ANIMAL FOODS. 25 



This is true of the kinds of meat which appear on the 

 table while yet partially cooked, or " done rare," as com- 

 monly expressed, but there are evidently animal sub- 

 stances — some of them are occasionally eaten by man 

 — often fed out to dogs, from which far greater danger is 

 to be apprehended unless they are first submitted to a 

 boiling temperature. Among such are the hearts, livers, 

 lungs — called " lights " by many — paunches and other 

 internal organs. Even greater danger lurks in the entrails 

 of many animals ; and these, whether from sheep, cattle, 

 horses or game, should be given to dogs only after they 

 have been thoroughly boiled for the purpose of destroying 

 what parasites are present. The brains of certain ani- 

 mals, especially the sheep, are also a source of danger, 

 which must exclude them from the diet until they have 

 been treated in the same way as the entrails. 



These dangers from so many different sources can, 

 however, be easily obviated by observing the simple rule, 

 to feed to dogs, while yet in the raw state, only good, 

 sound and wholesome beef or mutton, and thoroughly 

 cook all other flesh foods allowed them. This religiously 

 adhered to, the danger of parasites from animal foods 

 will be very slight indeed and need not occasion any 

 uneasiness. 



Breeders generally are much prejudiced against pork, 

 and rightly so, for it is rich and burdensome to the diges- 

 tive organs — in fact of all meats it is the most difficult of 

 digestion. At the same time to what are called "scraps" 

 by some and " cracklings " by others, which are the refuse 

 of melting or refining, there can be no valid objection as 

 an occasional ingredient of the diet of hardy dogs. But 

 instead of giving them, as is sometimes the custom, as 

 they are broken from the cakes, much the better way is to 

 make soups of them and thicken the same with vegetable 

 foods. 



