The Dog :: GENERATIVE ORGANS. FEMALE.

GENERATIVE ORGANS. FEMALE.

The ignorant are always inclined to be officious where procreation is concerned. The knowledge they pretend to, concerning such matters, however, consists of mingled indecency and mystery; and, when exposed, only commands contempt. The poor dog, nevertheless, suffers cruelly through the practices which such persons subject it to; and great as may be the ignorance of the parties who go about the country under various assumed denominations, to torture the canine race, surely, they who pay such fellows, or allow their animals to be abused by these pretenders, display a want of sense even more deplorable? Still this is done every day. The nobility continue to be the profitable dupes of a host of confident impostors; and strangely seem to be infatuated with the belief that the man who sells a dog can likewise administer to the diseases of the creatures in which he trades.

The bitch is most unfortunate in the variety of severities she is compelled to undergo. Some foolish persons have imagined they can at will induce the periodical desire for offspring in the animal. To do this, violent stimulants are employed; being often given by the mouth, but more frequently injected up the passage. I have no proof that such means are ever successful; and were they capable of doing all they are employed to accomplish, I would certainly refuse to make use of them. Nature cannot be coerced to man's profit; and any interference with her laws is always dangerous. The consequences may not be so immediate that in every instance the effect is traced to the cause; but the major portion of the affections of which the female generative organs of the dog are too commonly the seat, may be attributed to the carelessness, or cruelty of the owner, or of those by whom he is surrounded.

Various morbid growths are apt to appear upon or within the parts when old age advances. These have been generally produced by violence endured at a period long prior to the development of the disease. Potent injections may have been employed to bring on the condition called "heat;" or undue force may have been exerted to drag away the pups when the bitch was in labor; or brutality may have been resorted to, to tear apart the animals during the performance of the act of impregnation. Other sources of accident and injury may likewise operate in disposing the delicate membrane of the vagina to exhibit disease; for boys, and others also, are cruelly inquisitive, and the dumb creature cannot complain.

The growths that appear upon the parts are not peculiar to its locality. They are only such as may be present on similar structures. They assume one of three forms, viz. either that of tumor, fungus, or polypus.

The tumor may be of any shape or size; and it may be very hard or comparatively soft. Its consistence and dimension will depend upon its character; and this is seldom in two cases exactly alike. Mostly it is confined to the more external parts of the passage; but so deep-rooted is it that it cannot be conveniently dissected away. It may have a broad base or widely spreading attachment; and those I have examined after death most frequently were mixed up with the structures on which they seemed to repose.

When such is the case, nothing can be done beyond attending to the general health; as by supporting the constitution, the tendency to disease is likely to be checked. To the part no local application should be used; and every care is required to prevent the animal from injuring it.

When more externally situated, a careful examination must be made, to decide whether there is a fair hope of the growth being successfully excised. If it is hard and circumscribed, an operation is justifiable; but the skin should be healthy. All the integument must be preserved, and the entire bulk of the morbid body cleanly taken away. The parts are not so sensitive as to render the operation exceedingly severe; however large the wound may be, it generally heals rapidly. After the operation no dressing will be required, unless some untoward circumstance should arise, when, of course, the remedies needed to counteract it must be resorted to.

Fungus is invariably preceded by a purulent discharge, which, when the growth is developed, is mingled with blood. The system is feverish, and the parts are hot, irritable, and painful. The animal is continually licking itself, and is disinclined for motion or food.

In the first instance the cure is speedy; but if allowed to proceed, the affection is troublesome, and may be difficult to eradicate. When any unnatural discharge exudes, a mild tepid lotion should be injected. It should be of an astringent nature, and an infusion of green tea or any of the eye-washes recommended will be of service. The strength should likewise be supported, and the cold bath given daily, while exercise is particularly attended to.

When blood mingles with the exudation, a careful examination, with a speculum, if required, must be made; and the diseased surface should be touched with lunar caustic, or sulphate of copper. After this, an injection of the chloride of zinc, one grain to distilled water one ounce, should be employed thrice daily.

Should, however, the growth be of any size, it should be snipped off with a pair of probe-pointed scissors; and the lunar caustic ought then to be applied and repeated when the bleeding has entirely ceased. If the bleeding be excessive, cold water may be thrown up, or a pair of bellows, to drive a current of air upon the place, supposing it to be situated where it can be thus acted upon, may be made use of. Too frequently, however, the affection is deeply located, and then injections are alone to be resorted to, though, at the same time, constitutional measures may be employed. The case is not to be despaired of, but the prospect of success may not be satisfactory.

Polypus is a round pear-shaped body, generally hanging by a pedicle, or neck, like to the stalk of the fruit. It is smooth, also moist, and highly vascular, having a red and shining appearance. When present, its attachment is commonly rather backward, or pretty deep within the passage. A small glairy discharge is at first observed. The fluid emitted is simply mucous, caused by the increased secretion of the membrane, which is irritated by the presence of a foreign growth. The parts subsequently seem to be swollen, and the animal does not appear otherwise affected. At length something red and glistening is remarked to protrude. It is seen occasionally, and then withdrawn; but most generally it appears subsequent to the urine having been voided. Ultimately, however, it constantly hangs out; and as, when exposed, it annoys the animal, it may be injured, and bleed freely.

The practitioner must cautiously examine the part. Before he makes up his mind concerning the nature of that which is presented, he must assure himself that the womb has not become inverted. I was once requested by a veterinary surgeon to see him remove a polypus from the vagina of a bitch, as he had determined to excise it. Luckily I went, and saved him from cutting away the animal's uterus, which would assuredly have destroyed her. A contrary course was pursued, and that dog, in three days afterwards, was returned to its master well. The following particulars will enable him who may be in such a difficulty to discriminate the uterus from a polypus.

The uterus is soft, but rough when exposed; no vessels are to be seen upon its surface; it does not shine; it is not round or pear-shaped; it feels like a thick empty sac, and never appears upon pressure to contain any substance; it cannot be traced to any stalk-like attachment, and, if returned, the situation it will occupy denotes the position it was ordained to hold.

A polypus is smooth, glistening, and on its surface generally exhibits vessels. Its covering is always tense, and contains a semi-solid substance; it is often sensitive, and, if the space allows of the passage of the finger, the neck or point of attachment can be felt; it cannot, like the womb, or the bladder when inverted, be forced inward, or made to take the situation which either of them would occupy.

Moreover, the appearance of a polypus is an affair which must have attracted notice some months prior to its occurrence; whereas, the inversion of the bladder or the womb, occupies but an instant, and is commonly preceded by no symptoms.

Being assured there is a polypus, if a fine silk can be passed round the neck or stalk and be tied tight, so as to cut off the circulation of blood to the part, the growth will drop off in two days, supposing the operation to have been effectively performed. When a ligature cannot be applied, the body should be seized with a proper pair of forceps, and it should then be turned round and round several times. The object in doing this is to twist the stalk, so as to strangulate the vessels within it; and this sometimes answers quite as well as the ligature itself, but the last is best, as being more sure and less likely to be attended with accident. When neither can be accomplished, the polypus may be forcibly dragged away, or literally torn out; but the pain of this is very great, and the operation has nothing to recommend it but its absolute necessity.

The polypus being removed, perfectly cold, mild, astringent injections, to act as healing and cleansing lotions, should be used; or if any portion of the stalk remain, to that caustic may be applied.

Authors speak of cancer of the vagina. I have seen nothing yet in the animal that I may designate by such a term. I have, it is true, met with serious wounds and grievous sores; but all of these have yielded to treatment, and I am not aware that, if their nature had been malignant, they could have been subdued by any medicinal measures.

Dropsy of the uterus I have encountered, though, as no teacher or work speaks of such an affection in the dog, it was some time before I was able to recognise the disease. The bitch thus afflicted is generally petted into ill-health. She is fat, slothful, and weakly. All the various symptoms show the digestion to be deranged; and in most cases she eventually perishes of abdominal disease, which is in its termination independent of the condition of the uterus. The only marked symptom directing attention to the womb, is the cessation of every sign indicating sexual desire. For years there may be no appearance of "heat;" but otherwise the bitch shall be regarded only as delicate, and not be esteemed to be decidedly unwell. If, however, the body of the animal be examined after death, the body and horns of the uterus will be found distended with a thin aqueous fluid; and the walls of the organ will be seen to be very attenuated, and much wanting in vascularity. There is no precise limit to the size the uterus may attain; but, in consequence of its increased volume, it occupies another situation to that it naturally holds in the abdomen of the bitch. Generally, when dropsical to any extent, it will repose immediately upon the linea alba; and it is apt to be injured if care be not taken when the post mortem examination is made.

For dropsy of the uterus, general measures must alone be employed, and these must be of a tonic character; for, however much the dog may be petted, or however fat its body may be, the disease is always consequent upon debility. Among the tonics are several which have a stimulating action upon the uterus, and where it is suspected to be affected the following medicines may be administered:—

Powdered cinnamon	One scruple to one and a half drachm.
Powdered borate of soda	Ten grains to two scruples.
Powdered secale cornutum	One to six grains.
Extract of gentian	One drachm to half an ounce.
Powdered quassia	A sufficiency.

Make in twenty-four pills, and give three daily.

Make as in the previous prescription.

Iodide of potassium	Ten grains to one drachm.
Tincture of cantharides	Five drops to one scruple.
Simple syrup	One drachm.
Water	Two ounces.

Let a tea-spoonful be given three times a day.

In some cases the pills first recommended may be given with the drops last proposed; but the action must be watched, and either the dose diminished or the medicine withheld, if it appears to have any violent effect. The intent is to work gently and gradually upon the system, and no immediate result should be expected or desired.

Parturition, or Pupping.—This is a very serious branch of the present subject; for, through the inability to bring forth their young, many a valuable bitch is annually lost; and, by the injudicious measures intended to relieve them, many more are yearly sacrificed. I know of no book that gives proper directions for the guidance of the practitioner; indeed, the rules laid down by both Blaine and Youatt are calculated to do mischief whenever they shall be put into practice. The reader must, therefore, be content to accept that which will be submitted to his consideration on this topic, as the result of the experience of an individual whose observations have been made only during a comparatively short period, and whose opinions consequently are not to be regarded as confirmed. While directing attention to what has been declared rejected, the author solicits no confidence in his judgment, beyond that which results shall sanction, and reason approve.

