This section is from the book "Everything About The Dogs", by Alvin George Eberhart. Also available from Amazon: Everything About Dogs.
(This classification of drugs and explanations is given because the terms are used to avoid verbosity).
Medicines which, if given in small and repeated doses gradually bring about a healthy state of the system without seriously augmenting the secretions - such as arsenic and its preparations, iodide of potassium, etc.
Chloroform, or ether, drugs that deprive of sensation or feeling.
Morphine or cocaine, drugs that assuage pain.
Medicines that resist or check putrefaction, such as chloride of lime, carbolic acid, soda, creosote, etc.
Medicine that overcomes inordinate muscular action, from their sedative effects allaying spasms and convulsions, as chloroform or opium.
See Cathartics.
Drugs used internally that contract muscular fiber and check diarrhea, hemorrhage and diabetes, used extensively to stop bleeding and diminish discharge from wounds, such as alum, gallic acid, etc.
Agents used as counter irritants for internal inflammation. Strong liquid ammonia being a good and quick blister for a dog; it may be applied on a cloth or sponge held on the part to be blistered for about ten minutes. Spirits of turpentine is also good; wring a piece of red flannel out of hot water, sprinkle with turpentine, and apply to the part. Pure olive oil should afterward be applied to blistered parts.
Medicines that increase strength, stimulate the stomach and animate the spirits. Cordials are often given to hunting dogs after a hard day's work in the field. Here is a good one to use.
Take powdered cardamon seeds 1 dram, oil of carra-ways 10 drops, oil of cloves 5 drops, powdered gum acacia 1/2 dram, made into a paste with syrup; dose for a greyhound or hunting dogs is one-fourth of this, given wrapped in an ounce of lean mutton.
Medicines that expel wind, such as oil of peppermint, ginger, etc.
Medicines to cause discharges, cleansing stomach and bowels. Laxatives and mild aperients.
Agents that destroy or decompose parts to which they are applied, used for proud flesh in wounds, to destroy warts, to sear the parts and prevent absorption of virus in case of bites, etc., etc. Nitrate of silver, carbolic acid, nitric acid or the hot iron are the most active.
Agents to soften effecs of irritants, by sheathing the surface, such as glycerine, gum acacia, and are used as a vehicle in giving such irritating articles as turpentine, oil of male fern, and many others.
Medicines to produce sweating, as sweet spirits of nitre.
Remedies which increase discharge of urine, such as nitrate of potash, Venice turpentine, balsam copabia, etc.
Agents used to produce vomiting. A dog's stomach is very easily acted on. Numerous medicines are used. Ipecacuanha wine is easy in its effects. Emetic tartar and common salt are useful emetics. . Dogs eat grass to produce vomiting.
Agents that soften or relax the parts applied to, such as poultices, camphorated oil, olive oil. and fomentations.
See Cathartics.
Medicines to produce sleep and relieve pain. Morphine is used mostly for the dog.
See Cathartics.
Medicine and liquors used to produce immediate but temporary increase of strength; given in collapse, exhaustion, or in excessive debility, when fever is not present. Sherry wine clear, whisky with a little water added, or good port wine, are good.
Medicines to excite and strengthen the stomach. Tonics are especially good in cases of debility following fever, distemper and lowering diseases; mostly used for the dog are, quinine, iron, gentian, rhubarb ,etc. There are several condition pills now put up, especially for dogs. Sergeants' Condition Pills, Glover's Tonic and Dent's Condition Pills are all good. Dr. Glover's is in liquid form. Either of these will do the work.
Medicines to destroy or expel worms.
These agents are mostly in the liquid form, and are administered for various purposes, as the softening and removal of hardened fceces, the allaying of spasm or colic in the bowels, the destruction of worms, for checking diarrhea, and more rarely for nourishing the body. The forms for clysters will be found in the parts of the work treating of these ailments in which they are used. The means of injecting the clyster is usually the common bladder and pipe sold by druggists at 2 5 cents each, or what is greatly better, an india rubber bottle enema, which gives the operator greater power, and is itself less trouble, being self-filling.
 
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