Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1908-07-12
THE RAsID DOG.

portant subject, by Or. Charles ~
Dawson, station veterinarian. was IS
sued by the Florida Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station in 1904. being known
as Press Bulletin No. AZ We CON
slider II OF especial interest at the
present time, and commend 1t to the
careful perusal Of the public:
"As hydrophobia, or rabies, is most
often disseminated by the bites Of
rabid dogs. this bulletin viii deal
mainly with the symptoms exhibited
by dogs suffering from this disease. 1t
occurs In two forms namely, furious
madness and dumb madness. They
are both one and the same disease,
and frequently their respective symp-
toms shade of into each other. max
ing it difficult to distinguish them.
"In furious madness there are three
distinct stages: LIST, the stage OF
meIancholia; End, the stage OF irrita-
ton. or mania; Ord, the stage OF pa
raIysis.
THE stage OF melancholia lasts
from one to three days, sometimes
longer. The behavior OF the animal
is at first noticeably altered. It may
become unusually afectionate and
yivacious, or II may be sullen, excit-
able. irritable, frightened, and dis
trustful It will hide itself. frequently
change It's resting place, and move
about suddenly II gnaws and Hicks
the part that has been bitten. The
appetite remains good IN the earlier
part Of this stage, but later becomes
lost. II ticks cold objects and bites
and gnaws everything with which Il
comes In contact, frequently swallows
straw, grass, stones, wood, glass. raga
etc. AZ the end OF this stage there
may be slight sbasms in swallowing
choking, vomiting. coughing. pant.
ing, dificult breathing, fever, and
poking out the head.
THE stage OF irritation or mania
covers a period OF three or four days,
and IL the one In which the dog gener.
ally scatters the disease by biting
man and animals. II Is characterized
by attacks Of fury and conyplsions |
The dog leaves home. even breaking |
the chain or destroying his kennel, II
necessary to accomplish this object
They wander ainiIessly about for long
distances and may enter boldly strange
premises. They sometimes return
home. AZ hrst, the inclination to bite
is slight II bites at imaginary OBJ
iects IN the air and d very irritable
Later on, II bites not only everything
with which II comes In contact, but
becomes aggressive and attacks dogs,
cattle, sheep, goats, fowls. and even
It's own master. Sometimes. In its
fury, Il will bite a redhot iron, or
even tear IFS own flesh. Frequently
the teeth are broken. In rare cases |
Il avoids man and beast. In this |
stage there Is symptom 70 which
great importance II attached, Viz: the !
altered voice. The bark h hoarse,
rough and bowling. The first notes
are prolonged into a high.ptChed
long.drawn-out howl
In the stage OF paralysis, the body |
rapidly wastes away. The eyes are
sunken, staring and CLASSY. Paraly.
sis occurs In various locations. First
appears paralysis OF the muscles con.
cerned 10 swallowing. Then the |
lower jaw drops, paralyEed, and the
tongue hangs out The hindlegs next |
become affected, and the animal stag,
gers and becomes progressively weak. |
The paToxysms OF excitement are |
more inirequent and generally by the
ffth or eight day nom the onset OF
the disease the animal dies from ex.
hanstlon.
Dumb madness differs from furious
madness chiefly IN the brlefness or
the stage OF irritation or mania. Pa
ralysls 1.-THE Jaw and other parts oc.
cur early, and death takes place w |
two or three days.
The views which laymen hold con-
eernlng the symptoms OF hydrophobla
In dogs are generally erroneous The
popular opinion d that mad DOGS run
IN straight line, showing great fear
How's Thlss