Foreword - The unique literary talents of Dr. A. Barton are well known throughout the veterinary profession. He is a regular contrib­utor to the New York City Veterinarian and his professional articles have also appeared in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Journal of Small Animal Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Veterinarian and Philadelphia Medicine. He is the only veterinarian ever to have had an article published in the human medical publication, What's New.

Preface - This book is intended to serve the average pet owner as a practical guide to dog health. Long experience in the practice of veterinary medicine has given me an understanding of the mind of the dog owner and an appreciation both of the kind of information he requires from such a book and of how he wants it expressed.

Learn From This Book - This is a practical book. It states in plain and simple terms what the average dog owner needs to know in order to keep his pet healthy. It raises the questions that dog owners are most likely to ask, and it answers these questions in the con­cise and clear-cut manner in which you would expect the veterinarian to answer them if you asked him these questions directly.

Quick Reference -  (For immediate information regarding any symptom your pet may show, turn to the pages indicated.)

Abdomen, general enlarge­ment of         152 Biting the tail                                         122 BleedingSee Hemorrhage.                      71 Bloody urine                                         132 Bone dislocations                                  130 Bone fractures                                      130 Carsickness                                          137 Constipation                                         143 Convulsions                                          141 Coughing                                              124

Buying A Dog - Before you buy a puppy, several factors must be taken into consideration. The size of your living quarters and the free­dom that your dog will enjoy should be taken into account in selecting a breed. If you are a home owner and have a large back yard where your dog can have unlimited exercise, then the matter of breed presents no special problem.

New Puppy - Most newly acquired puppies are not housebroken. When the animal is first brought into the home it should therefore be taken to a room such as the kitchen where it can do the least amount of damage. Several thicknesses of newspaper should be spread on the floor, and the animal should be left to its own resources for a while.

Dog Feeding - The basic principle to be understood in the feeding of dogs is that, with only minor variations, they have the same nu­tritive requirements as man. A dog apparently has less need for starches, and its digestive juices do not handle fatty foods well. Thus, the dog's meat should always be quite lean, other­wise it will commonly cause a stomach upset with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.

Housebreaking - The most immediate concern of new dog owners is that of housebreaking the pet. In order to accomplish this task, the essential principle that the owner must recognize is that it is always the desire of the dog to please its master. Nothing can give the dog greater pleasure than to know that its actions have met with approval; nothing can cause the dog greater displeasure than to know that its behavior has called forth disapproval.

Dog Exercising - The importance of exercise for the maintenance of the gen­eral well being and happiness of the dog has been highly overrated. The complexity of modern civilization has im­posed such severe restrictions on the exercising of dogs that it is often quite impractical or totally impossible to give the dog the amount of exercise that, according to its natural at­tributes, it would seem to require. In spite of this, the adjust­ment of these animals has been so remarkable that they seem not to have suffered any substantial loss of vitality, nor has their longevity been materially effected.

Sleeping - Most dogs appreciate some little nook or comer of the house­hold that they can call their own. This can be provided by a "bed" to which the animal may retire at the end of the day, or in which it may rest or relax whenever it gets the notion. The bed need not be elaborate, but it should be easy to clean. In most cases, a simple carton box of suitable size, with one side torn away so that the animal is free to enter and leave the box as it pleases, will serve the purpose quite well. The bot­tom of the box should be covered with a mat or with shredded newspaper. The mat can be washed whenever necessary and the paper can be changed daily.

Dog Bathing - Normally, dogs should not be bathed more than twice a month. The meticulous owner who keeps his animal thor­oughly combed out at all times may find that the dog's ap­pearance can be maintained rather creditably by bathing it only once a month. On the average, however, it will be found more advantageous to abide by the bi-monthly routine.

Clipping - Should a shaggy-haired dog's coat be clipped or plucked dur­ing the warmer seasons of the year? This is a very common question. The fact that it is answered in the affirmative as often as the negative has tended to confuse the average dog owner. Let us face the issue squarely with plain, down-to-earth common sense and resolve the question once and for all.

