SPORTS — SPRING HOOKS 



quently, appear on the fore-legs of dogs, such as grey- 

 hounds, which undergo much hard work. They create 

 inflammation of the sinews and Hgaments, and lameness 

 usually follows. Rest, cooling medicine, and food, and 

 painting with iodine twice a day, usually causes them to 

 disappear ; if not, professional advice should be obtained. 



Sports. — In breeding there is always a chance, more or 

 less remote, of a puppy displaying some peculiarity, such 

 as a lemon-coloured retriever being born of black parents. 

 This does not necessarily betoken any impurity of blood, 

 though it may possibly be due to the impressiveness of 

 an ancestor, and as a rule the sports are fairly safe to 

 breed from, as their offspring usually revert to the type 

 of the parents of the sports, though there are instances 

 of their peculiarities being perpetuated in their puppies. 

 (See Back Blood.) 



Sprains, which consist of the straining of a muscle 

 or tendon, are by no means uncommon amongst dogs, and 

 in some cases are apt to be mistaken for rheumatism, as the 

 symptoms, which consist of tenderness and fever, occa- 

 sionally accompanied by lameness, are somewhat similar. 

 Hot fomentations often bring temporary relief, and the 

 part affected may subsequently be gently rubbed with 

 Elliman's Embrocation, soap liniment, or some stimulating 

 lotion. Absolute rest should also be allow^ed the dog. 

 (See Counter-irritants.) 



Springer. — The name given to the larger varieties of 

 field spaniels. (See Spaniels^ 



Spring Hooks. — There should be a strong spring hook 

 at the end of every chain or lead, and a swivel which works 

 easily should be attached to it, lest the chain gets twisted 

 up and the animal strangled. Show chains possess two 

 spring hooks, one at each end — this being an admirable 



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