Little gentlemen are said to incline towards what are termed fine women; and many persons will remember the caricature, in which a strapping Life-guards-man was depicted, stooping to salute a lady who scarcely reached the top of his boots. The like admiration for bulk appears to be entertained by the members of the canine race. Small curs are much disposed to bestow their affections upon huge Newfoundlands; and diminutive bitches, if followed by a host of suitors, will give the preference to the largest of the group. All descriptions of dogs will freely have intercourse with one another; and as these animals are of such various proportions, the female is frequently unable to give birth to the progeny of a gigantic sire. Care consequently should be taken to provide suitable males when pups are desired; and in all cases the dog should be smaller than the bitch. It is not, however, a sufficient precaution that the dog be of less size; for it, or the bitch herself, may be the dwarf of a large stock, and being so, may be capable of getting or gestating offspring as huge as the race from which either of them sprung. It is possible, therefore, for a small dog to be quite as dangerous as one of great weight; and I knew an animal of this kind which had been the cause of many deaths on that account. The animal alluded to was the property of a gentleman (now deceased) who had long graced the bench. The dog was a handsome Scotch terrier; and, being small, it was frequently solicited as a stock-dog. It was, however, very deceptive; for a bitch twice its own size could with difficulty survive the consequences of its embraces. It is a diminutive example of a naturally large race; and in its offspring there is a disposition to return to the original size. Therefore, not only must the dog be small, but, if possible, it must have been derived from a small stock. The giant's dwarf may beget a giant; and how frequently do parents of short stature have children who can at maturity look literally over their heads! Certainly more important, however, than the size of the dog, is the magnitude of the stock whence the bitch is derived. A full-sized pug bitch, whose portrait is given beneath, had connexion with a setter dog. She was sent to me to be delivered; but with little assistance the affair was accomplished. A small mongrel bitch, but a great favorite with its master, broke loose during his absence, and had connexion with a dog at least four times its size. The animal was brought to me to ascertain what could be done, her death being expected when the nine weeks expired. At the proper period, however, she brought forth four pups without any assistance. On the opposite side numerous instances might be quoted: but, on this topic, enough has been said to warn the reader that the dog, however small, should not be permitted to approach the bitch whose mother was large, or whose brothers and sisters stand much higher than herself. Let the reader look at the two portraits that follow. They are evidently of one and the same family. They both had a common progenitor. The beagle is the blood-hound, only of smaller size; and often these beautiful diminutive creatures suffer in parturition, or throw pups whose size takes from them all value. However, for the chance of security, if for no more tangible object; let the dog, in every instance, be smaller than the bitch; and let it also have no disease, but be in perfect health, strong and lively. A dog in any way deformed or affected with any disorder ought to be avoided. Blindness, skin eruptions, piles, paralysis of the tongue, and a host of other annoyances, I more than suspect to be hereditary. The mental qualities are transmitted, as well as physical beauties and defects. Sagacity, health, and beauty are to be sought for, and if all cannot be obtained, those most desired must be selected. Where shape is wanted, let the dog possess such form as the bitch is deficient in; thus the female having a long-nose or legs, may be put to a male short in these respects; and the rule may be applied in other instances.

THE BLOOD-HOUND. THE BLOOD-HOUND.

Judgment is needed; and, of course, the choice is to be in some measure regulated by the kind of stock the dog has been known to get. All dogs kept as stock-dogs have reputations for the qualities of their offspring; and these, sometimes, are better guides than the appearances of the animals themselves; for it does occur that the pups procured by a diminutive dog, do occasionally prove the very reverse of what might be anticipated.

THE BEAGLE. THE BEAGLE.

The bitch, for breeding, should be rather long in the back; and it is scarcely possible for her to be made too wide in the hind-quarters. She should be strong, and rather large than small of her breed; and where a diminution of size is desired, it is better to obtain it through the father than the mother. When the last method is adopted there is no danger of the bitch bearing pups of gigantic proportions, and which she may not be capable of bringing forth. The breed, also, should be as pure as possible; for there is a disposition in these animals to throw back, as it is termed; that is, supposing a bitch to be of spaniel breed, to that degree which allows of no cross being detected; nevertheless if there should be a stain of cur or terrier in her pedigree, one or more of every litter she bears, may prominently exhibit it. It is often long before this natural proof of a degraded family can be entirely eradicated; and it is very common for persons to express surprise at the pups born resembling neither of the parents they were derived from.

Another caution not to be neglected is, to keep the bitch from all communication with dogs it is wished her progeny should in no way resemble. A low-bred playmate may not appear to be of much consequence; and the proprietor may imagine, if actual connexion is provided against, no further precaution can be required. The females of the canine race, however, are able to bestow their affections; and tender recollections are as potent over them as they are known to be in other cases, where higher animals are concerned. Bitches are not always prudent in their loves, but are apt to fling themselves away on curs of low degree. If reared with a companion of vulgar appearance, there often springs up between the pair a devotion which no time can afterwards subdue. The passion, for such it really is, becomes of a more than romantic endurance. The loved one's image grows to be so impressed upon the mind—so much so, that all the fruits of the body afterwards bear its likeness. There may have been no intercourse between the pair, but to animals of her breed, the bitch may, contrary to her longings, have been devoted: and yet, in the offspring she brings forth the object of her affections will be represented. This, however, is very likely to be the case, when the first male accepted is by accident or neglect of impure origin. There have been several well-marked cases illustrative of this fact, and probably many which have never been properly observed. The peculiarity of a high-bred bitch bringing forth a blemished litter, would be set down to her throwing back; but perhaps a fair proportion of the cases thus accounted for, might with justice be attributed to the mental influence which has been pointed out.

The first indication of a bitch approaching to desire, is a slight enlargement of the teats. This may be observed for a week, more or less, before the parts show any signs of change. These last, however, soon begin to swell, and a thick glairy discharge of simple mucus drains from them in small quantities. The secretion becomes more copious, and thinner, gradually changing its character to that of blood; and as that alteration in the fluid is remarked, the labia grow larger, redder, and more hot.

The animal has then "heat," or oestrum, upon her, and her system is generally excited. She is more lively, and should any other dogs be with her, she indulges in a variety of coquettish antics. Her attitudes when thus excited are very picturesque, and the beauty of the animal is never exhibited to greater advantage.

A lively grace animates her whole frame; and she is now the creature a painter should study, or a poet describe. She will not immediately accept the male, whose passion she evidently practises all her arts to excite. For a few days, perhaps, a romping courtship may go forward before union is actually permitted.

Dog fanciers almost universally attach importance to the appearance of the discharge. Some say the dog should not be offered before the bleeding begins to diminish. If these rules are not attended to, I have been most confidently assured the evil consequences of the neglect are certain to be present in the pups. The litter prematurely begotten, it is foretold, must be bad in some way; though why this should be the case, or how the cause produces such effects, none of the dog fanciers have been able to explain.

As by attempting to obey these injunctions I have known many disappointments to be produced, there was every inducement, even had I not been inquisitive from professional motives, to set me testing the truth of these assertions; for I am not inclined to sneer at every opinion announced by persons devoid of education. A power to observe is by no means regulated by an ability to read or write; and as the dog fanciers bred much more largely than I possibly could do, their experience entitled their opinions to attention. Nevertheless, ignorance is so exposed to misconception, that its declarations at all times should be examined, and I resolved to test the truth of the rule which so many announced to be established.

The result has not confirmed the belief generally entertained; but it has induced me to conclude that the dog may be allowed whenever the bitch will permit him. Nature, I have found, regulates the matter, so as not to necessitate man's supervision. The bitch will, by her instinct, decide the question; and she may, without any dread of mysterious consequences, be left to its direction. In support of this conclusion, a large number of animals can readily be adduced. The numerous bitches, especially in the country, that are placed under no restraint, but are left free to gratify their impulses, afford obvious demonstration of the fact. These creatures have litters that are much stronger and healthier than those which are more tenderly guarded.

The fatality that attends the offspring of very choice breeds, does not infer that the customs they are subjected to conduce materially to their benefit; and my experience, so far as it has been carried, supports the conclusion which this circumstance would seem to countenance.

Let the bitch therefore follow her inclinations; but it is not unusual for force to be employed on such occasions. This should never be allowed. The female ought on no account to be compelled; but it is a common practice to employ restraint when she is unwilling. Some assistance may occasionally be needed, particularly with the smaller breeds, which are apt to be physically disabled; but it should be limited to such offices as favor the desires of the parties principally concerned. Whenever man's aid goes beyond that, it is likely to be injurious; for if Nature orders an animal to decline the gratification of its instinct, we may rest assured there is good reason why such a phenomenon is exhibited, although we may not possess the acumen to rightly interpret its indication.

Some people permit the dog and bitch to remain together for several hours; but with favorite stock-dogs, it is customary to present the female twice. I have found the second visit to be needless; and a single occasion has never yet failed to procure me three or four pups, which is quite as many as the majority of bitches are able to rear. The ordinary practice, however, appears to do no harm, so far as I am aware of its consequences. I do not, therefore, object to it; but I know it is not imperative, and it is well to be convinced on such a point.

After the bitch has been lined, she should be most carefully watched. Her desire rather increases than diminishes, and she will be most anxious to escape in search of new admirers. Her appetite renders her ingenious; and the owner is often vexed to find she conquers at this time those bounds which at other periods confined her. Let her be securely housed, or kept under the eye of her master, who must not forget her propensity to rove.

When the discharge ceases, and the local swelling subsides, the necessity for vigilance is at an end. The animal has then returned to chastity, and will be as obedient as before her passions were inflamed. During the nine weeks of gestation, she demands no special care. She thrives best if left to take her chance, and does better in proportion as she is not pampered. Her food should be wholesome, and her exercise rather increased than diminished. She should not be made fat, neither ought she to be suddenly reduced.

The safest course is to take no notice of the particular condition of the animal, but to let her ordinary treatment be continued without any change. The bitch will return to her usual manners and appearance, nor will there be for some time anything to denote her having conceived. In the middle of the fourth week, however, the presence of the young within the abdomen may, by skilful manipulation, be detected. I know of no one who has before made the observation, but I am confident as to the correctness of the statement; since I have frequently been enabled to inform parties that their dogs were in pup, when the circumstance was not suspected. In many instances, I have been able to ascertain before the expiration of the first month the number of young that would be born; but of course these matters are not always to be told with equal certainty. They can, however, be generally ascertained with tolerable accuracy; but where there is only one sense to guide the knowledge, and that one is not quite unobstructed, the judgment is liable to be mistaken with regard to particulars, though it may be assured concerning the main point.

