FEEDING PUPPIES. I57 



milk diet is not suitable, nor one wholly of broth. While 

 it is not true that milk directly causes worms, through 

 conveying their germs, there is nevertheless some founda- 

 tion for this prejudice, inasmuch as it does when largely 

 and continuously used by weakening the digestive organs, 

 favoring excess of mucus, etc., tend to produce an envi- 

 ronment suitable for the development of parasites. 



When bread and milk, broth and bread, and such like 

 foods are used, the dry material should be allowed to soak 

 up the liquid, so that the whole will be moist but not sur- 

 rounded by liquid. Dry bread-crusts and biscuits are use- 

 ful, and tend mechanically to remove excess of mucus, 

 the worms themselves and their germs. Powdered char- 

 coal is sometimes administered with the same end in view, 

 as well as to prevent that flatulency and distention not un- 

 common in puppies. 



Sour milk or buttermilk given now and then acts as 

 a tonic, especially in hot weather, if not used in too large 

 quantity at once ; and the acid it contains is no doubt 

 unfavorable to worms. 



But since buttermilk lacks the fat (and some of the 

 casein) of entire milk, it is not a suitable food for dogs in 

 quantity or continuously. Dogs " at walk " in the coun- 

 try often get too much of it for their best development, it 

 is feared. 



Puppies, as soon as they cut their teeth, should be al- 

 lowed bones that are suitable — i. e., large ones — that they 

 can gnaw and suck but not break, and not hard enough to 

 wear down or fracture the teeth. They strengthen the 

 teeth, jaws, etc., as well as amuse. 



All puppies after eight weeks require a little meat, the 



