262 WOUNDS. 



Wounds into the chest or belli/ should be closed up as soon as 

 possible, to prevent the external air from penetrating : a stitch or 

 two made in the integuments is proper ; over which some adhesive 

 plaister, and a bandage over that, may be applied. If the intes- 

 tines protrude in a wounded belly, and the bowels are themselves 

 wounded ; first, neatly stitch up the intestinal opening, and return 

 the gut ; then close the wound in the integuments, leaving the 

 thread which united the gut, if long enough, hanging without the 

 external wound. 



In wounds of m^teries or veins, the haBmorrhage should be 

 stopped by pressure : should that not succeed, take up the vessel 

 with needle and thread. Wounds into joints occur from cuts, and 

 often from stabs : great inflammation is apt to follow, and the dog 

 is often lamed for life. If the synovia escapes by a very minute 

 puncture, and the inflammation is not yet very extensive, treat 

 exactly as in horse practice, by firing with the budding-iron. If 

 the wound be a lacerated one, and not already much inflamed, 

 place over it a pledget of lint, and over that a thick paste of linseed 

 meal ; after which, bandage the whole up moderately tight. Should 

 the inflammation be great, reduce that by a common poultice, and 

 then endeavour to close the joint as above. 



In all extensive and lacerated wounds^ a stitch or two should 

 be made with a large needle and thread, as it will reduce both the 

 sore and the scar ; but as such stitches soon ulcerate out in the 

 dog, so the edges should be further secured by slips of sticking- 

 plaister. A recent wound should be cleansed from the dirt, and 

 then covered up : when it begins to suppurate, dress with any mild 

 ointment. In thorn wounds, or others made with splinters, care- 

 fully examine that nothing is left within them, otherwise no at- 

 tempts to produce healing will prove successful. The most com- 

 mon wounds in dogs arise from the bites of others ; and under any 

 such circumstance, should any suspicion arise that the dog was 

 mad by which the wounded one was bitten, proceed as directed 

 under Rabies. The wounds arising from common bites in gene- 

 ral soon heal of themselves : if, however, they are very extensive. 