To discover whether a bitch is in pup, let her be placed upon a table, and her fears or excitability banished by caresses. Then lay her upon her side, and with the fingers gently manipulate the intestines. If the womb is impregnated, the person, directing his attention first to the situation the uterus occupies, near to the rim of the pelvis, and inferior to the rectum, will there detect round smooth bodies, like little eggs. These may not be perceptible if the bladder be loaded; but if the catheter be employed to draw off the urine, they will surely be felt. If the rectum be full of foeces, it serves as an admirable guide to the position of the uterus; though he who is acquainted with anatomy needs no such assistance.

Some globular substance being detected, the fingers are advanced, and if more than one pup be conceived, another similar to it will speedily impinge upon the touch; then another, and so on, until the whole of the promised family have been thus announced. The last is the most difficult to discover: for should there be more than two or three, it may, and will, generally occupy the extremity of a horn; and, in that situation, may escape observation. There are to the womb of this animal a pair of horns, which are long, and extend to the region of the kidneys. Both cannot be traced at the same time, and there is a chance of the two being confounded. Therefore it is well not to be positive as to the precise number of young the bitch will bring forth; and I never presume to speak confidently upon the point; for though, in the majority of cases, my opinion may have been corroborated, nevertheless, I have often known a pup more than I supposed the uterus contained to have been delivered.

From the end of the fourth week, the litter, as it were, go away, or are lost; but when the seventh week arrives, the contents of the abdomen may be plainly detected; and if the bitch be taken upon the lap, and her belly supported with the hand, they at this period will be felt to move, and the motion even of their limbs is clearly recognised.

Milk appears in the teats about the middle of the ninth week, and the presence of the fluid declares the event is near at hand. The following day, or the one succeeding, is marked by a mucous discharge from the vagina; and when that is witnessed, parturition is seldom delayed beyond a day or two at most.

The exact period is announced by the animal being disinclined for food and desirous of solitude. Some bitches do not wish for seclusion; but others are very anxious to obtain it; and in either case the disposition should be gratified. All that is necessary for the comfort of the creature should be provided; but if the accommodation designed for her be rejected, she should as far as possible be allowed to indulge her own liking for another spot.

As the time of parturition draws near—that is, when the increase of mucus is remarked—a daily meal of boiled liver should be given; but nothing stronger, of a laxative nature, ought to be administered, unless the absolute necessity of such relief as aperients afford is ascertained. Many persons are in the habit of giving buckthorn or castor oil at this season; but the dog is naturally very delicate; and nothing calculated to detract from the strength which the coming effort must severely tax, should be heedlessly resorted to.

When the bitch retires, let her wish for privacy be respected. For three or four hours allow her to be undisturbed; but at the expiration of that time, the person who most enjoys her confidence, may approach her. After an exchange of recognitions, the animal may be examined. If nothing extraordinary can be remarked, nothing should be done beyond offering food and water; neither of which, however, need be pressed upon her. A day possibly may thus pass, without any sign of decided progress being made; nevertheless, the owner's patience must not be alarmed, for the greatest danger springs from premature assistance.

The first pup is often long before it is delivered; so that the cries be not sharp, loud, and frequent, the delay need not generate fear. Four-and-twenty hours having elapsed, and the indication of suffering with constant straining being present, the help which man can give should not be pressed upon the animal. The throes must cease, or the bitch appear exhausted by lying on its side, and emitting low moans before any aid is offered. Then the little finger, well greased, may be passed gently up the vagina, to learn if anything be within the passage; and if a pup be felt, instruments, as hereafter described, may be employed; but, on no account, need the finger be pushed beyond the os uteri. If the mouth of the womb be well opened, free, and the passage clear, the attention must be bestowed upon the bitch, and every means employed to revive the strength and bring back the pains. Some unusual circumstance is needed to justify manual interference—such as a pup with its side presented, or the os uteri well expanded, and the head of a dead pup filling up the space.

To such an extent have I practically followed out the measures here recommended, that under my care the labor-pains of a Scotch terrier ceased without anything being born. The bitch returned to her customary habits, but appeared dull, while a dark discharge was emitted. I told the proprietor the bitch had a dead pup within her, and entreated him to give the animal time. He consented to do this; and on the fourth day from that of the unsuccessful labor, the animal was delivered of a dead pup, with perfect ease.

The presence of straining alone should never be regarded as a symptom of pupping being actually at hand. The bitch, like other animals, is subject to spasms, called false labor-pains. These are in appearance highly deceptive, for they are generally accompanied with plaintive cries. To distinguish their true character, let the hands embrace the abdomen; and at the time when spasm seizes her, let gentle pressure be made upon its sides. If the pains be false, the convulsion will be felt to render turgid the muscles of the abdomen, but nothing within it will at the same time feel hard. Should, however, the labor have commenced, other signs than these will then declare the fact. When the throes come on, the uterus will contract; and beneath the hands it will be then felt a hard, harsh, and solid body. Its character, when naturally excited, is not to be mistaken; but is so well and strongly marked, that there is no excuse for not detecting its indication.

For false pains nothing need be done for some time; but if they continue, and seem to distress the animal, ether and opium may be freely given by the mouth; this will have the effect of quieting the spasm without injuring the pups.

The existence of true labor being ascertained, should there be sufficient cause to suspect obstruction to be present, then let the finger be oiled and introduced up the passage with caution as directed. Some persons when called to a bitch in pup, always begin at once doing this, but it should not be done unless there be some reason for the practice. I have known fellows poke the poor animals about, as though to do so was an important duty, which they were bound incessantly to perform. The introduction of the finger cannot do otherwise than remove the mucus which Nature provides to lubricate the passage and facilitate the egress of the pup. It is the mildest and best moisture the membrane can receive, and its removal is not to be slightly thought of. The finger, moreover, by the friction it occasions, irritates the parts; and however gently it may be introduced, it cannot otherwise than in some degree have this effect. The less it is used, therefore, the better; and when it is inserted, the attention should be alive to note every circumstance the touch can acquaint us with.

Other parties, when the labor is difficult or tedious, think it advisable to place the bitch in a hot bath. All the authors I know of, recommend this measure; but I must, without reservation, in the strongest possible terms, condemn it. In obedience with the directions of those who wrote or lectured on this subject, I originally followed the practice; but it was not long before I was apprised of its evil effects; and my wonder now is, how so injurious a custom ever came into general favor. I have known the bitch, when the throes were energetic, to be placed in the warm bath; and under its action to have indeed been quieted, for the pains never subsequently returned. The efforts, upon the vigor of which the delivery depended, have, to my knowledge, been more than once, twice, or thrice, dispersed, by the warmth which at such a time is a poison; for I can recollect but few cases where the bitch was taken from the water to survive.

Still, as the assertions of an individual cannot be supposed of sufficient force to overthrow an established habit, let me here, at the hazard of wearying the reader, venture to reason upon the matter. The uterus is principally composed of white muscular fibre, upon which structure heat has a sedative and cold has a stimulative action. The members of our profession well know this fact; and the reader, who can hardly be unacquainted with the colic, may in that affection find a proof to convince him of its truth. Cold water will bring on the belly-ache. This is occasioned by a chill to the intestines, causing their muscular fibre, which resembles that of the womb, to spasmodically contract. The vitality of the muscles of the intestines is excited; and to allay the pain, that excitability must be destroyed. Heat will effectually do this; and hot clothes, bags of sand, or bottles, are placed against the belly for that purpose. When the suffering depends on cold alone, the relief is speedy; and when it is dependent on other causes, the sense of comfort imparted testifies to the effect of the application. The heat allays the spasm, which the cold provoked.

Warmth, therefore, is a sedative to organic muscular fibre; and now, let it be asked, if during labor we should seek to dispel the contraction of the womb? During gestation the muscular coat of the uterus is passive; but when that function has been perfected, Nature endues it with energy to expel the foetus. Upon the violence of its contractions the performance of this important office is wholly and entirely dependent. Without it the young cannot be borne; and however painful may be its force, nevertheless, such pain is to be welcomed, and regarded thankfully. The throes may be agonizing, but it is more cruel to check than to promote them; for the temporary relief we obtain by causing them to cease, will certainly be purchased with the life of the animal that enjoys so dearly-bought a repose.

The shriek of the bitch during the time when a pup probably is being forced into the world, may harrow the heart of an affectionate master, and his sympathies may be wrought upon by beholding the convulsion which stretches every fibre of her frame. The sounds may grate upon the ear, and the spectacle may be terrible to look upon—for in dogs I have seen misery so powerfully exemplified, that I do no wrong to any man, when I suppose the picture would be piteous to his humanity—but it is not charity which would put a termination to the pangs. Place the bitch, then, in a warm bath, and the appearances almost instantaneously are changed. The animal rejoices in the ease which a cessation of torture produces. No doubt she, for the time, luxuriates, and her face expresses the sense of happiness she then enjoys. But her fate is with the pleasure sealed; and she obtains a momentary ease to meet with a lingering, or perhaps a frightful death, for I have known inflammation of the womb to follow the use of the warm bath. The use of the warm bath is, during labor, at best a mistake generated by ignorance; and unfortunately it is one of those errors which can rarely be afterwards redeemed; for the weakness it induces is so great, that the tonicity required in parturition is destroyed; and this no medicine can restore.

