80 EVERYTHING ABOUT DOGS. 



washed with a solution of Condy's Fluid, and dressed with Turner's cerate, while 

 the patient should have a good strong purge. These growths are often removed 

 by the knife, and when of long standing that is the only course. Camphorated 

 Oil is also used in such cases, and for drying up the milk I have found it very 

 satisfactory. 



DENT treats this subject as follows: , 



"Nature has ordained that "at least once a year certain nervous energies in 

 the female dog be set. in motion. This nervous force excites the bowels, the brain, 

 the kidneys, the circulation, and all the other organs of the body, and what is 

 known as the period of oestrum, or being in season, is the result. If the bitch be 

 bred at this time a natural function is performed and a natural law satisfied. 

 If she is not bred these functions are seriously interfered with for the time, how 

 seriously or the extent of the interference we do not know. That this nervous 

 action does not cease or is entirely suppressed by simply putting the bitch by for 

 the time is unmistakably denied by subsequent events. A natural prerogative 

 asserts itself and it is a common occurrence for bitches which have not been 

 bred to develop a feverish disturbance of the system, a swelling of the milk 

 glands and the secretion of a whitish fluid resembling milk at the time they 

 would have given birth to puppies if they had been bred. 



"If this milky fluid is not drawn off with the breast pump there is danger of 

 its hardening and forming a lacteal tumor. In passing a bitch over the period of 

 oestrum without breeding her, it would be well for all breeders to anticipate the 

 possibility of this secretion; watch for it at the proper time. Remove it if it 

 appears and fead for the time a light, cooling diet of stale bread or dog biscuits 

 softened in soup or milk, with an increased amount of vegetables, and keep the 

 bowels open with doses of cascara sagrada and olive oil as often as may be 

 necessary. In cases of a misalliance the puppies are frequently destroyed at 

 birth. This is positively cruel to the mother and the shock to her nervous system 

 is so great as to frequently affect her constitution. The puppies should be taken 

 away as previously stated, one or two at a time, and the milk dried up, with the 

 same care as if the puppies were to be raised. 



"Lacteal tumors sometimes result from blows, wounds, kicks and other 

 injuries; exposure to the cold, sudden chills from lying on damp straw or upon 

 cold brick or cement floors. The great proportion of cases, however, is due to the 

 causes first mentioned. 



"TREATMENT. To dry a bitch up properly and prevent the formation of milk 

 tumors ater removing the puppies as previously described, keep the bowels open 

 with cascara sagrada and olive oil; feed a spare diet of rUw, lean beef, chopped 

 fine, milk, gelatin, eggs, stale bread or dog biscuits soaked in thin soup. If there 

 is any milk remaining in the gland draw it off night and morning with a breast 

 pump. 



"Apply the following liniment three times a day, with gentle massage: Cam- 

 phorated oil four ounces, fluid extract of belladonna three drams, soap liniment 

 two ounces, witch hazel two ounces. 



"Give a thirty-pound dog a capsule containing of the iodide of potash three 

 grains, pepsin three grains, gentian three grains, diastase one grain. 



"For the removal of lacteal tumors the following ointment is recommended: 

 Iodide of potassium two drams, powdered camphor two grains, mercurial oint- 

 ment two drams, iodine rcsub ten grains, five grains of menthol alcohol q. s., 

 lanolin three ounces. Apply three times a day and rub well into the skin with 



