Fix this text
K.C.C. Kennel Gazette
Fix this textThe Official Organ of the Publishers, The Kennel Control Council (Conducted under the Auspices of the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria),
Fix this textTemple Court, 422 Collins Street, Melbourne, C. 1., Victoria. Telephone: Central 3437.
Fix this textVol. 2. . No. 6.
Fix this textJUNE 1, 1937.
Fix this textFREE TO FINANCIAL MEMBERS.
Fix this textPRICE 3d. TO NON-MEMBERS.
Fix this textCANINE HYSTERIA
Fix this textPLEA FOR THE DISEASE TO
Fix this textBE SERIOUSLY TACKLED BY
Fix this textTHE EXPERTS
Fix this textThere is nothing more trying to dog owners,
Fix this textespecially, perhaps, Gundog owners, than
Fix this texthysteria, this mysterious malady which seems
Fix this textsuddenly to be born from the air for no
Fix this textapparent reascii at all. It has caused and is
Fix this textcausing considerable trouble, always lurking m
Fix this textthe background of every working dog’s life,
Fix this textand frequently appearing at the most awk-
Fix this textward times. Yet the professional experts appear
Fix this textstrangely reluctant to give this malady their
Fix this textundivided and concentrated attention. The
Fix this textformer nightmare of distemper has been well
Fix this texttackled and almost defeated by modern
Fix this textscientific methods. This other nightmare—
Fix this textto my mind, just as serious—seems to rage on,
Fix this textalmost unchecked by any movement on the
Fix this textpart of canine experts. .
Fix this textThere is some reason for this. Hysteria, un-
Fix this textlike distemper, apparently originates from no
Fix this textorganic cause. No bacteria connected with it
Fix this textcan be isolated and bottled in a test-tube. At
Fix this textleast, not as far as we know. I understand
Fix this textthe few animals on whom a post mortem was
Fix this textconducted gave no satisfactory results
Fix this textseemed to be organically and physically normal.
Fix this textBut I do think the subject should be seriously
Fix this texttaken up by the experts, even to the extent, of
Fix this textestablishing a kennel where the worse cases
Fix this textcould be treated and meticulously observed.
Fix this textIt is contended that canine hysteria is a
Fix this textcomparatively new disease. To this I cannot
Fix this textagree. In the old days we heard of “mad
Fix this textdogs” running wild through the streets, foam-
Fix this texting at the mouth, &c. These dogs were event-
Fix this textually shot. Is it not possible that this was, at
Fix this textleast sometimes, our old friend, because to
Fix this textignorant minds hysteria could easily be con-
Fix this textfused with rabies? And if to-day a dog had
Fix this texta bad attack in a crowded park or streets most
Fix this textpeople would run away in terror thinking it
Fix this textmadness!
Fix this textBefore going any further into the matter
Fix this textlet us be quite clear on the diagnosis of hysteria
Fix this textitself as compared with other fits. Let us con-
Fix this textsider moreover the other types as well. Dogs are
Fix this textsubject to several types of fits which, though,
Fix this textto my mind, slightly related, are not really
Fix this textcanine hysteria in the strict sense of the term.
Fix this textThere is the “teething” fit from which puppies
Fix this textsuffer occasionally, and this may be compared
Fix this textto convulsions in a very young child. It is not
Fix this textvery serious, frequently aggravated by the
Fix this textpresence of worms, and is soon grown out of.
Fix this textA far graver matter, and one more common
Fix this textthan is°generally supposed in working dogs, is
Fix this textwhat may be termed canine epilepsy. It is
Fix this textconfused with hysteria and it sometimes coin-
Fix this textcides with hysterical outbreaks in other animals
Fix this textof the same kennel. But I think it is a dis-
Fix this texttinct disease and in reality more serious, since
Fix this textthe subject seldom wholly recovers or escapes
Fix this textthe possibility of further attacks. In addition
Fix this textit is a hereditary trouble and can be trans-
Fix this textmitted to the dog’s progeny.
Fix this textThe symptoms are generally unmistakable
Fix this textand nearly always occur when an active dog
Fix this textis actually working. Suppose a Spaniel or Set-
Fix this textter is racing along on his lawful occasions. He
Fix this textsuddenly screams shrilly and drops as if shot.
Fix this textHis eyes go dark and glazed, or move spas-
Fix this textmodically. He lies on his side and his legs twitch
Fix this textconvulsively. The jaws clamp and foam probably
Fix this textcomes from his mouth. He is perfectly uncon-
Fix this textscious. blind, and deaf. For five minutes or
Fix this textmore he may lie like this and when he recovers
Fix this texthe rises to his feet in a slow, dazed manner.