Another common failing in veterinary practitioners is, a belief that the ergot of rye, or secale cornutum, acts upon the dog as a direct uterine excitant, and thus promotes the parturitive function. In this belief, however, they are not single. Many writers speak with confidence of its operation upon the animal. The accounts are positive; and I would not lightly place my unsupported testimony to the fact against a host of authors who can be suspected of no motive to misstate. The gentlemen alluded to are authorities of such weight that a strong conviction of the truth is required to make me advance, against such and so many witnesses, my single word. The reader must, however, take both for what they are worth; and remember the truth is not the less true because there may be but one humble individual ranged upon its side. It is not my intention to say the authors who speak decidedly concerning the action of the ergot on the bitch had no grounds for the statements they advance. I should not be justified in making so gross an assertion; on the contrary, I believe sincerely they saw all which they narrate; but, nevertheless, I am prepared to maintain that secale cornutum is not an excitant to the uterus of the dog in that sense which would warrant the veterinary practitioner in regarding it as a lawful agent. To be so esteemed by such persons, it should be both safe and certain in its operation. It should not only possess a chance of doing good in one direction, but it ought to be attended with no probability of doing harm in another way. It may, in the hands of others, have caused the uterus to contract, and thus have favored parturition, or have brought about abortion. I have seen it do neither, but I cannot say it has never thus acted; I am in no position to prove the negative. When I have given it to the animal, it has disordered the stomach and induced vomition. The dogs I tried its action upon might possibly have been bad subjects for experiment, but I am not aware that they presented any peculiarity. In every case that has passed under my observation, secale cornutum has been injurious; and I fear lest it may be so, when employed by others; I, therefore, discountenance its use, declaring the custom of exhibiting it with a view to quicken labor to be dangerous. I have used it as an emetic, though, rarely; as, for ordinary circumstances, there are preferable agents at command; but for some time I have abandoned its employment as a parturient for the bitch.

To reconcile, in some measure, the opposite opinions, and explain the probable source of difference, let the reader consider the possible conditions of the animals I and others have subjected to observation. The medical man, when experimentalising upon a dog, generally buys the animal; and as he merely wants a life to practise upon, he does not give money to procure beauty or high breed; cheapness is an object with him; and any unfortunate straggling brute, that can with impunity be trapped, is sufficient for his purpose. Such unhappy creatures are to be caught roaming about the country; perhaps poorly fed, but strong and low-bred curs.

The dogs I am called to are not of this kind. They have been tenderly fostered, and generally their health has been deteriorated by the excess of care bestowed upon them. They are high-bred animals, and their sensibility is equal to their caste. My object, also, is not to play with life, but to save it; and that at which the medical man would laugh, I have reasons to regard with a serious countenance. Therefore, the accident which to me would be most important, might to others be so trivial as to deserve no notice, and even to excite no remark. However, supposing no accident to occur, the vigorous and low-bred mongrel might well endure that which a delicate and high-bred pet could not sustain. The stomach of the one being strong, would retain that which should induce violent spasm in the morbidly sensitive organ of the other. Dogs, it is true, are but dogs; yet, as a group, they present such varieties that there can be many things asserted of them which shall be true or untrue as applied to individuals.

Consequently, when I, writing of medicines as applied to certain descriptions of dogs, assert a particular agent is not in its action such as various writers have described, it is just possible I may not contradict the declarations previously made.

We may probably be both speaking of our knowledge only of really different things. Nominally the creatures we each observed were dogs; but though they were the same in race, in capabilities and bulk, they were perfectly distinct. The dog of the pharmacologist is a kind of beast I know nothing of; I am ignorant—entirely and totally ignorant—of the creature that Magendie and other respectabilities report of. As to the tales told by the French physiologists, I confess an inability to credit one-third of them; and from the list of those narrated by English physicians, I am obliged to make a very wide selection. My unfortunate capacity for incredulity in this matter has been educated by a professional acquaintance with the animal; and gentlemen must pardon me if I am disposed to think, they who are not ashamed to publish their wanton disregard for life would not be very tender with respect to a mere report about the creature whose suffering they despised. Where sympathy is dead, the conscience cannot be very acute.

I have yet another custom here to deprecate; and I am sorry to add, it is one which books and teachers equally countenance. I allude to the employment of instruments in parturition, without any rule being pointed out as to the time when such aids are necessary. Hundreds of bitches are murdered by the misdirected efforts of Veterinarians; and of the brutalities resorted to by other persons, I designedly take no notice. Such fellows—mere pretenders—are below the contempt of every honest mind; and my indignation passes over them to face the persons by whom their interference is permitted. It is horrible to think of the amount of torture which man's favorite animal is hourly subjected to, through the culpability or weakness of those who should, in gratitude for the poor beast's affections, be cautious to protect it.

Poetical as the dog is at all times, I know of no circumstance that develops more pathetically the disposition of the creature than that of pupping. At such a time, the bitch in her agony seems to trust more confidently in mankind. Animals that at other periods have allowed no one to approach them, at such moments have seemed to welcome me, and have appeared to comprehend the motive which brought me to their sides. To be examined they submit; and the pain it will often occasion may cause the animal to cry, but it draws forth no sign of resentment. The eyes are fixed upon the operator, as if to tell him of the suffering, and entreat for his sympathy. The expression of the face is mild and even plaintive; but, if possible, still more appealing are the endeavors the creature almost invariably makes to assist her attendant's designs. She seems, by some process that I cannot otherwise than consider to be a mental one, to comprehend human motives, and to more than appreciate our intentions. Her gratitude now would appear to be intense, and her confidence to be boundless. Where I have reluctantly been necessitated to resort to force, the dragging of a dead pup through a swollen passage has produced the pain which brought a sharp shriek from the animal; the agony has been such that even the fortitude of the canine parent could not silently sustain; and under its almost maddening influence, the head has been turned instinctively to bite. The natural impulse, however, was never fully gratified; the nose has touched my hand, but the jaws have closed before they grasped it. I have then distinctly felt the snapping motion, and plainly heard the teeth rattle as they quickly hit against each other, but they have never injured me. The dog could not repress the natural instinct; but though the hand was against its mouth, the noble beast has bitten the air.

If men knew more of dogs, the animal would be more esteemed. The persons who pretend to dislike them are always ignorant of the creatures. It is impossible for human beings to see much of, and be acquainted with, these despised brutes, without becoming their admirers. To like dogs denotes no peculiarity of taste or strangeness of disposition; for he must be incapable of appreciating natural goodness, who can observe these animals and not grow fond of them. There is no mental sympathy between a shrub and ourselves; yet a passion for flowers is pretended to by many who cultivate a horror of the canine race. Both feelings are affections, and a person of good sense would be ashamed to acknowledge either. Flowers are sweet and pretty, but man cannot love such things; whereas, between us and dogs there can be a positive bond of affection. In this world no one should be proud of disliking anything it is possible for him to love, or indulge a hatred towards any life that can adore him.

I have too many reasons to be grateful for the generosity of the brute, not to feel warmly toward it. There is no day my hands are not spared, for they are constantly exposed, and never protected; and I should long ago have been torn to pieces if the canine race were legitimate objects of dread. Therefore I merely discharge a debt, when I assert the magnanimity of the creature; and it is a duty on my part to do all in my power to benefit the despised brute. With that object I speak most unreservedly, in condemnation of the way in which instruments are employed during parturition. Many various inventions are sold in shops; and of these, the great majority are very dangerous. Of themselves, very few indeed are safe, with any skill; and most are seldom needed. In the mode of employing them, they are almost sure to do injury; for in ninety-nine cases out of every hundred, they are introduced much too early, and in the hundredth they are used with unnecessary violence.

Before any instrument is employed, the pup should be within the pelvis. The forceps sold in shops are made with the intention of dragging the foetus from the womb; and one of the difficulties the practitioner is supposed to encounter in parturition of the bitch, is taught to be the impossibility of hauling the foetus from the horn of the uterus. One pup generally occupies the body of the womb, and the rest of the litter are located in the horns. That is their natural situation; and as in the gravid state the length of the horns is greatly extended, of course some occupy a place far within the abdomen. The length of the horns, however, though supposed to constitute the only obstacle, is not the single cause which prevents the pup being reached by instruments. The horns, in consequence of their greater length, become bent, or folded upon themselves; so that an instrument which should drag the pups to light, where more than two or three are present, should be made to pass forward in the first instance, and then be constructed to take a backward direction. Those who invented these instruments to deliver bitches with, would seem to have been ignorant of this necessity; and I here mention it to prove how perfectly inadequate such things are for the purpose intended.

THE GRAVID UTERUS. THE GRAVID UTERUS.

Before any instrument is employed, the pup should be within the vagina. This is a rule that can hardly be with impunity violated by the generality of practitioners. Simple and brief as may be the direction, it is one that only on rare occasions may be safely disregarded; and of the exceptional case, mention will be made hereafter. The pup must be within the passage; and not only there, but so there, as to seem impacted, before assistance by means of instruments is necessary. The largest foetus can, in almost every case, proceed thus far; and where it is of too great a size to come so low, any interference would be desperate; for then it must be of such a magnitude as to destroy the probability of delivery being accomplished.

When the pup has not entered the pelvis, the practitioner may be assured the obstacle is not created by the disproportioned size of the young. The labor either has not proceeded far enough, and time is required for its completion; or the uterus is feeble, and stimulants are wanted to invigorate it. The largest foetus can be moved by the womb; so the size must be an impediment only to its passage through the vagina. There is therefore no mechanical hindrance before that part has been reached, and no mechanical assistance at an earlier period is imperative.

When the veterinarian is called to a labor that has already commenced, and perhaps been some time about, he directs his first attention to the orifice. If the perineum looks unnaturally distended, so large as to be remarkable, the presence of a pup in the vagina may be concluded; and here he must know how to act with decision.

If the throes are on, and strong, though evidence of pain be heard, we must not be too quick to interfere. If there be anything like a bladder protruding from the vulva, nothing whatever must be done. In easy births the pups invariably come into the world enveloped in their membranes, and thereby their egress seems to be greatly accelerated. If these burst, or are broken, the delivery is thereby rendered more difficult. The membranes consequently, if protruding, should not be touched. Some persons, I know, seize them under an idea, that by pulling at these, or at the cord, the foetus can be brought away. The notion is fallacious. With the first or second pup the membrane may be visible; and, nevertheless, the labor may not then have proceeded far enough to detach all the placenta. The entirety of the caul, or water-bag, denotes that the foetus is alive; and it also shows that Nature is proceeding to accomplish, in due time, her offices.

The position which the bitch assumes during labor also deserves to be noted. While she remains within her bed, and continues lying upon her side, however tedious may be the labor, there is little reason for apprehension. A few cries vented when the throes are present, or a moan or two emitted when they are coming on, may be expected, and deserve little observation; but when the bitch gives forth sharp, short exclamations, leaves her house or basket, and places herself in the attitude she takes when voiding her fÆces, there is cause to conclude something wrong, and requiring immediate help, has taken place.

