Evening star., 1934-04-25
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES &. TRACEWELL.

A reader wants us to write some-
thing about distemper in dogs. but
that is a subject which must be left
to the veterinarians.
Real strides have been made in re-
cent years toward control Of this most
serious malady, but much yet remains
to be found out about 1t.
Certainly the average dog lover
knows too little to attempt to say any
thing about it. except that it causes
a great deal of trouble. and too often
sorrow, In a household.
Care of a stricken pet becomes ar
duous. Dogs. for all their vigor. do
not seem to have achieved the toler-
ance which cats have Of the frequent
changes from the heated home to the
cold outdoors.
The cat has more adaptability, per-
haps. although it, too. can suffer from
form of the same disease.
Just how far the subject Of feeding
enters into susceptibility to distemper
also must be left 10 the experts.
The layman may be willing to be-
lieve, however, that fear of raw meat
has something to do with it.
The old belief that bloody beef will
make a dog ferocious no doubt leads
many a good soul 10 deny this prime
food to canine pets.
Rickets comes from such lack, and
1t may be that distemper Is due. in
part, TO the same deprivation.
hat ho y,nrttnt1 of
raw meat advocated for most breeds
might be doubled in the daily feeding.
Nature may be more of a guide than
we are willing to admit. In a state OF
nature dogs would eat scarcely any
thing else. This natural fare would
include the warm blood. with all its
precious vitamin content.
The care of really sick dog Is a
problem.
Distemper. in particular.sis Is dis
tressing disease, on account OF the
eliminative processes which nature
sets up in a heroic effort to save the
animal.
II home care Is decided upon. q
small room should be selected for the
hospital, II this Is at all feasible. All
rugs and furniture should be elimi-
mated. and a thick carpet of old pa
pers placed on the floor. These must
be renewed as occasion demands.
Day and night attention is essen
tial SO that a real vigil Is in prospect
The writer will never forget the siege
occasioned by the sickness OF q fine
bull terrier with this disease
This dog was Of the type known in
some localities as pit terrier, that
is, a dog whose parents had been
bred for fighting purposes.
He lacked the long muzZle of the
typical terrier: his chest was thick
ana his body heavier, especially
toward the rear: his neck was %
inches around. But he combined with
a weight usually in the neighborhood
Of 70 pounds, an agility astounding
for such a heavy creature.
He could go over an average height
fence as easily as any dog. and
though he often seemed to clear a
picket by a fraction of an inch. 1t
was significant that he never harmed
himself.
As gentle and as inoffensive q crea-
ture as ever lived. he was SO ferocious
IN appearance that most beholders
were stricken with fear at the mere
sight Of him. He shared with most
bulldogs an antipathy toward black
persons and black cats. A travelling
bear on a journey through Washing
ton streets. once caused him to utter
low-pitched growls which nothing be-
fore or afterward ever drew from him.
There could be no doubt that II he
could have got at the bear there
would have been a fight which would