Eyes Care - In the general care of the eyes, the only thing that the average dog owner can be advised to do is to keep them clean. This can be done by washing them once a day with a lukewarm solution of boric acid (made by dissolving one teaspoonful of boric acid powder in a glass of hot water) or by the appli­cation of boric-acid eye ointment direct to the eyeball. The care of any significant eye diseases is strictly a job for the veterinarian. For safety's sake, any injury to the eye should be considered an emergency and the veterinarian should be contacted immediately.

Ears Care - Proper ear hygiene consists in keeping the hair of the ear clean and thoroughly combed out, free from parasites at all times, and in maintaining the cleanliness of the inside of the ear. To clean the inside of the ear, dampen a piece of ab­sorbent cotton with alcohol, squeeze out the excess moisture, and clean out all the accumulated scurf as far down into the ear as the finger can conveniently reach. There need be no fear of doing damage to the inner ear, for the finger simply cannot penetrate that far.

Teeth Care - Well-cared-for teeth are essential to the health of the dog. The teeth of young, vigorous animals usually demand little or no attention, but dental ailments become of increasing fre­quency and importance as the animal gets older. Most den­tal derangements are readily remedied, but if they are neg­lected serious secondary disturbances may ensue. It is there­fore a good, hygienic measure to have the dog's teeth checked about twice a year by a veterinarian, especially after the ani­mal attains its fifth year. As far as daily care by the owner is concerned, it is best that no effort be made to clean the teeth by brushing.

Feet Care - The most important aspect of foot care in dogs is to keep them clean. Some dogs seem to recognize this fact instinc­tively and will wash their own feet. The routine cleaning that the animal receives in its bath is quite sufficient for or­dinary foot hygiene, although additional cleaning may be necessary if the feet happen to get especially soiled. It is not a bad idea to clean the feet every once in a while with a piece of absorbent cotton saturated with alcohol. This will tend to prevent disease conditions that may occur between the toes as a result of uncleanliness. Special precaution should be taken during the winter season of the year, especially in large cities, where snow is often saturated with rock salt.

Determine Age - In the same way as in other domestic animals, the age of dogs can be ascertained mainly on the basis of an examination of the teeth. For various reasons this method is not as reli­able in dogs as in other domestic animals, and therefore the determination of age in this manner in dogs must be con­sidered at best only an approximation

Breeding - Mama Dionne cannot hold a candle to the most ordinary dog. The ability of this animal to produce copious "bundles from heaven" surely is one of the many wonders of the world. Dogs have been known to give birth to as many as twenty-six pup­pies in a single litter. Be that as it may, most dog owners sooner or later will be faced with the problem of pregnancy in their pet. This problem should be met with pleasant anticipa­tion, for there is no reason why, on this account, the opera­tion of an efficient household should be even temporarily disrupted.

Spaying - A dog is altered or spayed to eliminate the breeding function and its accompanying inconveniences, thereby making the animal a more amenable household pet. Altering is the term generally applied to the process performed on male animals, while spaying is applied to the female operation. Spaying and altering  are performed for the convenience of the owner. These operations have no bearing on the well-being of the normal animal, and generally do not drastically affect its basic personality traits, though altered animals are inclined to become heavier and more sluggish than unaltered ones.

Love Life - Suppose I told you that a dog does not have a sex life? You— who are an old observer of dogs on the prowl—would prob­ably suggest that I must be slightly off the beam. And yet, that is exactly what I am going to tell you.

We really cannot consider the sex life of the dog in the same sense that we consider the sex life of human beings.

Tail Docking - Tail docking and ear cropping are performed either to meet certain show standards or simply to improve the appearance of an animal. They bear no relation to health.

In regard to docking tails, the amount of tail to be re­moved depends either on show requirements for the particular breed or on personal preference. The best age at which to perform the operation is when the animal is a couple of days old, although it can be done at any time during the animal's life.

