DOGS I THEIR MANAGEMENT. 283 



feed of liver once or twice a week will do no harm. 

 Should it not have the desired effect, a little olive oil 

 may be given ; but nothing stronger ought to be risked, 

 and above all, no preparation of mercury which, in the 

 dog, specially acts upon the rectum ought on any 

 account to be permitted. 



Piles, if not attended to, become causes of further 

 disease, which may in some cases prove fatal, though in 

 the larger number of instances they are far more distress- 

 ing than dangerous. 



A sero-sanguineous abscess, that is, a tumor consisting 

 of a single sac or numerous small bladders, containing a 

 thin and bloody fluid, is by no means a rare accompani- 

 ment of long-continued piles. These mostly appear 

 rather to one side of, and more below than above, the 

 opening, the verge of which they always involve. They 

 occasion little pain, and often grow to a comparatively 

 enormous size ; when they may burst and leave a ragged 

 ulcer, which has little disposition to heal, and is not im- 

 proved by the dog's drawing it along the ground. 



When these are observed, the knife should not be too 

 quickly resorted to. The abscess should be allowed to 

 progress until it is fully matured, the dog being in the 

 meantime treated for simple piles. When the tumor 

 perceptibly fluctuates, it should be freely opened, the in- 

 cision being made along its entire length. This is best 

 done with one of Liston's knives, which should be thrust 

 fairly through the swelling, entering at the top and 

 coming out at the lowest part, when with one movement 