Fix this textEither he rushes off in an attack of genuine
Fix this texthysteria, but. the more usual result is a hazy
Fix this textconsciousness and a, final recovery to normal
Fix this textas he is led along.
Fix this textWe cannot tell what would happen if he were
Fix this textallowed to work again immediately after, as
Fix this texthe is generally taken home as quickly as pos-
Fix this textsible. Probably this type of epileptic fit
Fix this textcontinues to recur and the dog is always subject
Fix this textto it. Curiously enough it frequently coincides
Fix this textwith hysteria in other individuals of the same
Fix this textfennel. But is not human epilepsy related to
Fix this texthysteria? A fit with much the same symptoms
Fix this textis one that sometimes affects dogs or puppies
Fix this textwith distemper. This is more curable, and
Fix this textI doubt if it is transmitted by heredity as is
Fix this textepilepsy.
Fix this textI should not call any of these fits true
Fix this texthysteria. The symptoms of this are different.
Fix this textThe dog may be playing about with others,
Fix this textworking through a covert, or merely going for
Fix this texta walk. Suddenly he starts to stare, a peculiar
Fix this textand horrible gaze. A little whimper, perhaps
Fix this textraised hackles, and after turning round once or
Fix this texttwice, barking hysterically, he is off as fast
Fix this textas he can go, over fences or gates as though
Fix this textthe devil himself were in pursuit. In the worst
Fix this textform of this fit the bowels and bladder work
Fix this textspasmodically as he runs. If you can catch
Fix this texthim before he starts it will take you all your
Fix this textstrength to hold him, and you may even get
Fix this textbitten in the process, as I have been more than
Fix this textonce. It is an appalling thing, because you never
Fix this textknow when it will start, or which of the others
Fix this textwill “catch” it. All your dogs are immediately
Fix this textunder suspicion and you have to watch them
Fix this textclosely whenever they are out.
Fix this textNow those are the facts. We all know them
Fix this textand we all have our pet theories of the cause
Fix this textof this peculiar malady. Unfortunately pet
Fix this texttheories have a nasty habit of being disproved,
Fix this textand as soon as one conclusion is reached it
Fix this textbecomes flatly contradicted by new facts. But
Fix this textat least we can agree on a few points. Worms,
Fix this textdistemper, inbreeding, a flabby condition, and
Fix this textear-mites are all contributing causes. Indiges-
Fix this texttion, too, if you like. But all these things,
Fix this text.together or singly, only irritate the malady.
Fix this textThey do not cause it. That is the trouble and
Fix this textthat is the stone wall against which all dog-
Fix this textowners and even veterinary surgeons batter
Fix this texttheir brains without so far any satisfactory
Fix this textresults.
Fix this textIt is exactly the same with cures. Some
Fix this textpeople swear by one thing, some by another.
Fix this textHere are some of the cures to which I have been
Fix this textrecommended. A huge worm dose, a change of
Fix this textdiet to brown bread (or raw meat), continued
Fix this textdoses of patent bromide medicines, a powder
Fix this textdropped in the ears, and a strong chloroform
Fix this textmixture also dropped into the ears. Every
Fix this textrecommendation has been given with positive
Fix this textfaith; each pei'son was certain he or she was
Fix this textright.
Fix this textSooner or la,ter all these cures take effect,
Fix this textbut who is going to say how much of the
Fix this textrecovery was due to the specified cure, or how
Fix this textmuch to natural conditions? That is where the
Fix this textkennel experts could do a great deal by observa-
Fix this texttion and statistics.
Fix this textLet me go on to a few facts I have observed with
Fix this textmy own and other peoples’ dogs. Take the ear-
Fix this textmite theory, in my opinion a theory well worth
Fix this textconsideration. It is, in fact, the only “cause”
Fix this textof which I am doubtful. I mean I think that
Fix this textout of all the possible causes it may really be
Fix this textthe most important. A young bitch I bought
Fix this texthad hysteria very badly indeed. About a month
Fix this textpreviously she had recovered from distemper,
Fix this textand this hysteria was so bad that I considered
Fix this textputting her down, though I do not think it was
Fix this textconnected with the distemper. Someone with
Fix this texta large kennel of Retrievers gave me a pre-
Fix this textscription to be made up freshly by a chemist.
