The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1915-12-23
VALUABLE DOGS DYING.
Black Tongue Prevalent In South
Carolina and Other States.

O3oSN 1O1AoS - ~ seee.
Carolina and Other States.
Washington, December 2l:-The
disease known as black tongue, which
is apparently peculiar to the South
ern States. results in a heavy NOR
tality among dogs in that section.
Many valuable hunting dogs have
been lost from this cause. Recent
reports indicate its occurrence in
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Caro-
lima, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Ten
nessee, Texas, Virginia, and the
District of Columbia,
As the name indicates, there is an
inflamed and swollen condition OF
the tongue, which may assume a
dark color. Such inflammation is
not confined to the tongue, but may
involve the membranes of the
mouth generally, and extend to the
throat, causing great difficulty in
swallowing. In fact, usually the
first symptoms observed by owners
of affected dogs are the profuse
flow of saliva from the mouth, dis
inclination to masticate food, and
difficulty in swallowing. The breath
becomes offensive, the animal is
more or less feverish, and as the
disease progresses, he becomes
greatly prostrated, this condition of
weakness being aggravated through
inability of the dog to take nourish-
ment.
Various investigators have con-
sidered the disease identical with
the so-called typhus of dogs as oc-
curing in Europe; others have at
tributed it to the eating of putrid
carcasses in the field. believing that
infection takes place through wounds
in the mouth from eating bones
with sharp points. As the germ of
necrosis has been found in the mouth
in certain of cases these cases, it has
been assumed by some that it may
be a necrotic condition. At least
one Investigator. who has studied
the trouble, is of the opinion that it
may be result of infestation with
hookworms, and is reported to have
been successful in the treatment of
black tongue by the administration
of full doses of thymol, followed by
a purgative dose of epson salts.
The true nature of black tongue,
however. has never been determin-
ed, and further research will be
necessary to establish its cause.
In a majority of cases the disease
terminates in death, and treatment
appears to be of little avail except
when applied in the very early
stages.
Various methods of treatment
have been employed. According to
specialists of the United States De-
partment of Agriculture, it appears
that the best results are obtained by
the prompt use of disinfectants in
the mouth of the affected animal
before the disease has advanced to
any appreciable extent. For this
purpose one ounce of alkaline an
tiseptic," which is listed in the
National Formulary of the Ameri-
can Pharmaceutical association, and
can be procured from a druggist,
may be added to two ounces of dis
titled water, the resulting mixture
to be sprayed into the mouth with
a small syringe.
Washing of the mouth with a So
luton of potassium permanganate.
part to 500 parts of water, three
times daily may also prove beneficial.
An offensive diarrhoea is frequent
ly associated with the disease, and
to relieve this condition it is advis-
able to administer 5-grain doses of
salol 4 times daily, or zinc-sulpho-
carbolate in doses of from 5 to 20
grains several times daily.
If the dog is unable to eat, mix
ture of egg and milk should be given
at least twice daily, by pouring it
into the animals mouth.
In view of the possible infectious
nature of the disease, prompt re-
moval of an affected dog from other
CANNES and careful and frequent
disinfection of the kennels is recon-
aalol Ma4Iada aE Aias e. a4sa,,