26 PET RABBITS, CAVIES, AND MICE. 



cause a tumour. The diet at this time should be good, 

 but not such as to heat the system. Cankered ear is 

 very often met with, and causes the rabbit much annoy- 

 ance. The itching is intense, and the soreness of the 

 head bad to bear. Besides, it is a nasty complaint. 

 Take a piece of wadding on a stick (taking care it cannot 

 slip off), dip in warm water, and thoroughly cleanse the 

 ear. Having done this, go to a chemist, and he will 

 mix you a fluid at a small cost to drop into the ear. We 

 have a lotion, given us by a veterinary surgeon for 

 canker in the ears of dogs, but we know not of what it 

 is made, and like a man of science our vet. will not tell 

 us. One thing can safely be done. Magnesia, cream 

 of tartar, or any other blood purifying medicine may be 

 given in the food. A splendid remedy for this and 

 other blood diseases is equal parts of sulphur (the best 

 the chemist supplies) and cream of tartar, mixed in 

 milk, and given, say half a teaspoonful twice or thrice 

 a week. Ointment may be all very well for canker in 

 the ear, but it is difficult to get it down deep enough. 

 The same objection does not lie against liquid applica- 

 tions. Sore hocks are also a bad form of skin disease. 

 They proceed from a dirty hutch. Bad cases are hard 

 to cure, and if the rabbit is not valuable, kill it. 



WIND, DlSTENTION OF THE STOMACH, OR COLIC. 



Is a very painful complaint, the cause of indescribable 

 misery to a rabbit until relieved. It is the bosom 

 friend of indigestion, and where a rabbit is at all costive, 

 there is certain to be trouble in the direction indicated. 

 We do not think strong purgatives are very effective 

 in cases of w r ind or colic. Some do. It is necessary 

 to preserve nominally free action of the bowels, but 

 wind proceeds from causes almost intimately connected 

 with the digestion and food supplied. At least, that is 

 our experience. Regular feeding on a discriminating 

 and pure diet is a great preventive of wind or colic in 

 rabbits. It is somewhat as in the case of human beings. 

 Caution prevents; carelessness induces. Anything that 

 will promote a normal action of the liver will help to 

 secure freedom from wind and colic. Costiveness is the 

 friend of wind, but that is not to say that laxness is 

 absolutely essential. 



