EARLIEST PUPPYHOOD. 289 



these, the disquietude being intense or prolonged, and the 

 chances are that for a time she will have much less milk ; 

 also that what she furnishes will cause colic, diarrhoea and 

 perhaps much graver symptoms in her puppies. Conse- 

 quently, to treat the nursing mother kindly, make her 

 perfectly contented, and above all to prevent her from 

 fighting, are essentials of the very greatest importance. 

 And were either to be further emphasized it must be the 

 last, for a hard fight, even if the wounds received are 

 trifling, will sometimes so poison the milk it will actually 

 kill puppies that are less than ten days old. 



It should also be borne in mind that there are a num- 

 ber of drugs which when given the mother to some extent 

 pass out in her milk and have their characteristic action 

 upon her young. It follows, therefore, that to dose a 

 nursing mother must be somewhat hazardous, and the 

 safe rule is to give medicine to such only when its use is 

 sanctioned by a physician or thoroughly educated veteri- 

 nary skilled in canine diseases. 



The same can be said of dosing puppies, excepting in 

 colic and the presence of worms, in which affections per- 

 sons of intelligence can be trusted to apply the simple 

 measures of treatment that promise relief. And as no 

 more favorable opportunity is likely to present, the meas- 

 ures essential in the former can be properly discussed 

 here. 



In colic keep the little patient very warm and give of the 

 tincture of opium — laudanum — one drop for each week of 

 life, every second hour until the moaning has ceased. 

 That is, the dose in the first week of life should be one 

 drop, in the second week two drops, and in the tenth, ten 

 drops. 



This dose and method of increase are proper and safe in 

 early life, for all breeds excepting toys, for the largest 



