266 KENNEL SECRETS. 



within forty-eight hours, and the milk " dry up " as 

 quickly as under dosing. And it is well to add that the 

 breast pump must not be used in these cases, for while 

 it would afford temporary relief it would greatly retard 

 recovery. 



Only rarely are mothers wholly destitute of milk in the 

 first days after whelping, but not infrequently it happens 

 that the supply is far from sufficient for all the puppies, 

 and in no small number of instances the flow is abundant 

 at first and then lost altogether in the course of a week or 

 two ; in which cases it is necessary either to provide a 

 foster mother or nourish artificially — alternatives that 

 are extremely vexatious and generally difficult to meet. 



Those who have large kennels and breed extensively 

 are to some extent fortified against these accidents, for 

 very often they have two or more bitches come in at about 

 the same time and if the milk of one is insufficient or 

 lost she is assisted or her entire duty assumed by the for- 

 tunate mother or mothers. But in the absence of such 

 happy conditions it is extremely difficult and more often 

 than otherwise impossible to obtain a suitable foster 

 mother. 



If a mother lost her last litter because of failure of her 

 milk supply it by no means follows that she will be as 

 unfortunate with her next, still her owner should have a 

 foster at hand to prevent this accident if again threatened. 

 And he who has a bitch of great value and has paid a 

 large price for " service " can wisely do likewise, for the 

 chances are many that even were the assistant not an 

 imperative necessity she might yet be used to very great 

 advantage and prove a profitable investment, — results, by 

 the way, that may confidently be expected where this 

 provision is made for first litters. 



Foster mothers can generally be obtained for trifling 



