194 THE DOG IN DISEASE. 



small doses and shielded by mucilage, milk, etc. It is 

 very important to note that opium and its derivatives — as 

 morphia — can be tolerated to an almost unlimited extent 

 by dogs, so that it can be in rare and urgent cases added 

 to ointments which may be licked off without serious 

 harm. A large dose of opium nauseates a dog profound- 

 ly, but is not at all likely to poison him. 



A rule for the dose of any medicine suitable for the 

 dog, based on the quantities given to horses and other do- 

 mestic animals, is extremely difficult to lay down ; in fact, 

 any attempt to do so is apt to mislead the inexperienced 

 very seriously. In general, it may be said that for the 

 largest dogs — as full-grown St. Bernards — the dose may be 

 exactly as for an adult human being ; but for other dogs, 

 of say forty pounds, the dose is about that suitable for a 

 child of twelve to fourteen years, or about two thirds that 

 for an adult man ; in the case of small, matured dogs — as 

 terriers, toy spaniels, etc. — from one third to one half the 

 latter will be near the mark. 



In the case of puppies ander two months of age the 

 less medicine given the better ; but if it must be admin- 

 istered, the doses should be very small and tentative. In 

 fact, for a young dog the first dose especially should al- 

 ways be smaller than is usually safe, with a view to any 

 possible idiosyncrasy, and to allow the stomach and con- 

 stitution generally to adapt themselves somewhat to the 

 foreign substance, for such it is.* 



Sucking puppies may be treated, as for constipation, 

 through the mother, since drugs are in many cases ex- 



* A tabular statement of the principal drugs recommended in this 

 volume and their doses will be found at the end. 



