AILMENTS AND ILLNESSES 77 



tervals, for no reason that I can ascertain beyond a va.gue 

 idea that it " clears the system." So it does of 

 strength and the healthy mucoid secretion of the in- 

 testine, without which natural functions cannot be 

 properly performed. Syrup of buck-thorn, or cascara 

 sagrada, is another medicine that should never be given 

 to small dogs : it is far too irritating and severe. When 

 we have such excellent aperients as olive oil, magnesia, 

 and rhubarb among drugs, and boiled sheep's liver 

 among meats, we want no semi-poisonous irritant 

 and violent drugs like castor oil, which, in the end, 

 produce the very condition they were supposed to 

 cure, and by pulling down the system, open the door 

 to illness. 



Fits. Of these, epileptic fits are the most dangerous 

 and by far the least common. A dog suffering from 

 epilepsy which is thoroughly established, is practically 

 incurable, in the present state of canine medical science. 

 Later, perhaps, the Rontgen rays may be beneficially 

 applied to this disease in dogs, as in human beings. 

 In a popular manual it is scarcely necessary to go 

 further into the subject than to say that epilepsy need 

 not be suspected unless the convulsive attacks are more 

 or less recurrent, and so frequent as to exhaust the 

 animal. Not until we have tried such treatment as an 

 amateur can safely give, which is quite enough to cure 

 ordinary teething or suckling fits due merely to some 

 reflex irritation affecting the brain, and found it fail, 

 need we fear epilepsy ; and when we do fear it with 

 any reason, skilled advice and diagnosis is absolutely 

 needful, since the case must be watched and treated 

 on its merits. 



Suckling fits are exceedingly common among small, 

 highly-organised, and sensitive bitches. They generally 

 begin about the end of the second week of nursing 

 puppies, and do not seem to be in any way caused by 

 overstrain ; that is, a small female suckling five puppies 

 is not more likely to suffer from these fits than one only 