Fix this textHe told me this method and mixture had com-
Fix this textpletely cured over twenty Retrievers. The treat-
Fix this textment consisted of dropping four drops in each
Fix this textear (previously cleaned with cotton-wool and
Fix this textmethylated spirit) and then holding the ears
Fix this textclosed for fifteen minutes. The bitch, which was
Fix this textstill in such a state that she could not be taken
Fix this textout, was treated in this way. Her diet was not
Fix this textchanged, nor was she dosed for worms. From
Fix this textthe day of the ear treatment she never had
Fix this textanother fit of hysteria. Since then she has seen
Fix this textit in puppies and other dogs a good many times
Fix this textand has remained completely immune. In view
Fix this textof the fact that so many Retrievers had been
Fix this textcured as well as this bitch, it made me wonder
Fix this textif that proves the trouble lies in the ear.
Fix this textIncidentally, this treatment is a painful one, as
Fix this textthe dog groans all the time it is being held.
Fix this textAlthough worms in large numbers may cer-
Fix this texttainly do damage, I have yet to be convinced
Fix this textthat they cause hysteria. I have dosed several
Fix this text“patients” in this hope, but unfortunately they
Fix this texthad no worms. Neither am I going to believe
Fix this textthat biscuits or hound meal are a cause, or even
Fix this texta contributory one. Cereal food does not bring
Fix this texthysteria, though admittedly a change of diet
Fix this textis an excellent thing in all treatment. A Gun-
Fix this textdog which has been closely kennelled all the
Fix this textsummer and is expected to work hard straight
Fix this textaway (many keepers have dogs in this state) is
Fix this textcertainly inclined to have fits, whether of the
Fix this textepileptic type or hysteria. But as just as many in
Fix this texta hard condition also suffer, this reason as a
Fix this textprimary cause has to be abandoned.
Fix this textAgain, I was inclined to think that inbreeding
Fix this texttended to deteriorate the brain (it does to some
Fix this textextent), but this theory as a cause was defi-
Fix this textnitely dispelled when I had a mongrel Collie
Fix this textbitch as a foster, and she started quite bad
Fix this textattacks of hysteria all by herself when I had
Fix this textnot seen any in my kennels for a considerable
Fix this texttime.
Fix this textWe have still to find the real cause, the root
Fix this textof this most horrible canine mystery. I have
Fix this textalready proved to my own satisfaction just one
Fix this textor two facts. If I import a young puppy, or
Fix this texteven an older dog, to my kennels it nearly
Fix this textalways contracts hysteria sooner or later. As
Fix this textsoon as it goes elsewhere the hysteria ceases.
Fix this textMy own dogs and puppies reared in the place
Fix this textnever “catch” it, no matter how much they may
Fix this textsee and hear. This has been proved over and
Fix this textover again. If I sell an “imported” puppy (not
Fix this textof my own breeding) and tell the buyer that
Fix this textit has had hysteria I hear later that it never
Fix this texthad another fit. There is no doubt that the
Fix this textrather silly and weak-minded dogs are more
Fix this textinclined to hysteria than the sober, intelligent
Fix this textones. I have noticed this quite often. Perhaps
Fix this textweak-mindedness is again a contributory cause.
Fix this textAnother fact I have noticed is that if one
Fix this textdog has hysteria then any other with a heredi-
Fix this texttary tendency to epilepsy immediately develops
Fix this texta “sympathetic” fit. Food has little to do with
Fix this textit. The dogs are all fed the same way, on the
Fix this textsame biscuit food, yet the old brigade remains
Fix this textunmoved while others rave!
Fix this textIt’s all very strange and most trying. Does
Fix this textit come from the ground? dr from the air?
Fix this textOr is it born in the brain of the dog himself?
Fix this text—(By Huldine V. Beamish, in “The Dog
Fix this textWorld,” England.)
Fix this textTHIS GAZETTE IS ISSUED FREE TO FINANCIAL MEMBERS—SUBSCRIPTION, 5/.
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-831119772
Kennel Control Council (Vic.). (1932). K.C.C. kennel gazette : the official organ of the publishers, the Kennel Control Council Retrieved August 14, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-831119772
Kennel Control Council (Vic.). K.C.C. kennel gazette : the official organ of the publishers, the Kennel Control Council Melbourne: the Kennel Control Council, 1932. Web. 14 August 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-831119772>
Kennel Control Council (Vic.). 1932, K.C.C. kennel gazette : the official organ of the publishers, the Kennel Control Council the Kennel Control Council, Melbourne viewed 14 August 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-831119772
{{Citation
| author1=Kennel Control Council (Vic.).
| title=K.C.C. kennel gazette : the official organ of the publishers, the Kennel Control Council.
| year=1932
| section=v. : ill. ; 29 cm.
| issue=Vol. 2 No. 6 (1 June 1937)
| location=Melbourne
| publisher=the Kennel Control Council
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-831119772
| id=nla.obj-831119772
| access-date=14 August 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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