Dog Diseases - Though dogs harbor a variety of diseases that are communi­cable to man, the actual transmission of dog diseases to man is relatively rare. However, it is a sensible precaution to have the animal examined periodically by a veterinarian in order that the possibility of disease transmission be re­duced to its barest minimum. If the animal is kept clean, well fed, and in a constant state of vigor, it is very likely that the owner will never be faced with the problem of disease trans­mission

Vitamins - Vitamins are essential substances, without which the body cannot thrive. When the diet is deficient in any of the vita­mins, certain disease conditions arise. The vitamins are called either by their technical names or, simply, by various let­ters assigned to them. Thus we speak of vitamins A, B, C, D, and so on. The public has been subjected to so much mislead­ing information about vitamins by the press, radio, and tele­vision that it would be well to give a few notes of re­liable scientific data about them

Dog Language - Most dog owners will vouch for the ability of their animals to understand language. This they will proudly demonstrate with a variety of commands, and they will elicit reactions of joviality with endearing words or attitudes of cowering or fear with harsh ones. While these responses would appear to be strongly indicative of language understanding, the fact is that a dog learns to appreciate the tone of voice and not the actual words.

Homing Instinct - While it is a generally accepted belief that the homing instinct is strongest in the pigeon, it is also reputed to be fairly well developed in the dog. It is understandable that a dog can find its way home in its own neighborhood, for here it is guided by its sensitive smell and its recognition of familiar land­marks. But the mechanism by which it returns home over great distances from entirely unfamiliar surroundings is be­yond the sphere of our present knowledge of animal behavior.

Why Wag Tail? - Why does a dog wag its tail?

"Are you kidding?" you will say. "Why do you ask me such a simple question? Everyone knows the answer to that one! A dog wags its tail simply because it is happy."

And I would say that you are quite right; a dog does wag its tail because it is happy. But after all, that does not really answer the question. Suppose I ask it in a slightly different way:

Enema - The occasion often arises when it is desirable to give a dog an enema. The technique is simple and it should be mastered by every dog owner.

The animal is placed in a tub and tied close to the faucet or to any other convenient object. A pan of lukewarm water mixed with a dash of soap is prepared. Take a clean, rubber, bulb syringe with a bone nozzle and fill it with water to be used for the enema.

Dog Is Sick? - When dogs are not well there are ordinarily certain signs that indicate that the pet is indisposed. The most constant symptom is a lack of appetite. This is accompanied by de­pression, change of disposition, indifferent response to com­mands or other stimuli, a ruffled and dull hair coat, or a fever.

The normal temperature of dogs is about 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature of puppies and excited dogs may go up as high as 102 degrees and still be considered within the normal range. Any deviation from this norm should be accounted for.

Dog Is Healthy? - Disease is generally considered to be the unfavorable de­viation from normal functions. Therefore in order to de­termine the various indications of disease it is necessary to recognize the signs of good health. Any departure from nor­malcy might be the beginning of a disease process.

The eyes of the healthy animal are clear and bear an alert expression.

Dog Medicines - This is an age of hypochondriacs, and most home medicine cabinets are filled to the rafters with every conceivable va­riety of patent medication. To an even greater degree will the conscientious dog owner often fall into this same routine, and for almost every symptom that the pet may acquire he will find a gaily colored bottle of tablets which promises to coun­teract it

Give Medicine - The simplest and most common way of administering med­icine to the dog is by mouth. The pet owner will be called upon to perform this task at some time or other, so it is ad­visable that he master the basic technique at the earliest op­portunity.

In giving a dog a pill, the animal is first placed in a sitting position. The left hand is then put over the bridge of the ani­mal's nose, and with the thumb from one side and the fingers from the other, gentle pressure is applied to the animal's cheeks so that they press against the teeth of its upper jaw.

Restraint - Dogs that are injured or are otherwise in pain are often dif­ficult to handle. Even the most gentle and affectionate animals will occasionally attempt to bite or claw under these circum­stances. Thus some knowledge of restraint is necessary for the owner to protect himself while making an effort to assist an ailing animal.

One of the simplest and best known methods of restraint is for one person to grasp the nape of the dog's neck firmly, while another ministers to the animal's needs.