Most authorities make mention of what are called wrong presentations; and such are very commonly met with in the cow, mare, and the larger animals; but I have never known a case of false presentation in the bitch; and I am led to conclude that the authors who narrated such cases, drew upon their experience in other directions, describing imaginative possibilities as circumstances that had actually occurred. I do not well comprehend how a false presentation could take place in this animal, and I can grant the possibility of its ever having been witnessed to the first pup alone. It is remotely possible that this one should be presented sideways, though highly improbable it could take such a position. After the womb has expelled the first of the litter, the body of the generative organ contracts; and all the others must pass through it in a line favorable to the birth.

It is of little consequence, in the young of the dog, whether the head or tail be first born. Examples in both directions are always witnessed in every puppying. So likewise is it of small importance how the legs are placed, though of course delivery is favored by their being properly arranged. At the time of birth, however, the bones of the pup are but partially consolidated; and that circumstance causes them not to offer those serious obstructions which they are found to present in other creatures. The gelatinous mass readily takes the form required for its expulsion; and the practitioner has little reason to perplex himself concerning those particulars which in the calf or foal he knows to be of vital import.

The principal obstruction to birth in the bitch springs from the weakness of the creature. To this its sufferings, and the too frequent tediousness of its labor, are to be mostly attributed. When there are evident signs of debility—shown by the throes having subsided, and further evidenced by no symptom of their reappearance being witnessed after three or four hours' watching—from a teaspoonful to a table-spoonful of brandy, mixed with sugar and cold water, may be administered; and in half an hour repeated, if it should have no effect. This I have seldom found to fail, and never have I known it to do injury; wherefore I prefer it to the ergot of rye, which in my hands has been uncertain and injurious. Patience, however, is more often needed, than stimulants required; and before the latter are resorted to, the symptoms of debility ought to be recognised; for without these be perceived, the passive condition of the uterus deserves no immediate attention.

When the throes are on, the efforts may be assisted. This is best done by placing the hands under the abdomen, and with them making pressure whenever the straining appears. The hands, however, must not be held so long as will let them get hot; for, by communicating warmth, more harm is done than the benefit afforded is likely to compensate. The object in placing the hands under the belly is, to brace and give support to the abdominal muscles; which, in the dog, are naturally weak, and in the bitch during gestation always become attenuated.

Cold cloths to the abdomen will also in some cases—but not in all—excite the uterus, and bring on vigorous throes. The coldest water I could procure is that of the temperature employed by me; and it has seldom, to my knowledge, been otherwise than beneficial.

When the birth is long delayed, the bladder and rectum should be examined and emptied of their contents by means of the injection-pipe and catheter. To draw off the urine of the bitch is not difficult or dangerous. A knowledge of the situation of the meatus, or termination of the urethra, is necessary to the operation; and this is best obtained by dissection. It lies within the pelvis, a short way anterior to the brim, and above the symphysis of the ischium. I know that while endeavoring to explain, I am here making use of words which will to the majority of readers convey no meaning; nevertheless, I cannot be more clear. I have, however, in a communication to the Veterinarian, entered into this matter; and I here extract from that journal part of a paper published in the number for January, 1849:—

"With regard to the bitch, I always let the animal stand upon her legs, simply having an assistant to hold the head and engage the attention of the creature. The meatus lies about half an inch or two inches within the pelvis, the distance varying with the size of the dog. The line of the urethra is rather forward than downward, though, of course, in both directions. After having once or twice passed the instrument, it is surprising how very readily this conjectured impossibility is performed. I think so little of the difficulties, that I have no inclination to dilate upon the few precautions which are required to remove them. I may, however, here state, that, when grasping the penis of the dog, a handkerchief or a portion of tow will be required to render the hold secure; and the wire should, before the catheter is introduced, be withdrawn, while it ought to be moistened with olive oil to facilitate its passage, as the canal is not unfrequently devoid of mucus."

When the pup is partly born, and its passage appears to be delayed, either through the feebleness of the throes or some mechanical impediment, assistance should be afforded. The restlessness of the bitch will, perhaps, be the most proper indication; and it is the more necessary to be cautious in our interference, as, on account of the size of the animal, the aid we can afford is limited. When a paw is to be seen, this may be laid hold of; but not without the fingers being covered; for, as the limb is slippery, the force intended to secure it would hardly render the grasp confirmed, and might crush the member. The osseous structure in the pup at birth, as I have already stated, is not consolidated; and all other components of the body are in a condition proportionally immatured. The tiny being, when first brought into the world, is little better than a living mass of pulp; and on that account, it must be gently handled. Far less violence than might be supposed requisite to do so, will dismember it; and no vast force is needed to pull even the head from the trunk. Aware of this, the efforts intended for the delivery must be regulated by the power of the substance to endure them. The practitioner must take a thin, soft cloth, or what is better, his silk pocket-handkerchief, and with this lay hold of any part that can be grasped. If but one leg can be got hold of, that must be secured, and an attempt made to bring forward the other. The two being obtained, gentle force or traction may be through them applied while the throes are on. The dragging must not be strong, as, if the pup be alive, it will be injured; or, alive or dead, it may be torn to pieces.

A broken pup, as the foetus is called when any part of it has been pulled off, is always more dangerous to the life of the bitch, and much more difficult to get away, than one that is entire. The impediment bears relation to the extent of the mutilation. Thus the separation of the head is more serious than the deprivation of a limb; for, let not the reader imagine that in the dog, as in the cow or mare, embryotomy by means of a knife can be successfully resorted to. I have endeavored sometimes to perform craniotomy, or to remove the brains of the foetus, hoping by so reducing the bulk of the head to facilitate the delivery; but the result has displeased me, and I no longer follow the practice. The pup, if to be got away at all, will be most easily removed entire; and that it may not have its integrity destroyed, the assistance given to the mother must be temperate. Every little aid is a help to the labor; and knowing that, we must be content if we are denied to accomplish all. The traction, assisted by a secure grasp, should be steady; and the lips of the part should at the same time be as much as possible pulled open with the fingers of the free hand. Mild, soothing, and encouraging words will, during the operation, be of every consequence; and it is of importance that, in every particular, the animal should be humored to the extent of possibility. Restraint should be enforced only where absolutely necessary; and when it is so, the creature will strangely comprehend the reason that compels, and patiently, or at least without resentment, submit to its endurance. A harsh word, however, or a blow, or both together, too frequently gratify the impatience of the practitioner, and, at this time, often dispel the throes on which the birth depends. The dog is ever sensitive to correction; no living being more acutely feels rebuke or praise; and its excitable nature, lighted up by the pains of labor, cannot then endure unkindness, and should receive our sympathy. Good language, no hurry, and a rejection of all violence, will do more for a desperate case than all the drugs in the pharmacy, or all the tact which ingenuity is possessed of.

To secure the legs, when they can be felt, Blaine recommends a skein of worsted. I have not found that article of any use whatever. If introduced into the vagina, it soon becomes moist, adheres to the finger, and cannot be detached from it. If, however, applied in a loop or slip-knot round a paw, I have known it cut through the bone; and its only advantage lies in the fact of its little tendency to come off when once fixed. Even in that respect, however, it sometimes disappoints, and I consequently no longer use it. To supply its place, I had the following very simple instrument made; and it answers every intention, although it is but seldom required:—

PARTURITION INSTRUMENT. PARTURITION INSTRUMENT.

A tube of polished metal is at one end curved to suit the line of the pelvis, and at the other it is grooved, and also has a small cross-bar. Into the tube a piece of zinc wire is introduced, so as to double and form a loop at the bent extremity, the ends of the wire coming forth at the other. One of the ends of the wire is twisted into the groove, so as to render it fast; and that being done, the instrument is prepared for use. When required, it is introduced with the loop of wire upon the point of the finger, and the paw it is desired to fix being felt, the finger is withdrawn, and the instrument moved forward. The free end of the wire is then pulled to render the hold secure; when it is twisted round the projecting bar and made secure. By employing a pliable wire, we gain those advantages which arise from its not becoming flabby and adherent when the part is moist; but it retains its form, and is therefore more readily directed. The tube assists us in guiding the loop, which, being once fixed, can be made secure, so that traction does not afterwards further tighten it. The danger, however, is not entirely removed; for, if undue force be used, the wire may do injury as well as the worsted; and for that reason I seldom resort to it, unless assured the pup is dead, when the pains are generally slight, and additional force is often necessitated.

When the pup dies before birth, the membranes in which it is enveloped generally rupture; and by introducing the finger, the foetus is to be felt without these interposing. The mere rupture of the membranes, and the emission of the meconium—a dark, greenish, semi-fluid substance—will not alone convince us of the fact; but, if the labor has been prolonged, if the throes are almost lost, and if no motion can be detected in the pup, we may conclude the life has departed.

Dead pups are more difficult to deliver, and stimulants are generally needed to promote their expulsion; but manual help is to be given with caution. Youatt speaks of working hard, till his nail was soft and his finger sore, for two hours at a time; and that author tells us the passage was, by his industry and frequent examinations, so much swollen, that only with considerable difficulty could the finger be passed.

The humanity which shines in every wish that writer ever penned, and the purpose of all his teaching, assures us he thought such a proceeding was not only imperative but praiseworthy. He was, however, a good man actuated by an imperfect knowledge. Let no one follow his example; but be passive till the time for action is ascertained—and it is of no use to grope for it. Frequent examinations are injurious; the more seldom they are made the better; for, if undertaken only when the judgment sees a chance of hope, no harm will be occasioned. Under every delay, therefore, have patience; for often the pup which originally would resist every attempt to bring it forth, will, after it has been dead a few hours, be delivered with a facility we could not anticipate. If the parts are not irritated and rendered dry, there is little to be apprehended; but if this be done, inflammation of the uterus is apt to be induced, and should that occur, it is of little consequence to the life of the bitch whether the pup be delivered or not delivered.

From the pup, whether it be dead or alive, we are not to look for those signs which denote there is a pressing necessity to accomplish the delivery without delay. I have known a foetus, after being ascertained to be dead, to be retained four days, and the bitch to survive. Instances of the dead pup remaining in the womb a day or two are very common; and, if we had no other proofs, these would be sufficient to convince us there need be no immediate hurry. When, however, the bitch becomes restless, gets in and out of her bed, pants, staggers, refuses food, drinks largely, and is shortly afterwards sick; when the tongue becomes dry, and the pulse grows quick and thin, or unnaturally hard and strong, there is danger, and at every hazard delivery must be accomplished. There will, however, then only be a distant chance of success; and where these indications have been remarked, the life of the mother has generally been lost. If a portion of the litter has been born, and, on the appearance of the symptoms just described, the pups refuse to suck, and when placed to the teats turn from them, the termination will be fatal. The milk seems to have lost its inviting properties, and to be rendered disgusting by the approach of death; and the sign is as conclusive as the departure of vermin from the carcase of an animal.

