PARASITIC DISEASE OF THE LUNGS IN A DOG.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9737, 27 May 1897, Page 6

PARASITIC DISEASE OF THE LUNGS IN A DOG.

(By W. McLaughlan in The Australatian.)

This disease being extremely rare in the canine species, I deem it advisable to record the following which came under my notice. A Greyhound slut, the property of\ Mr Kennedy, produce merchant, West Melbourne, was brought to mc for treatment, the owner remarking 'that she had something in her throat, and had been suffering for three days. The case being diagnosed as broncho-pnenmonia, and the progress unfavourable, the'dog was left with mc for further observations. . ■

The symptoms are an emaciated condition, weakly expression of countenance, • cough, combined with to , expectorate some irritant, - 4pd generally followed by vomition. ' Whek unaisiiirbed it would lie down on sternum and elbows, , with head extended at full length on the floor ; pulse accelerated, respirations increased and-irregu-lar, temperatute 104.1. Vomition always followed administration >of fluid food or medicine. Death occurred in three, days. l\>3t-mortern examination disclosed a dirty brown fluid in the bronchial tubes and red consolidation of the lungs (portial). On slitting up the the mucous membrane was slightly inflamed to within an inch of the bifurcation of the bronchi; at thie part it was deeply congested, uneven, with oval 'shaped masses of reddish-grey colour, which, on close inspection were found to be localised swellings of the mucous membrane, containing email parasitic worms, the white bodies of which could be seen lying upon, an*! embedded in, the derations. The orifices of the second division of the bronchi wore almost blocked up with the oval-shaped masses about the size of a small pea; each little deration consisted of a nest of parasites. Very few of theJporms were found lying free on the mucona membrane; almost all of them were attached iA the masses or buried in them. 'Adult worms, free embryo, and ova were detected in mucous from the smaller bronchial tabes.

Dr. Osier, oi the Montreal Veterinary College, recorda-an outbreak of this disease among the pups of the Montreal Hrfnt Club, and. terms the w.orm Strongglea cams brencMaZU, the largest measuring about a quarter of an inch in length. He argues out the mode of invasion, and supposes that the dried embryos are inhaled with the breath, and lighting oh the mucous membrane, find suitable conditions for their development. In two of the eight bodies examined by him no parasites were found, although pneumonia was present. :

The symptoms taken together, with a microscopal examination of expectorated' matter, should be diagnostic of the cause of this pneumonic attack.

The suggested treatment is chlorinic inhalationa and stimulant tonics, or intratracheal injections of pruseic acid, turpentine such measures as are resorted to for eases 'of hoose in young cattle, an exact pathological equivalent of the disease* trader consideration. ■ *