Veterinarian - Just as the proper care of a child demands the services of a competent physician, so the proper care of a puppy demands the services of a veterinarian. But while the physician readily inspires confidence because most people are thoroughly aware of the rigorous training he has received, the status of the veterinarian is somehow uncertain. Veterinarians have not been accorded the adequate publicity that the physician has received, and the result has been that in some circles peo­ple still look upon the "horse doctor" with peculiar disdain.

Distemper - It must be stated at the outset that if, at any time, the owner suspects that his animal has distemper, no effort at home treatment or nursing should be made. The animal should im­mediately be taken to a veterinarian and should be put under strict veterinary supervision during the entire course of the disease.

Distemper is by far the worst disease of dogs. Of all the dogs that die during the first two years of life, probably ninety-five per cent will die of distemper alone.

Canine Hepatitis - Infectious canine hepatitis refers to a type of inflammation of the liver of dogs that can be transmitted from one dog to an­other. Until a few years ago it was considered to be merely a modified form of distemper, but now it is recognized as a distinct disease. The germ that causes it is identical with one that causes a peculiar brain inflammation in foxes, timber wolves, coyotes, and bears. Among domestic animals, it is exclusively a dog disease. It is not transmissible to man.

Rabies - Rabies is an age-old scourge which has been recognized as a dread disease since ancient times. Though it is primarily a disease of the dog, many other species, including man, are susceptible to infection. It has been reported in the cat, cow, horse, mule, sheep, goat, hog, wolf, fox, coyote, hyena, skunk, monkey, deer, antelope, camel, bear, elk, polecat, bat, squir­rel, hare, rabbit, rat, mouse, jackal, marmot, woodchuck, porcupine, weasel, hedgehog, gopher, raccoon, owl, hawk, chicken, pigeon, and stork. It is fairly common throughout the world, though Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden have been free from it for several decades and it has not been reported in Australia.

Worms - There are many illusions about worms. Some dog owners believe that worming a dog consists merely of giving the dog a worm tablet or capsule. Others are under the impression that dogs always have worms—that worms are somehow natural to the dog and that all dogs should be wormed period­ically. Others have the idea that the feeding of sugar and candy will cause worms in dogs, that garlic will eliminate worms, that there is a worm under a dog's tongue, and that humans never catch worms from dogs. It is sufficient to state that all these ideas are incorrect.

Vomiting - Vomiting and diarrhea are probably the commonest symp­toms that appear in dogs. The presence of these symptoms should not cause undue alarm, for their causes are generally very simple and treatment is a matter of routine. However, it must be remembered that they may also be indications of very serious diseases, fatal to the animal if neglected. Therefore, if first-aid measures fail to yield definite improvement within twenty-four to forty-eight hours, it is imperative that the ani­mal be given professional attention.

Itching - When a dog itches, the best way to get rid of the itching is to remove the cause. Sometimes the cause of the itching is very obvious and in such cases the elimination of the condition will be a very easy problem. Plain ordinary filth is probably the commonest cause. If the animal is laden with fleas, ticks, or lice, it is very likely that when the parasites are destroyed the itching will disappear.

Sneezing - When a dog does any persistent sneezing and coughing and at the same time maintains its normal pep and appetite, there is usually not very much to worry about. The likeli­hood is that the animal has a simple cold, and the same common-sense hygienic measures that are used in taking care of colds in humans apply to dogs. This means that the animal must be kept in a room that is well-ventilated and free from drafts and fed light nourishing food. If the coughing and sneezing cause excessive discomfort, the same household cold remedies and nose drops as used by man may be used in much the same way in the dog.

Injuries - Common sense should be used in regard to injuries. If it is nothing more than a simple scratch, then the application of any household antiseptic is all that is required. A simple bruise can simply be ignored. A slight burn will be healed by daily applications of vaseline. More extensive burns should also be covered with vaseline and then given veterinary at­tention. In his evaluation of an injury, the owner should be guided by the same sort of reasoning that he would use if he himself were injured.

Bloody Urine - The appearance of blood in the urine of the dog is a signifi­cant symptom. Not always an emergency symptom, it never­theless warrants veterinary consultation without unnecessary delay. Though it may be observed in dogs of any age, it oc­curs most often in older ones.