Forcible delivery is to be accomplished by every means in our power; for it is undertaken only when hope by ordinary process is despaired of. Forceps of any kind, however, are to be employed with extreme care. These instruments are always dangerous in the bitch; as we cannot see, and can but imperfectly feel, so there is little guide to their proper use. The crochet, a blunt hook—and for the dog it can hardly be too blunt—is to be preferred. As I have before submitted to the public my opinion of this instrument, I here extract from a paper which appeared in The Veterinarian for February, 1847:—

THE CROCHET. THE CROCHET.

"I was obliged to meet my pupils in the evening, and was not sorry to leave a case which had now, in my mind, become hopeless; but as I walked, I could not forbear thinking of that which had occupied most of my attention during the day. The different instruments employed to facilitate the labors of different animals passed in review before me; but some were not applicable to the dog, and others could not be manufactured with sufficient speed to benefit my present patient. The crochet, used with such power by the human practitioner, seemed the one most likely to avail; indeed, it had often before occurred to me, that an adaptation of this instrument would, in our hands, be of infinite service; and, after I had dismissed my class, I hurried to procure what I had conceived would be useful. Mr. Perry, to whom I applied, had a human crotchet in his shop, and this he consented to alter according to my directions. I stayed till the alterations were completed, and by eleven at night reached home, to put the adaptation of the crotchet to the test. It answered beyond my utmost expectation, and I was enabled to bring away the whole of the contents of the womb with comparative ease. Four pups were extracted; and while I compared them with the little animal from which they had been removed, it required the evidence of my senses to convince me that the disproportioned mass had been forced through the narrow passage of the Italian greyhound's vagina. The pups were all dead. Each bore the well-marked character of the Russian, and by their size indicated their sire: nor was that size decreased by their having been retained a week beyond their usual period.

"So far my labor was accomplished; but the appearance of the bitch indicated that all had been done to little purpose. The pulse began to decrease in number, and, nevertheless, continued hard and jerking—the eyes became fixed—the jaw closed—the head pendulous—and all the symptoms of approaching death were exhibited. I tried to support the system; but the poor animal died in spite of every attention, and the examination after death showed the womb to be intensely inflamed.

"It was with some anxiety that I looked for injuries and abrasions, scarcely deeming it possible the violence I had necessarily employed had not lacerated the delicate structure with which the instrument had been in contact. Not a mark which I could attribute to the crotchet was to be discovered. I have seen fearful wounds made by the forceps used to deliver the bitch; but here, in the most desperate case of the kind which I had ever undertaken, was not a scratch or a bruise to be detected.

"I have since confirmed the indications of utility which were given by the crotchet on the first occasion of its employment; and had I not received such proofs in its favor as appeared to be conclusive, I should, perhaps, on the results of a few cases only, have hesitated to introduce it to general notice. Besides the instances before alluded to, I have employed the instrument on four occasions—three times in my own practice, and once at the request of a practitioner, whose name it is desired I should conceal. Two of the cases were successful, so far as the bitches were concerned; one, which was evidently sinking when brought to me, was delivered of a pup in a decomposed state, and died five hours afterwards, the post-mortem displaying acute peritonitis; the other, which I attended to yesterday, was alive when I last saw it; but I am of opinion its hours are numbered. The pulse is hard, but not quick—the animal restless—and the eye dull: worse symptoms can hardly be present. The poor beast had been left too long unassisted for help of any kind to be of much avail.

"Of the pups brought forth by the aid of the crotchet, the majority were dead; indeed, though safe to the mother, the instrument is apt to be fatal to the offspring. The numbers stand thus:—Dead when extracted, 7; mutilated when brought forth, and immediately destroyed, 1; alive, 1. Thus the proportions are as 8 to 1 against the probability of saving the pups; but it must be remembered that the calculation is made from the cases of which the majority were, by previous delay, rendered hopeless, and under fairer circumstances the result might have been different.

"I will now proceed to describe the crotchet, and explain the manner in which I have employed that instrument. It has been long known to the human accoucheur, but by him is not employed save under certain conditions. A piece of stout steel wire constitutes its substance. The wire, about twelve inches long, is flattened at one extremity, and both ends crooked and made perfectly smooth or blunt, the flattened hook being the larger of the two. For the dog, the instrument must, of course, be proportioned to the passage into which it is to be introduced; and as the pup, in consequence of the weakness of the abdominal parietes in the bitch, often is felt lying below the level of the symphysis, a dip or lateral bend is given to the hooks.

"So simple is the crotchet, which ought to be highly polished, in order to secure its being perfectly smooth. It is first warmed and greased, then introduced with the index finger of one hand, while the other guides the instrument into the womb. The foetus is to be first felt, and this is the more readily done if an assistant supports and compresses the abdomen. When the finger has ascertained that the pup is favorably placed, the hook (and I generally use the flattened extremity of the instrument) is to be pushed forward and then retracted, until the operator is aware that a firm hold has been obtained. The purchase being secure, the finger is to be employed to keep the foetus from escaping, by pushing it against or towards the point of the crotchet, and holding it there. Traction is now made steadily and in the proper direction; and the assistant at the same time, by manipulating the belly, facilitates the delivery of the bitch, which should be in a standing position—not upon its back.

"The directions are not very complex, but they must not on that account be disregarded. By introducing the finger, and taking care that its extremity corresponds with the point of the instrument, a great object is gained by securing the pup more firmly: yet there are other advantages also obtained by this mode of operating. The head of the foetus is generally too large for the vagina, and hence the difficulty of its expulsion; but by the employment of an instrument which is simultaneously to pass, we appear to be increasing the obstruction: however, by compressing the head with the end of the finger, it is in some degree forced to conform to the diameter of the passage, which the gelatinous development of the pup at the time of birth readily enables it to do. Moreover, the hazard of injury being done, if the instrument should lose its hold, is guarded against; for should the hook slip, the point would be received upon the end of the finger before it could catch the soft parts. However, the operator will feel the hold giving way long before it is entirely lost, and will be enabled to rectify the occurrence in the majority of cases before there is a chance of accident. The finger, therefore, becomes a sensible guide to the operator, and by its employment the traction is rendered more firm and steady. But above all, care should be taken to have the instrument perfectly blunt, and the beaks of the hooks not too long. A sharp point might, at the first glance, seem more likely to answer the purpose in view; but its employment would be attended with danger, and on being tested, it would be found more apt to tear away. In fact, the sharper the point, the less firm would be the hold, since the substance to be secured is somewhat of a pulpy nature; whereas, by using as broad and flat a point as possible, the force is exerted on a larger surface, and the grasp is proportionably the more likely to be retained; the object being not to rend the foetus, or tear it away, but to gently pull it through the vagina, using only so much violence as the judgment assures us is imperative for the accomplishment of the purpose."

On reflection, I am inclined to think the measures adopted in the case narrated above were somewhat more precipitate than they ought to have been. Now, I should have taken more time; and the success does not assure me that the haste exhibited was fully warranted.

It is not always easy to ascertain when the whole of the pups have been removed. The last in the womb, always occupying the extremity of one of the horns of the uterus, may by an inexperienced practitioner be overlooked. Most persons seek to learn whether the labor has been perfected, by inserting the finger up the vagina; and they who base their opinions upon an "examination" of that description will often be deceived. External manipulation will best lead us to the knowledge we desire to gain; and when the hand is properly directed, an approach to certainty can be obtained. The pup to be felt through the walls of the abdomen is an uneven body; the inequalities caused by the limbs being detected. After parturition there is generally one thing that may be mistaken, which is the contraction of the body of the uterus. The first pup born occupied that situation, and on its expulsion the part of the womb it filled narrows, becoming thick and somewhat hard. Under the fingers, it conveys the idea of a solid substance, and it may be imagined to be another foetus. It is too frequently seized when the forceps are ignorantly and violently employed. The womb has been repeatedly forcibly dragged forth, and its integrity destroyed. A mistake of this kind is fatal. The rupture of the uterus is followed by sickness and a cessation of the throes; while the hemorrhage from the laceration induces inflammation that destroys the life; therefore, when forcible means are determined upon, extreme care is required, and forceps, as a general rule, had better be dispensed with. As regards other means—such as the tube and wire, the crotchet, the supports to the abdomen, and the employment of stimulants—these must be regulated by the circumstances of the case.

The appearance of the bitch will generally denote when the births are completed. She, after the last of the litter has been born, seems to be much rejoiced, and by her manner indicates she has no more business at present to transact. She curls herself round, draws her puppies close to her, makes the bed comfortable, sees that all her family are in order, and then composes herself for a comfortable sleep. The meaning of her actions is at this time so conspicuous, that I have repeatedly lingered to watch them; and he who has never witnessed her conduct on such occasions, might be entertained by observing it.

The animal subsequently requires little attention, beyond a change of bed and a fair supply of nutritive food. She does best when least noticed; but it is well to see that she takes a sufficiency of exercise. On the following day she should be taken out; and on every day after that she ought to be about pretty much as before. Some bitches, however, are such devoted mothers as to sacrifice health, and occasionally life itself, to enjoy the pleasure of being with their young ones. This excess of affection must be controlled; for if not checked it will seriously injure both parent and offspring. All animals, however, are not thus distinguished. Some bitches cannot be induced to suckle the pups they have given birth to; and others, though less frequent, will eat their progeny. The disposition to desert or destroy their young seems to prevail among the parentage of this world. In the female of the dog the maternal instinct is most powerful; but under certain conditions of the animal's body, the natural impulse seems to be perverted, and she takes the life she would else have perished to preserve.

