104 DISEASES 



that is the only course. Camphorated Oil is also used in such cases, and 

 for drying up the milk I have found it very satisfactory. 



Dent treats this subject as follows: 



"Nature has ordained that at least once a year certain nervous energies 

 in the female clog be set in motion. This nervous force excites the bowels, 

 the brain, the kidneys, the circulation, and all the other organs "of the body, 

 and what is known as the period of oestrum, or being in season, is the 

 result. If the bitch be bred at this time a natural function is performed 

 and a natural law satisfied. If she is not bred these functions are seriously 

 interfered with for the time, how seriously or the extent of the interference 

 we do not know. That this nervous action does not cease or is entirely 

 suppressed by simply putting the bitch by for the time is unmistakably 

 denied by subsequent events. A natural prerogative asserts itself and it is 

 a common occurrence for bitches which have not been bred to develop 

 a feverish disturbance of the system, a swelling of the milk glands and the 

 secretion of a whitish fluid resembling milk at the time they would have 

 given birth to puppies if they had been bred. 



"If this milky fluid is not drawn off with the breast pump there is 

 danger of its hardening and forming a lacteal tumor. In passing a bitch 

 over the period of oestrum without breeding her, it would be well for all 

 breeders to anticipate the possibility of this secretion; watch for it at 

 the proper time. Remove it if it appears and feed for the time a light, 

 cooling diet of stale bread or dog biscuits softened in soup or milk, with an 

 increased amount of vegetables, and keep the bowels open with doses of 

 cascara sagrada and olive oil as often as may be necessary. In cases of 

 a misalliance the puppies are frequently destroyed at birth. This is posi- 

 tively cruel to the mother and the shock to her nervous system is so great as 

 to frequently affect her constitution. The puppies should be taken away as 

 previously stated, one or two at a time, and the milk dried up, with the 

 same care as if the puppies were to be raised. 



"Lacteal tumors sometimes result from blows, wounds, kicks and other 

 injuries; exposure to the cold, sudden chills from lying on damp straw or 

 upon cold bricks or cement floors. The great proportion of cases, however, is 

 due to the causes, first mentioned. 



"Treatment. — To dry a bitch up properly and prevent the formation of 

 milk tumors after removing the puppies as previously described, keep the 

 bowels open with cascara sagrada and olive oil; feed a spare diet or raw, 

 lean beef, chopped fine, milk, gelatin, eggs, stale bread or dog biscuits soaked 

 in thin soup. If there is any milk remaining in the gland draw it off 

 night and morning with a breast pump. 



"Apply the following liniment three times a day, with gentle massage: 

 Camphorated oil four ounces, fluid extract of belladonna three drams, soap 

 liniment two ounces, witch hazel two ounces. 



"Give a thirty-pound dog a capsule containing of the iodide of potash 

 three grains, pepsin three grains, gentian three grains, diastase one grain. 



"For the removal of lacteal tumors the following ointment is recom- 

 mended: Iodide of potassium two drams, powdered camphor two grains, 

 mercurial ointment two drams, iodine resub ten grains, five grains of men- 



