PUPPING. 223 



Spaying. — Thus cats, being* all of them of neaHy one size, 

 seldom die in kittening". All dog-s, who are much domesti- 

 cated and confined, appear particularly subject to difficulty in 

 bring-ing- forth, consequently during" pregnancy much exercise 

 should be g"iven. Sometimes the constitution is not equal to 

 the exertion ; and sometimes false presentation increases the 

 obstruction. Whenever a difficulty in pupping occurs, which 

 has existed more than four or five hours, the bitch should be 

 examined by the parts of g-eneration ; and, if any portion of 

 a pup should be found to present itself, so as to be within 

 reach of the finger, a skain of worsted ought, if possible, to be 

 fastened around it ; and, during the throes of the animal, it 

 should be gently drawn away. If it cannot be reached in 

 this way, a little longer time may be allowed ; but if, after 

 all, it proceeds no farther, a pair of forceps may be used to 

 lay hold of it with. It is a good practice to give a mild 

 purgative as soon as any symptoms of pupping appear ; and, 

 when delivery seems much delayed, it will be prudent, in 

 all cases, to bathe in warm water, and to give nutritious mat- 

 ter, as gravies or broths, with occasional doses of laudanum 

 united with sether if any convulsive appearances come on. 

 The patience of bitches in labour is extreme, and their dis- 

 tress, if not relieved, is most striking and affecting. T^eir 

 look is, at such times, particularly impressive. 



A wish to relieve them has very frequently engaged me in 

 performing the Csesarean operation ; but I never succeeded 

 in any one instance. I attribute this failure, however, prin- 

 cipally to the delay in the time, which humanity suggests ; 

 and not to the nature of the operation altogether, which is, 

 however, sufficiently dangerous. Whenever pupping is pro- 

 tracted considerably, the puppies surely die ; and in those 

 cases where the young are already dead from the effect of 

 accident, they become the sure occasions of a protracted la- 

 bour. Dead puppies come away piecemeal, sometimes many 

 days after the natural time, and occasion a foetid discharge 

 until the parts have reinstated themselves. 



From a wish to rear too many young ones, persons are iu- 