Bloody urine is due mainly to an inflammation of the blad­der or of the urethra, the tube that conducts the urine from the bladder to the outside.

Pus Dripping - If there is a fairly persistent dripping of pus from the female opening, the likelihood exists that the condition is pyometra, a disease of female dogs in which pus accumulates in the womb or, as it is called anatomically, the uterus. A fairly common ailment of dogs of all ages, but occurring most often in older animals, it is a condition that demands rea­sonably prompt professional attention, for excessive delay will render the most effective method of treatment too dan­gerous to apply

Excess Weight - The terms "excess weight" or "obesity" refer to an excessive accumulation of fat in the body. This may be confined to cer­tain localized areas, or it may be distributed throughout the organism. It appears rather commonly in dogs, smaller breeds seeming to be more susceptible to obesity than larger ones.

Obesity is caused most often by excessive feeding and lack of exercise. Phlegmatic animals tend to become fat be­cause of insufficient activity and, of course, lack of exercise.

Carsickness - Carsickness seems to be as common in the dog as it is in the human family. Apparently it is caused by excessive nervous­ness or involves a peculiar sensitivity to riding in moving vehicles, such as cars, trains, or buses, but occurs most com­monly in cars. It manifests itself, while riding, in a stomach upset with symptoms of nausea and vomiting, which quickly disappear when the animal is removed from the vehicle.

Paralysis - Although paralysis in dogs may occur in the jaws, forelegs, or in groups of muscles in other parts of the body, the most com­mon manifestations are in the hind legs. Paralysis of the hind legs is known as posterior paralysis. The attack may be rather mild, in which case it is often transitory in nature and is read­ily amenable to routine treatment. Conversely, the attack may be rather severe, in which case it may be entirely resist­ant to the entire gamut of medical alternatives.

Persistent Twitching - Persistent twitching is most commonly due to a disease called chorea. A nervous involvement characterized by intermit­tent twitching of certain muscles or a group of muscles, chorea is quite common. The ailment may persist for months or years and, though it may occasionally contribute to dis­comfort, the normal functions of the animal remain appar­ently unaffected, and its longevity seems unimpaired.

Running Fits - Running fits is a nervous affliction of dogs that is also vari­ously known as barking fits, fright disease, furious fits, or canine hysteria. Dogs of all breeds and ages and of both sexes are subject to it, and though it is prevalent throughout the country, it is observed most often in the South. It is not at­tended by high mortality.

Usually, the animal first shows signs of restlessness, and the eyes bear an anxious, fearful expression.

Convulsions - Convulsions in their most typical form are characterized by champing of the jaws, foaming at the mouth, falling on the side, involuntary passage of urine and stool, violent shaking movements over the whole body, then moaning, barking, and wild running about, and finally complete collapse or depres­sion. They may occur in varying degrees of severity and any or all of the symptoms stated may present themselves in any one attack.

Heart Diseases - Even the most competent specialist in canine diseases often finds it difficult to establish clinical diagnoses of the ail­ments of the heart. It is apparent, therefore, that any detailed description of heart diseases would be of little value to the general reader. However, the intelligent person in the modern world should have some idea of what some of the terms as­sociated with heart diseases signify, since they are so com­monly mentioned in everyday conversation.

Constipation - An animal is said to be constipated when the bowel move­ments are either infrequent or incomplete or when the stool is more or less retained in the intestines. In this condition a large part of the moisture of the stool is often absorbed into the body and the stool comes out gray to whitish in color. In itself constipation is not a serious condition, for it can usually be remedied quite readily by administering a simple laxative such as milk of magnesia or mineral oil, or by giving an en­ema or using a children's size suppository.

Pass Stool - Excessive straining to pass the stool is most commonly caused by impaction or proctitis. Impaction was discussed in the last section. Proctitis is the term applied to an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the rectum. The outcome of proc­titis depends on the severity of the inflammatory process, but when it occurs in an uncomplicated form—that is, where the pathology is confined to the rectal mucosa—its termination is usually favorable. It is frequently encountered in dogs, and though it is not often a serious condition it should be handled only by the veterinarian.

