Erythema, a general redness and rash, most often seen over the inside of the thighs, and sometimes all over a dog's least hairy parts, is about the only skin disease--if we except the curious and rare condition, "hide-bound"--from which dogs very occasionally suffer, that, in a common way, arises from over-feeding. It is best treated by change of diet, _small_ nourishing meat meals, and the avoidance of any heating, farinaceous substances, milk, or greasy food of any kind. A small dose of sulphate of magnesia twice a week in food--as much as will lie, not heaped, on sixpence for a 6-lb. dog--is often all the medicine needful. Want of exercise is a frequent producer of skin disease. Dogs not sufficiently exercised, or kept much shut up in hot rooms, have inactive livers, whence all kinds of evils.
I have never seen but one case of "hide-bound" in a house-dog, and that not in a toy. The skin was thickened and hard. Although the complaint is an interesting one from its rarity, that same fortunate quality renders it unnecessary for me to enter into the question--a veterinary surgeon must undertake such a case.
=The Ears.=--The ears in toy dogs are often the seat of a slight congestion which has no particular cause, but is more common in some individuals than others, and generally occurs at intervals in those subjects which have once had it. If taken early, the cure of an attack is very simple; but if neglected, the congested state may increase and culminate in inflammation of the middle ear, otitis, and the bugbear "canker," of which we hear so much, and which is really extremely rare. There are many stages of the trouble, from the slightly hot and red external ear, which causes the dog to put two claws in the passage and try to scratch it, and sometimes succeed in making a sore place thereby, through the phases of rubbing the side of the head on the carpet or ground, groaning and shaking the head violently, and other manifestations of pain, up to the existence of real canker, when there is much soreness and redness externally, with swelling of the meatus, or passage, a profuse and very dark brown discharge, and a very disagreeable odour.
There is always a slight characteristic smell about a "bad ear," which any experienced person can recognise in an instant, often before any other sign of trouble is seen. Some dogs--most, in fact--need watching in this respect. The moment the toy is seen to be a little one-sided as to head, or evinces any disposition to scratch his ear, a small lump of boric ointment should be put in the meatus, pushed in with the little finger, and worked about until it melts down into the passage and convolutions. Next day the ear may be cleaned out with the tip of the little finger covered with a very soft handkerchief, and the ointment again used, and this, in slight cases, will effect a cure. Never attempt to put any hard instrument, or, indeed, any instrument at all, other than the soft suppleness of a feeling finger, into a dog's ear.