452 DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 



also does not leave behind it a smooth surface. The 

 bone-nippers answer better. Without loss of time, there- 

 fore, the veterinary surgeon seizes a pair suited to the 

 object in view, and with these he gently pushes back the 

 flesh on all sides ; he then, suddenly closing the handles, 

 cuts short the protruding bone The flaps that have 

 been made are then brought together, when, if there is 

 any bleeding, the raw surfaces are again exposed, and a 

 few puffs with a pair of bellows, first having sprinkled 

 the part with cold water, usually stop it. If that should 

 not succeed, a small quantity of the tincture of ergot of 

 rye suflices for the purpose ; and all bleeding having 

 ceased, the flaps are finally placed together, bound up in 

 soft lint, and a leather or gutta percha boot placed over 

 all, no dressing being applied or the boot removed for 

 three days. When the wound is inspected, if, as fre- 

 quently happens, the movements of the dog have dis- 

 turbed the flaps, provided they are not drawn too uneven, 

 the practitioner had better not touch them. The rectify- 

 ing powers of nature in such cases are wonderful ; and in 

 those he had better trust rather than interfere with the 

 process of healing, which he may remain certain has 

 already commenced. In this fashion I have excised a 

 dog's claw ; and three months after the operation a spec- 

 tator would have to compare one foot with another to 

 discover that either was deficient in the proper number 

 of appendages. 



CAPPED HOCK AND ELBOW. The first of these is 

 more rare than the last j but as, on the point of the bone 



