DISEASES. 29 



buttermilk. After he is well, feed him for some time boiled rice and milk and 

 buttermilk and bring him gradually on to his regular feed. 



"The above treatment I have found to put the mouth in such shape that the 

 dog will take nourishment after the first twenty-four hours, and after that he will 

 steadily improve, and four or five days sees the mouth entirely healed except that 

 it is still tender to solid food. To a dog the size of a setter or hound you can give 

 as high as a fiftieth of a grain at a dose of the bichloride of mercury; to pups and 

 smaller breeds one-hundredth of a grain is enough, and in fact I confine myself to 

 this dose with all sized dogs under St. Bernards or mastiffs, as it is quite as effec- 

 tive in the smaller dose as in the larger. 



BRUISES. Where there is much swelling, bathe with warm water for an hour, 

 dry well and rub in the following: 



LINIMENT FOII SPKAINS, BRUISES, ETC. Take equal parts of spirits of turpentine, 

 liquid ammonia (not the strongest), laudanum and rape oil. Mix to form liniment. 

 If skin is broken, touch the wound with tincture of benzoin and rub the liniment 

 all around, but not into the broken skin. 



BURNS AND SCALDS. Mix equal parts of linseed oil and lime water and 

 apply freely as soon as possible after the accident. A severe burn or scald is sure to 

 be a blemish for life, and if severe often gives a violent shock to the system, and 

 symptoms of illness arising from it should be observed and treated according to 

 circumstances. Apply the above oil direct to the wound alone, and at once cover 

 thickly with cotton wool to exclude the air from the bladders formed. On removing 

 the dressing, prick the bladders with a needle, smooth them down gently, re-apply 

 the dressing, taking care that no hairs are left on the sore places. 



CALLOSITIES. Bare callous places on the dog from rubbing, chafing or lying 

 on bare boards Large dogs are very often so troubled. 1 use glycerine or vaseline 

 quite often, and keep treatment up for some time, either of which will soften and 

 tend to remove these lumps. They do no harm but detract from the appearance 

 of the dog. 



CANCER. This can only safely be treated by the veterinary surgeon. The 

 main thing for the dog's owner is to be able to distinguish between cancer and 

 other tumors. The safest plan is, however, not to take any chance by delay, but on 

 suspicion consult the veterinarian. 



CHOKING. This accident is not uncommon with greedy animals that bolt 

 their food; a bone, a piece of gristly meat, or other hard substance, is bolted, and. 

 sticks fast in its passage to the stomach. I always adopt the plan of reserving bones 

 until after the dogs have fed, for if given with the other food they are at once 

 picked out, and the smaller ones are, when the dog is nungry, apt to be swallowed 

 unmasticated and produce choking. 



TREATMENT. Frequently by manipulating the throat outside with the fingers 

 the obstruction can be worked down the gullet, or if it can be felt in the upper 

 part of the throat, it may be removed by the throat forceps, which most veterinary 

 surgeons keep by them. Hill recommends, when the substance is too low for ex- 

 traction, and manipulating with the fingers externally fails, to endeavor gently to 

 force it down with a piece of bent whalebone, having a piece of sponge tied to the 

 end of it, and dipped in oil. In using this extra care must be taken that the sponge 

 is so firmly attached to the whalebone that it cannot slip off, for if swallowed it 

 might effectually block up one of the smaller intestines; therefore, cut nitchei in 



