184 DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 



cause the beast considerable suffering. The extraction 

 at first is so slight an operation, that when undertaken 

 by a person having the proper instruments, and know- 

 ing how to use them, the pup does not even vent a sin- 

 gle cry. The temporary tusks of small dogs are very 

 commonly retained after the permanent ones are fully up, 

 and if not removed, will remain perhaps during the life ; 

 they become firm and fixed, the necks being united to 

 the bone. ' This is more common in the upper than in 

 the lower jaw, but I have seen it in both. Diminutive 

 high-bred animals rarely shed the primary tusks natural- 

 ly ; therefore, when the incisors have been cut, and the 

 permanent fang teeth begin to make their appearance 

 through the gums, the temporary ones ought, as fre- 

 quently as possible, to be moved backward and forward 

 with the finger, in order to loosen them. When that is 

 accomplished, they should be extracted, which if not 

 done at this time will afterwards be difficult. As the 

 tooth becomes again fixed, filth of various kinds accumu- 

 lates between it and the permanent tusk ; the animal 

 feeds in pain, the gum swells and ulcerates, and some- 

 times the permanent tusk falls out, but the cause of the 

 injury never naturally comes away. 



To extract a temporary tusk after it has reset is 

 somewhat difficult, and is not to be undertaken by every 

 bungler. The gum must be deeply lanced ; and a small 

 scalpel made for the purpose answers better than the 

 ordinary gum lancet. The instrument having been 

 passed all round the neck of the tooth, the gum i* 



