SOME CANINE DISEASES AND THEIR REMEDIES. 691 



morning; two hours later another dose of castor-oil should 

 be given if it appears to be needed. 



Quite recently cocoanut as a remedy for tape-worm in 

 man has been given some prominence. In most of the 

 cases in which it has been tried it has acted exceedingly 

 well. No reason appears why it should not prove as effect- 

 ual in the treatment of the same trouble in dogs. The way 

 of giving the nut which suggests itself as the best is, to 

 crush its "meat" in an iron mortar such as druggists have. 

 It can then be administered to the dog with a spoon, and 

 the milk be poured into him from a bottle. 



Another bitter enemy to the tape-worm is infusion of 

 pomegranate-root. This, like all other vermifuges, should 

 be given after fasting for twenty- four hours. The dose for 

 dogs of the largest breeds is three ounces six table-spoon- 

 fuls. It is best to commence the treatment by giving cas- 

 tor-oil. Two hours afterward the dose of the infusion 

 stated should be given, and repeated every two or three 

 hours until four doses have been taken; then the oil should 

 be repeated. 



These several measures have been described for the rea- 

 son that sometimes a tape- worm proves obstinate, and one 

 remedy after another must be tried before its resistance can 

 be overcome. When an unsuccessful effort has been made 

 to dislodge the parasite, it will be well to repeat it in about 

 two weeks. 



A word further regarding the prevention of worms in 

 young puppies. At as early an age as possible they should 

 be given solid food, or food in a form approaching it. 

 Toasted bread crushed up in broths, or finely powdered 

 dog-biscuits in the same, furnish means of clearing out the 

 intestinal canal, and of preventing, in a great measure, 

 worms from attaching themselves to its walls. The dietetic 

 remedy is by far the most effectual and the safest. 



VERMIN. 



Dogs are scarcely ever entirely free from fleas. There 

 are two kinds of these pests, the common flea and the sand- 



