3l6 KENNEL SECRETS. 



ally attained by the third week, it is evident that infec- 

 tion very generally occurs early in the first week ; and 

 such being the case the eggs must be swallowed directly, 

 the same being lodged upon the mother, her bedding, etc. 



Now will be seen the reasons for the advice, given in a 

 previous chapter, that the bitch in pup be freed from worms 

 if possible, and she and her quarters be thoroughly cleaned 

 and disinfected a day or two before whelping. And the 

 importance of these measures cannot be too strongly urged, 

 for they will do much to protect puppies from their 

 deadliest foes. 



Undeniably cleanliness is the most potent safeguard 

 against infection by worms, and if breeders will drive them 

 out of their mature dogs and afterwards keep their ken- 

 nels and yards clean, their puppies will be far less frequent 

 victims of them than under less favorable conditions. 

 Furthermore, if their little ones then become infested it 

 will likely be with comparatively small numbers only, 

 which, as a rule, are much less dangerous to life than large 

 numbers. 



Efforts to secure cleanliness should include disinfection 

 of the mother's intestinal discharges in the whelping-room 

 and quarters subsequently occupied by her and her little 

 ones, the fact being duly appreciated that she might be 

 harboring worms and not manifest any suspicious signs. 

 And for this purpose quicklime should always be at hand 

 to be dropped on the waste ; and that removed, the soiled 

 floor should be washed with boiling water, by which 

 means all ova not touched by the lime would be speedily 

 destroyed. 



The symptoms manifested by worms very generally 

 depend not so much upon the mere presence of the 

 lodgers as upon the accompanying and peculiar condition 

 of the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal. And 