It is painful, knowing this, to reflect that on his own species man inflicts the highest punishment, for an act that possibly may be, in the human being as in brutes, the consequence of a mental excitement accompanying the period of parturition. Women, when not in distress and otherwise afflicted, rarely indeed are guilty of infanticide; and I have observed annoyance or ill health proceed or accompany the like act in animals. If the rabbit be looked at, her alarm seems to change her nature; and the bitch that devours her pups will, upon inquiry, be generally found to have suffered some species of persecution. That the brain is affected there can be no doubt. The unnatural propensity is of itself a proof; but the strange appearance, and the altered looks of the creature, sufficiently denote her state. She is not then savage; her ferocity has been gratified; and she seems rather to be afflicted with a remembrance of the act she was unable to resist. She is the picture of shame; she slinks away at our approach, and her eye no longer confidently seeks that of her master; her aspect is dejected, but I think more with sorrow than with crime.

I would not plead for sin; but what I have beheld in dogs inclines me to think the majority of those who have been hung for infanticide were legally murdered. There is danger in admitting such an opinion; but seeing all animals at certain periods exhibit a particular propensity, it is very doubtful whether the morbid feeling, as exemplified in the human race, is really one that calls for mortal punishment.

When a bitch has devoured her young, let an emetic be administered; and should the bowels be costive, an aperient be exhibited. A little fever medicine may follow; but if its effects are not immediately witnessed, tonics, without loss of time, should be resorted to. The food must be mild; and everything should be done to guard against excitement. The system requires to be soothed; for the act is always attended with general disturbance; and attention must be paid to prevent the milk from accumulating in the glands.

Some persons entertain a notion that the bitch which has once devoured her litter, will ever after retain the disposition. This is a false idea. On the next occasion, if properly treated—that is, if not persecuted, chastised, alarmed, and annoyed, but properly dieted—she may prove, and most likely will prove, an excellent mother; the very excitability which, when over-stimulated, induced her unnatural impulse, making her, when tranquil, the more alive to the instincts of her nature. I once saw this in a very remarkable manner illustrated by a rabbit. The doe was sold to me very cheap, and was in litter at the time of purchase. A week after she came into my possession, she plucked her fur and made her bed. One morning I distinctly saw a nest full of young; but looking again at noon, not a single one of the progeny was to be beheld. Some little blood and a mangled leg told their history; and the animal a fortnight afterwards was again put to the buck.

I by chance discovered, while the doe was breeding, that she had an inordinate thirst. At first it amused me to see the creature lap the water I presented to her; but at last I placed within her hutch a cup, and had it kept constantly filled. Her desire for liquid was not speedily quenched; and it became to me a source of some pain when I reflected how much agony the craving must have caused prior to my being conscious of its existence. The next litter was not eaten by the mother. She brought them up, and they likewise did well, drinking as much as they pleased. The disposition of the doe appeared to undergo a change. From having been savage, that is, from always endeavoring to bite and scratch the hand that cleaned her residence, or even supplied her table, she became gentle and familiar, allowing her person to be caressed, and letting her progeny be looked at. She was at last as good as she was beautiful; and I parted with her for a sum exactly four times that which she had cost me.

After a bitch has pupped, there always is from the vagina a discharge, which rarely ceases before a week expires, and sometimes flows forth for a longer period. Some gentlemen of the "fancy," as the dog breeders term themselves, boast they know how to check it; and to what extent their knowledge may reach I cannot pretend to say. I have been requested to perform such an office, but hitherto I have not attempted to fulfil it; and I should be very sorry to do so, even if I were certain there existed the means to arrest the exudation. It is natural; if the animal be left alone, she will be sure to perform the offices of cleanliness, and to do everything her state requires.

For the first week the bitch is very attentive to her family; and as it gives her pain when one is taken up, it is better not to handle the pups more than is absolutely necessary. She should be well fed; not crammed, but nourished; and she will require more food than formerly, for there are many mouths to feed through hers. The quantity of support she needs may be conjectured from the rapid growth of the pups.

A small bitch of my own had a litter of four. The mother weighed seven pounds six ounces; and between the second and fourth weeks the young ones daily added one ounce and a half each to their bulk. It would require some amount of milk to supply such a quantity of flesh; and we have also to remember that, during the rapid growth, the process of consolidation is simultaneously going forward. Good nourishing food, sufficient in bulk, is absolutely imperative; for if the pups be stinted, the dogs will assuredly be weak.

A strong bitch may be able to bring up as many young as she can produce at a litter; but the animals of the smaller or more choice breeds are seldom possessed of such capabilities. The very diminutive will not generally rear two pups without suffering; and four are a very heavy drag upon the majority of the animals kept as pets, even though they be in no way remarkable on account of size. Three, perhaps, is the average number the larger favorites can nurture.

When, through a desire to get as many specimens of a particular breed as possible, a delicate bitch is allowed to suckle all the members of a heavy litter, fits are the too probable consequence. The animal becomes so much weakened by the continual drain upon her, that the whole system is debilitated, and the brain shares the general disorder. Previous to this being perceptible, the animal may be observed to pant violently when her young are sucking; and instead of cuddling to them in a manner expressive of her delight, she stretches herself out, and frequently exhibits uneasiness by shifting her position. At length she breaks away from her offspring, which appear to be dissatisfied with her departure. She does not continue quiet after her escape, but seeks ease in vain, has a vacant expression of countenance. Affection, however, impels her to return; and the same scene is exhibited, the pups seizing upon her, and having no regard for her exhaustion. The little things are hungry, for the source of their nourishment is failing; and thus the demand is the greater, just as the supply becomes the less.

At length the poor bitch pants, staggers, falls, and writhes in convulsions, which on an average continue about five minutes. The struggle subsides, to leave the animal in a sad state of weakness. The pulse then is quick and feeble; the pupil of the eye is dilated; and if the teats be tried, the milk they ought to contain will be found absent.

For the fit itself little need be done. While they are violent, an injection of ether and laudanum may be thrown up; and when the consciousness is in some degree recovered, a dose of the same, with from a quarter of an ounce to an ounce of sherry may be administered. Afterwards a few tonics may be given; but the mother must never be permitted to visit her young ones as before. Either a foster-parent must be found (and a cat will rear a small pup very tenderly), or the litter must in part be brought up by hand.

This last is more troublesome than difficult to do. The pups want to be fed early and late; consequently, they must be taken into the bed-room; and when the feeding time arrives, the soundest sleeper will be reminded of his duty. A bottle, such as is used for infants of the human kind, must have a sort of nipple made of wash-leather fitted to it. The leather is to be pricked all over with a fine needle, and within it is to be placed a small piece of sponge to give substance and form to it. There is need to do that, because the pup when it sucks wraps the tongue round the teat; and unless the body it thus grasps has bulk, it cannot extract the liquid. This, therefore, being attended to, the little creatures very soon learn their lesson, and all that is subsequently to be done will be to hold them to the bottle, and the bottle to them. Each pup occupies from ten to fifteen minutes at a meal; and they may be allowed to decide the quantity that will do them good, unless one should obviously be morbidly gluttonous, when the indulgence of its appetite should be restrained.

During the night the bitch must be kept away from her hungry tormentors; but in the day-time she may be allowed to go to them every time after they have been fed; and she may remain to enjoy their society for half-an-hour on each occasion. The small gluttons, though full of cow's juice, will nevertheless find appetite for such a luxury as mother's milk; but their energies being blunted, they will have power to do no more than to prevent an accumulation within the glands. The little, however, which they can swallow seems to do them much good; for after this manner I have brought up many pups, though, when I have attempted to rear them wholly upon cow's milk, success has not always rewarded my care.

There is only one circumstance needed to be pointed out when pups are brought up by hand. The sponge and leather of the false nipple is apt to become sour; and therefore, after they have been used, they should be kept in water rendered slightly alkaline with the carbonate of soda.

At three weeks old, puppies may be brought to lap a little; and they not only learn quickly where their bellies are concerned, but they never, like other children, forget what they once acquire. After a month a little scraped meat or boiled rice may be added to their diet; and by five weeks old they will feed themselves. Therefore, if the trouble be great it does not last long; and to those who can make an amusement of the business, the pleasure repays the labor. I do not know whether feeding pups is quite as agreeable a pastime as killing birds; but I am sure it is far less dangerous to him who follows it; though the difference of name given to such recreations may, to weak eyes, invest them with very opposite attractions.

At this place it is not intended to enter at length into the plan to be pursued in rearing the pups; but the method in which they ought to be weaned must be pointed out. Some persons remove the entire litter at a stated period; various dates being fixed by different individuals when the young ones can do for themselves. A pup can survive if taken from the mother at the expiration of the third week; but it must be a strong animal, or it will feel such an early separation from the source of its natural nourishment.

The stronger the pup, the more attached is the bitch to it; and I have known these animals to pine and neglect the rest, when the favorite has been taken from her. If, however, the healthy are beloved, the weakly, in almost a stronger degree, are the objects of dislike. In many breeds where the value is regulated by the lightness of the weight, the one most prized by the owner is the one that too frequently dies. The causes of this disappointment are many. Pups have neither politeness nor generosity. They scramble at their meals; and the one that is not able to contest for his share is certain to get the least. Thus the debilitated hope of particular litters comes but badly off. It is pushed aside by its brothers and sisters, whose vigorous greediness appears to endear them to their mother. For the boisterous gluttons she will accommodate her position, and fondly lick them in return for their energetic appetites; but to the poor sickly thing she has given life to, she lends no assistance, and bestows no attention upon. She seems to be ashamed of, and disgusted with, its degeneracy and while the others grow fat and sleek from positive repletion, it becomes thin and dirty from actual starvation. Where, therefore, it is desirable to rear the smallest of the litter, the proprietor must take care to see it properly fed. The bitch may need to be held, in order that the little one may suck her; and often have I placed her under such restraint.

In order that the small one may be nurtured, some persons have taken away from the mother the rest of the family; but this practice, though successful with regard to the life, generally disappoints with respect to the diminutiveness, which made the existence precious. Upon the abundance which such single blessedness secures, the growth is generally rapid; and it is not very long before Nature makes up for her previous stint. The better method is, to let the companions continue; care being exercised only to see that at meal-times all share alike.

The bitch, also, requires our attention to observe that all the glands are properly emptied. Puppies, like children, are apt to be fanciful where plenty prevails; and it is no very rare occurrence for a litter to combine in refusing to draw the most forward of the teats. These are situated under the sternum or breast-bone; and repeatedly have animals with young ones recently born been brought to me, because their owners perceived symptoms which could not be interpreted. The animal is restless; the nose is dry; the tongue hot; the appetite is either lost, feeble, or capricious; and the dog is disinclined to move, often crying out when obliged to walk.