Painful Swallowing - When a dog eats its food cautiously and seems to swallow with difficulty, the likelihood is that it is affected either by a sore throat or by tonsillitis. If it is nothing more than a sore throat, it will usually go away by itself in a few days. Swab­bing the throat two or three times a day with a household an­tiseptic, such as tincture of metaphen, will be of assitance in overcoming the ailment more rapidly.

Body Swellings - All swellings on the body are problems for the veterinarian. The commonest types of swellings encountered are ab­scesses, cysts, hematomas, tumors, hernias, and mumps.

An abscess is a localized collection of pus surrounded by an area of inflammation. It is caused by infection and may occur in any part of the body. In its most common and acute form, it results in a swelling of variable size and becomes increasingly larger as it develops.

Abdominal Enlargement - Sometimes there is a general enlargement of the entire belly region in older dogs. The entire abdomen appears to have dropped down. While this may be due to a variety of reasons, one of the most common causes is dropsy, a disorder of cir­culation in which certain body fluids, that should normally be distributed throughout the organism or eliminated as waste material through the urine, become accumulated in the ab­dominal cavity

Prostate Trouble - An inflammation of the prostate gland is prostatitis. This gland is a small structure located at the neck of the male blad­der, and its secretion, which is poured into the urinary tube, is largely responsible for the odor of the semen. Prostatitis occurs mainly in old dogs and it must be tended to by a vet­erinarian, not only because it is not amenable to treatment with household remedies, but also for the important reason that it may lead to secondary disturbances of a serious and sometimes fatal nature.

Uremia - Uremia is an acute, usually fatal disease, characterized by the accumulation of urinary products in the blood stream. It is caused by the breakdown of kidney tissue with the result that the proper functioning of the kidney is disrupted and waste materials that should go into the formation of urine become absorbed into the blood instead. The disease may occur in animals of all ages but is much more common in old ones.

Excessive Urination - Where the flow of urine is abnormally abundant, the source of difficulty is usually in the kidney. By urine analysis the veterinarian determines just what the ailment of the kidney happens to be, and by the application of appropriate medi­cations often corrects the condition. Since the ailments of the kidney are exceedingly technical and complex, it is sufficient to indicate here that the most common variety of kidney ail­ments can be distinguished mainly by urine analysis, and it is on the basis of the diagnosis made in this manner that the veterinarian regulates his course of treatment.

Prolonging Life - Prolonging the life of the old dog depends directly on our knowledge of the diseases of old age . The study of the dis­eases of old age  is called geriatrics, and it is only in recent years that it has been subjected to systematic and critical consideration. It was not so long ago that the treatment of the diseases of old age  consisted essentially in an effort to keep the patient comfortable, the casual administration of drugs that would relieve pain, and the application of half­hearted medical measures, given with a kind of benign hope­lessness.

Basic Fact About Dog Training - The one basic fact in dog training is that the animal must always be rewarded if it performs correctly and punished if it performs incorrectly. This reward or punishment must be given immediately upon performance, so that the dog can directly associate them with the specific action. If too much time elapses between the action and the expression of reward or punishment, the animal will not associate them with the action.

Atlas Of Dog Anatomy - Most people are as curious about the inner workings of the animal body as they are about their own. This short series of anatomical plates has been included not merely to satisfy this curiosity but also to give a general appreciation of the artistic anatomy of the dog. No attempt has been made to identify the structures in detail for this would serve no useful purpose. But it is sufficient to state that the structure of the dog is very similar to that of the human being.

Bibliography - Popular books are indicated by an asterisk (*). All other titles are technical scientific works.

*American  Kennel  Club, The  Complete  Dog Book. New York: Halcyon House, 1939.

*Asdell, S. A., Patterns of Mammalian Reproduction. Ithaca, New York: Comstock Publishing Co., Inc., 1946.

*Becker, B., It's Easy to Raise and Train a Puppy. Garden City, N. Y.:
Garden City Publishing Co., Inc., 1950.

THE END

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