This section is from the book "Sporting Dogs. Their Points And Management In Health, And Disease", by Frank Townend Barton. Also available from Amazon: Sporting Dogs; Their Points and Management in Health and Disease.
Affections of the liver, or when the secretion or excretion of bile is perverted, the symptom known as jaundice results.
Very few people are unacquainted with the characteristic yellow colouration of the skin and visible mucous membranes.
The word "jaundice" comes from the French "jaune," yellow, and "icterus," a Greek word for golden thrush.
The yellow colour of the skin, white of eyes, mucuous membranes lining eyelids and cheeks is, of course diagnostic that the colouring matter of the bile is circulating throughout the system.
The urine is usually deep yellow and very scanty, and the motions often clay-coloured and hard, though this latter condition is frequently absent, in fact diarrhcea present.
This is particularly well marked in the so-called hepatic or bilious form of distemper.
Gall-stones, when impacted in the bile-ducts, give rise to jaundice and colic pains.
There is also a catarrhal condition of the bile-ducts that leads to the same jaundiced condition.
As a considerable number of dogs succumb to this affection, very careful treatment is necessary. Linseed and mustard poultices over the region of the liver, and a hot bath,.will often work miracles. Soda-water and milk should constitute the only nourishment for a few days, unless it be teaspoonful doses of Brand's Essence of Beef.
A grain of calomel along with a quarter teaspoonful of sugar, night and morning for two or three days (until the bowels are open), will be found to do good in most instances. Further treatment can, with advantage, be left to the veterinarian, so much depending upon individual conditions.
 
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