. Yet the dog seems lively; it is active
now, though perhaps a little while ago it was dull; every trivial
circumstance now attracts its notice. The appetite is generally ravenous.
The dog which only the day before was disinclined to feed, is suddenly
disposed to eat more than it ever was known to consume; and it will gnaw
and swallow the hardest wood for want of better provender. The amended
appetite is mostly one of the symptoms, but it is not invariably
witnessed; for occasionally increased activity, and the strange appearance
of the eye, are all that indicate the approach of fits. It will not be
long, however, before something shall be added which is more definite in
its meaning. The dog which was running about suddenly stands still, and
begins to smack its lips and champ its jaw. It keeps stationary while
doing this, and continues so until a quantity of froth and thick saliva
falls from the mouth, drops upon the ground, and then the action ceases.
The animal looks around with a vacant stare, evidently not conscious
where it is, and starts away, hitting itself perhaps against anything
which may oppose its progress. If caught it struggles to get loose, and
may even bite the hand which, when conscious, it would perish to defend.
Almost immediately, however, it regains its faculties, and then seems
quite as well as it appeared to be before the attack came on. It may
continue subject to be thus seized for several days; or soon after the
first attack, fits or convulsions may start up. During the champing colic
may set in, which will only yield when the fits are established. The
duration of the champing is not regular; it may be only for a few moments,
or for several minutes. The attacks may be no more than one or two in the
day, or twenty may occur in a single hour. Generally they remain about
three days, but here also there is no rule. I have known them to be
present for a week, and also to exist only for a few hours. In these
latter cases the condition of the dog is generally not understood. It is
taken out for a long walk, or it is indulged with a hearty meal; and in
the middle of the one, or shortly after the other, it begins to champ,
utters a loud sharp cry, which is suddenly cut short as if the animal was
choked. The eyes glare, the mouth is open, and before perfect
insensibility ensues, the dog bites at every object near it, then falls
down convulsed, the limbs stiffen, the head is drawn back or twisted to
one side