The term consumption, wasting of the body, strictly speaking, implies pulmonary tuberculosis, an affection characterized by the presence in the lungs of a morbid product called tubercle. This deposit eventually undergoes softening, becomes liquefied, ulcerations follow, and destruction of the lungs result.

Causation

Every influence which appears to affect the health has been alleged to be a cause of consumption, by impairing the nourishment of the body and inducing poverty of the blood. Bad air, deficiency and poor quantity of food are prominent factors. Poor food injures the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, and produces repeated attacks of irritation in those parts. That the seeds of consumption are planted by breeding in and in, is quite probable.

Antecedent diseases of the respiratory organs may induce the affection directly, and other serious derangements tend to its development. Jacobi reports that a dog which ate the sputa of his master, 111 with the disease, died of consumption; an evidence of communicability.

Some authors include asthma among the causes of consumption. This is not the case however, as the presence of asthma seems to afford protection against pulmonary tuberculosis.

Symptoms

In many cases, latent symptoms exist without sufficient prominence to excite suspicion, and a cough dates the beginning of the disease. The number of respirations is somewhat increased, the heart's action irritable, and the pulse accelerated. The loss of flesh is perceptible, the appetite somewhat diminished, the coat becomes staring and the hair falls out. Fever sets in and runs at intervals. The strength is obviously impaired. Emaciation gradually becomes extreme, diarrhoea sets in, the animal becomes exhausted and dies. The symptoms and course of the disease are modified by complications, or as other organs are involved.

Treatment

In the earlier stages certain agents may be employed with a hope of arresting the disease; the results will however in the majority of cases prove negative. The compound syrup hypophosphites may be given in teaspoonful doses before feeding, and cod liver oil in tablespoonful doses two or three times daily with the food. The diet should be nutritious and concentrated. pain and distress demand the administration of opiates. Apparent to all is the utter hopelessness of recovery after the lungs are materially affected. When the disease is suspected, but the symptoms are insufficiently pronounced to sustain a positive diagnosis, a radical change of air should, if possible, be tried. If improvement Joes not follow then an abrupt ending of the animal's sufferings is in mercy Justified.