The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-12-31
Black Tongue of Dogs.

Washington, D. c., Dec. 20. The
disease known as black tongue, which
is apparently peculiar to the Southern
States, results in a heavy mortality
among dogs in that section. Many
valuable hunting dogs have been lost
from this cause. Recent reports in
dicate it's occurrence in Alabama, Ar
kansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklaho-
ma. South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas,
Virginia, and the District OF Column
bia.
AS the name indicates, there is an
Iinhamed and swollen condition Of the
tongue, which may assume a dark col
tor, Such Inflammation is not confined
to the tongue, but may involve the
membranes Of the mouth generaily,
and extend to the throat, causing
great difficulty in swallowing IN
fact. usually the first symptoms oO-
served by owners of affected dogs are
the profuse flow of saliva from the
mouth, disinclination to mAstcate
food. and difficulty in swallowing. Inc
,hre9tb becomes offensive, the animal
is more or less feverish, and as the
disease progresses, he becomes greatly
SInort,,o+o ulSSo fbis condition of weakness
ai,o dGo - .'CH, o.G,rsyatod through inability OF
tbe DOG to take nourishment.
'i'1 Uor;o,s uUe | invastigators have consider
cd the disease indentical with the So
ca eo1,oJ tlIo +unbns If dogs as occurring in
T'irono: 80 ~ others have attributed it to
~ ~ aa+ir~ of nutrid carcasses in the
Eta enG haiieving that infection takes
1 nelu, t%ro,,ab pee wounds in the mouth
fron, eating bones with sharp points.
A. the germ of necrosis has been
fonnd in the mouth in certain of these
oosas # has been assumed by some
Sot tSot Il " nav he a necrotic condition.
CtteT Ht Ions+ ~ % one investigator, who has
l4,,diod a. 10 +ba trouble is of the opinion
tLat sLt,tiit - nav nav be a result of infestatior
,r;tS uri4T y booEworms. I and is reported to
have been successful in the treatment
ne lleIJ iooi, % +onone bv the administration
IF fnIl doses of thymol, followed by
r,,rra+ive dose of epson salts. The
tr,le nature of black tongue, however,
i,r u ue ,,n',or ,a Loan determined, and furth-
liae ,.es oaro,, viii be necessary to estab-
T;sb ifs cause.
ii'I, In q ma aioritv of cases the disease
4orr,in,+as 49, ~ in death. and treatment
Tl onnnare m, 70 he of little avail except
when applied in the very early stages
,o,, a. n,,nlovad I'M According to special
oeeN :t e f +bo United States Department
Of Of: Aariculture. it appears that the
pa u ssos,,ItS are obtained by the
oest results e. dis;nfactants in the
pIo,!ippV p,4p of R +he Elected animal before
.ilouCH 1Io Ji.oaso o has advanced to any ap-
Ine o;ntIo at ox+ant For this purpose
pre'i1u a,oooo If "allaline antiseptic," F"
one ~ Jun ;n listed in the National For
,,,niorv % Of the American Pharmaceuti-
naI iaI ASSOCIATION, and can be procured
f"or f"n q druggist. may be added to two
nnoS l,Uln Of distilled water, the resulting
oGt[v, ,'.;,.[,,re " 70 be spravcd into the mouth
~ ,t;4L i,.iI sn,alI evrinoe
WV Wosh;no the mouth with a solution
w ,,otnssi,,n, asm.%S nermanganate. / part t,
9G 600 pp."d narts Of water, three times daily
ooo pIaCS iao rrove W. beneicial.
MAJ ''tJ nFoppsive diarrhea is frequentl,
~ ia otr Nth the disease, and to re
i;o%o a@9 tbis condition it is advisable It
NV Gi,to .;ntor 5-~roin doses of salol
aumihiS.;Il, an Ga;lv or zinc-sulphocarbolate il
e tllies 1e ofi!E, nf from NJ ( TO 20 grains severa
: doses ga;I,r' 9a ~ YIN "
T IF The dog is unable to eat, mix
a II Cfe III oro uos ond rH milk should be give
e CtiI 1aoe+ Ul @ +T;ce daily, by pouring it int
az a. ienoT aninsps r mouth.
n 'nG f. "i, u;ew Of the possible infection
o III va" of tho disease, prompt removs
# mature ma a oFoctad e. tor doc from other canine
J. OF an aneureI nof,,, apd freouent disinfec
anu ca az itonnels is recommended