may be
substituted. Internally iron tonics and bitters are of great value in
improving the tone of the system and securing antisepsis of the
intestinal canal. The sulphites too may be given with advantage
internally. In depressed conditions alcoholic stimulants may be used
both as local antiseptics and general stimulants. As in other animals
ulcers may be touched with a rod dipped in tincture of iodine, or a
strong solution of chloride of zinc, or nitrate of silver.