Common Ailments. 65 



The teeth of the dog are sometimes in- 

 crusted with tartar, which is generally caused 

 by a foul stomach, the result of improper 

 food or powerful medicine. The deposit 

 should be removed with the point of a pen- 

 knife blade, taking care neither to injure the 

 teeth by scraping through the enamel, nor 

 to lacerate the gums. After the deposit 

 has been thoroughly cleaned from the 

 teeth, they should be well brushed with an 

 ordinary toothbrush kept well saturated 

 with tincture of myrrh, using at the same 

 time finely powdered charcoal. Dogs that 

 are properly fed will seldom be troubled 

 with tartar. But should your dog be thus 

 afflicted, follow the above directions, and 

 give him occasionally a large bone to gnaw; 

 this will generally keep his teeth perfectly 

 clean. It is important that this matter 

 should be attended to in season, as, if the 

 tartar is allowed to accumulate in a consider- 

 able quantity, complications may arise that 

 will prove to be troublesome. Softening 