If the teats are examined, all those posteriorly situated will be found fairly drawn. On these the pups can take a firm hold; and as they are the most capacious, no doubt they present temptations against which the lesser glands anteriorly placed cannot compete. The smaller are therefore rejected; and will be found to be distended with their secretion. If this is removed, and, as necessity arises, afterwards withdrawn, no more need be done, but the symptoms will subside.

To milk the bitch requires only a little patience. The gland should be taken between the finger and thumb, when any degree of pressure, not designed to create pain, may be made, and the fluid squeezed out. The animal submits with pleasure to have this operation performed, and seldom moves before it is perfectly accomplished. Where any appearance of hardness is detected, the place should be kneaded between the finger and thumb; for pains should be taken to remove the coagulated milk, which is generally the cause of the induration. Frequent and thorough milking will do more good in these cases than any of the active remedies sold by chemists and dog-fanciers, for the purpose of immediately curing them.

To dry up the milk of a bitch is a duty we are often called upon to perform; but it is one I invariably decline to accept. The animal will always soon cease to yield its secretion if it be let alone; for if dog's milk were valuable, we should in vain use our utmost art to prolong its continuance. When the pups are removed, Nature takes away that which is no longer required; but if the litter be suddenly separated from the mother, or all the young should be born dead, Nature may not immediately accommodate herself to the circumstances. In such cases, the milk should be withdrawn three times daily; a dose of opening medicine should be administered, and the food should be spare. A few days' attention will be required; but the matter, if neglected, causes much suffering, and very frequently lays the foundation for future evil.

Falling of the vagina, or membrane lining the passage to the womb, is sometimes witnessed in animals that are much confined, and consequently of a debilitated habit. Creatures so savage as to be dangerous, and which, therefore, cannot be properly exercised, are most subject to it; and I have in the greater number of instances met with it in high-bred bull-bitches of that disposition.

The reason of this is, the bull-dog ranks as an entirely artificial creation. In proof of this stands the well-known fact, that unless the breed be sedulously kept up, it is apt to degenerate, or to become extinct. Old breeders even now say, the ancient kind of English bull-dog is nowhere to be found. But take another proof. We want no anatomical knowledge or prejudice: in him formation is to be judged. Let the reader look at the head of the animal depicted on page 404. Is not the cranium a malformation? Do not the habits of the animal prove it to be a pampered creation? It is not generally known, that the disposition of the genuine bull-dog is too fond. It will fondle upon any stranger; and yet, contrary to the general custom of its race, it displays small preference for its master. It will fondle a human being as though its heart would burst with affection; but upon the slightest excitement—often upon a sudden sound—it will fly at and mangle the hand that was caressing it. Then the hold taken by this animal is more retentive than is strictly natural. It will fix upon an object, and frequently suffer itself to be dismembered before it will let go its hold, although its master's voice be energetically raised to command it. Do not these traits bespeak the being formed rather by man's malice, than created by Nature's goodness? Look at the likeness of the beast, and say how far it resembles the mild, graceful, and generous race to which it outwardly belongs.

It is the high, or rather perverted, state in which the breed is kept, that subjects them to accidents; it is the pampered condition in which these antipodes to beauty are reared that renders them so liable to afflictions that do not affect the ordinary run of their kind—such as falling of the vagina. It comes on generally when heat is present, and mostly disappears when the excitement subsides. A red bag is seen to be pendulous from the orifice of the part; and if no care be taken to prevent it, this by exposure gets injured; becomes hard; bleeds freely, and is difficult to return. It often presents a pitiable aspect; but however painful it may be to look at, there seems to be but little suffering attending it. The animal permits it to be freely handled, and does not resist even when sharp dressings are applied.

THE BULL-DOG. THE BULL-DOG.

In such cases cleanliness is to be strictly observed. If the protruded membrane should be thickened and excoriated, it must be well washed with a sponge and warm water. Afterwards it may be bathed with a lotion, (made of nitric acid one drachm, to proof-spirit one ounce,) and then returned. A cold injection, composed of alum one drachm, dissolved in spring water one pint, may be used thrice daily; and from a quarter of a grain to a grain of powdered gallic acid may be given three times a-day.

The inversion of the womb is more serious; but it is generally more speedily restored. In the larger animals, that produce one or two young at a time, the uterus is commonly inverted subsequent to parturition; but in the dog I have known it only when the womb had for some period been unimpregnated. Blows may cause it; so also may excessive weakness; and the earlier it is attended to, the more readily will it be restored. The treatment is described in the following narrative, which was published by me in the Veterinarian.

"I began by having a soft clean cloth spread upon a table, and, placing the dog on this, with a sponge the uterus was gently moistened. No friction was employed, but with tepid water the part was carefully sopped. This process was not quick. An hour and a half expired before all the extraneous matter was by it removed. This accomplished, with a pair of scissors the fibrinous tumors were snipped off. The hemorrhage was trivial; but there yet remained marks of bruises and signs of laceration which could not be cut away. To these a spirituous solution of nitric acid—a drachm to the ounce—was applied, and the entire of the exposed surface dressed with it.

"Knowing the peculiar form of the passage, I was able to return the womb, and met with little obstruction. Up to this point I had succeeded better than at first I hoped; but here came the difficulty. The uterus was replaced, but how was it to be retained? The irritability of the system would have a natural tendency to reject the viscus, and the lotion I had used was not of a soothing quality. To render the case more desperate, there was the knowledge of the temperament and habits of the animal—its manner of sitting—its mode of curving the spine to void its fÆces—the marked excitability of its generative organs—and its peculiar sensitiveness to suffering.

"To own the truth, I had done so much more than, seeing the hardened and lacerated condition of the parts, I had in the first instance anticipated was possible, that I was not exactly prepared for my good fortune. I remained for some time thinking—and, really puzzled, requested those present not to speak. I wanted some combination of medicine which I could not satisfactorily procure. A sedative to the general system was required, but not one that should depress; as, after operations of this description, the vital powers are disposed to sink, and therefore generally require to be stimulated. I moreover wanted an excitant to the uterus. Many things were hastily thought of, and as quickly rejected; and, in my difficulty, I was at last obliged to ask advice of those about me. A bandage or harness to pass over the parts was suggested; but the almost impossibility of fixing it properly, and the mischievous ingenuity the dog exhibits with its teeth, rendered this plan obviously inappropriate. One person proposed to adopt the custom—sometimes, I am sorry to say, followed by cow-leeches—of passing stitches through the labia. The brutal and unjustifiable practice was of course rejected, and, I trust, by the members of the veterinary profession, it is never embraced.

"Fairly at my wits' end, I suddenly determined to try how the injection of cold water into the uterus would act. I knew of no case in which this agent had been employed, and could not feel confidence concerning the consequences of the experiment; but, in despair, I resolved to hazard it. A quantity fresh from the pump was therefore obtained, and it was thrown up, being allowed to flow back. A stream of cold water was thus made to pass over the interior of the uterus, and about two quarts had been used before the animal appeared to be at all affected, excepting that the injection seemed to induce a sensation of discomfort. At last a feeble moan was uttered, which, when another pint or thereabouts had been injected, burst into something approaching to a cry. I then desisted. The tube was withdrawn, and, hoping that the symptom of pain resulted from the contraction of the organic fibre under the stimulating effects of the cold, the animal was ordered to be placed where nothing could disturb it.

"Having passed an hour in the company of my friend, when about to leave I requested to see the dog once more. The animal had been put into a hayloft, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear it give tongue on our approach: it came to meet us, and the change was such as I could not have anticipated. The parts had regained almost their natural appearance; certainly they presented nothing to indicate the aspect they had exhibited only a few hours before.

"A mild aperient was given. The animal had no other medicine, neither was any local application used. For three days a slight discharge of a blackish color ensued; but when this stopped, the animal was returned to its owner cured."

Hardened swellings, or indurated tumors in the teats, are very common in the bitch. They are caused by the milk being allowed to accumulate in the glands, and there to curdle or act as a foreign body on the parts immediately around it. The bitch will secrete milk, although she has had no pups; and a virgin bitch will do so quite as actively as one that has been a mother. When heat has subsided, although no intercourse has been permitted at the period, when the birth would have taken place the glands will swell; and on squeezing them, a full stream of thick milk will flow forth. Nine weeks, therefore, after oestrum, whether the desire has been gratified or denied, the teats should be examined and relieved. If this should not be done, small lumps will appear. These are round, not sensitive; but generally roll under the fingers, and appear at first to be perfectly detached, though more or less deep seated. No time should be lost in removing them; for if allowed to remain they rapidly increase, and often become of an enormous size. Others also appear until the whole of the glands are involved; and the extent of the implication renders an operation, which in the first instance would have been both simple and safe, so complicated and hazardous as not to be risked. The tumors, moreover, as they enlarge, by their weight and size, become exposed to numerous accidents; either they are excoriated by the movements of the legs, hurt by blows, or lacerated by being dragged along the ground. Anything that interferes with their integrity seems to change their character. From having been dormant they start into activity, and the slightest wound degenerates into a wide-spreading ulcer. When this last appearance is established, no treatment I know of can effect a cure. If there be a hope, it lies solely in the skilful use of the knife; but generally the constitution is so much exhausted, and the disease so firmly established, that surgery is but a desperate resort.

When taken in time, the situation of the tumor being ascertained, the skin is divided and the growth dissected out. This is easily done, and it is seldom that a vessel requiring ligature is divided. The care required is to spare the skin, no portion of which, unless it should be implicated, ought to be excised. Neither plaster nor suture will afterwards be wanted. The bitch would with her teeth remove either; and as the healing process is established, the integument will contract and unite.

When there is more than a single tumor to take away, or one of large dimensions to remove, though there may be no important vessels to ligature, the oozing of blood is sometimes greater than may with safety be disregarded. In such cases, the application of cold water, or of oil of turpentine, or the tincture of ergot of rye, or blowing upon the part by means of a pair of bellows, will be of service, and may each be tried; but the actual cautery, though held in high esteem by veterinarians, is not suited to these instances.

After the tumor or tumors are cleanly removed, a course of iodine should be enforced; and it should be persevered with for several months, nor given up simply because all present symptoms have disappeared. The tendency has been exhibited, and the medicine is now employed to prevent its development for the future; and, by the continued use of the agent, we hope to accomplish that intention.

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