In this peculiar constitutional disease, the bones, some or many of them, are imperfectly developed and distorted. The bones have the natural structural arrangement, but are deficient in the earthy constituents to which they owe their firmness and solidity; they are soft, weak, pliable, and cartilaginous.

It is produced by defective hygienic arrangements, and especially by want of good food, fresh air, and sunlight. The disease generally attacks pups exposed to these causes, or placed in a dirty, confined kennel, or brought up on the milk of a weak or unhealthy mother. Blaine says, "Many whelps, among the fancy breeds of great cities and large towns, are born with the predisposition, particularly pugs and the smaller sort of bulldogs; there is also a breed of wry-legged terriers that without doubt originated in rickety specimens, which were afterwards cultivated for particular purposes - as for rabbit-hunting, etc."

The following interesting remarks are taken from the "Medical Times and Gazette" of 16th May 1863: -

"The mother is eight years old, and the father two years old. There were eight pups in the litter, four of which remained with the mother and were perfectly healthy, and four were removed after the lapse of twenty-five days; two of them were sickly, but got well by being fed on boiled meat and bread and milk. Those two which were presented to the Society were fed upon meat, bread, and broth; but the animal food formed the largest proportion. After being thus fed for three weeks, they began to exhibit a difficulty in walking, particularly on their hind-legs. A little afterwards the articulations became swollen, and the fore-legs began to bend. Their eyes were running, but their appetite remained good. At one time their whole body was so painful that they could not bear to be touched. They now present those symptoms of rickets which are observed in the human subject. They are bow-legged, have swollen articulations, and large stomachs. Dr Dick considers those specimens conclusively demonstrative that rickets is not identical with scrofula, and does not owe its origin to hereditary syphilis, as it is sometimes believed, but thinks that it is induced by improper or insufficient food. Too much animal food or bad milk in early life, he believes, induce rickets. And for that reason rickets is found not only in the poorer, but also in the better classes."

Treatment

The treatment of rickets is rather dietetic than medicinal. The animal should have as much nutritive food as its stomach can digest. A teaspoonful of cod liver oil three times a-day will probably do good. Regular exercise in the open air, an occasional shower-bath, and cleanliness are valuable adjuvants.

Two grains of the first trituration of Calc. phos. should be given night and morning for some time.