BREEDING AND RAISING OF PUPPIES- 155 



these cases too long, thinking they will come all right, as it is wasting time and 

 the mother's strength; and if there are other puppies to come she probably will 

 not have strength either to expel them herself, or help anyone who may try to 

 assist her. 



" 'In these instances the head is so firmly fixed in the mouth of the womb that 

 it is impossible to take hold of it with forceps, however small or thin the blades 

 may be, but the hook of the crochet may generally be passed into the mouth of the 

 puppy, and by fixing it well into the pallet a good hold may be obtained, and the 

 puppy drawn through the passage by main force. If care be taken it is astonish- 

 ing what amount of force may be used in promoting delivery without at all 

 injuring the bitch, but it is best not to pull on the puppy except during the labor 

 pains, if there are any. 



" 'It is the custom of some veterinary surgeons to give the bitch during labor 

 a hot bath if the parts are not considered sufficiently relaxed or if the pains are 

 dull; at the proper time the tissues always do become properly and sufficiently 

 dilated, providing that parts are in a normal state that is, bar a stricture in the 

 vagina or something of that kind and if there is any abnormal condition a warm 

 bath, in my opinion, does more harm than good, by often checking the pains. 



" 'Sometimes when ergot fails to induce or stimulate the throe (here is where 

 I much prefer to use the Fellows' Compound Syrup of Hypophosphate) I have 

 applied with advantage to the abdomen an ice bag; but what I find the best of all 

 when one of two subcutaneous injections of ergotine have not worked satisfac- 

 torily, is to put the bitch in some vehicle and give her a drive, and if nothing else 

 will induce the labor pains this will do so in most cases. 



" 'The worst cases are those which when the bitch is due to pup and the parts 

 become relaxed, there are no labor pains to expel the fceta. Examined per vaginum 

 no puppy can be felt and no amount of excitement of the parts by passing a cold 

 instrument into the passage or injection of ergot will cause contraction of the 

 v.'omb. If the patient seems all right it is best to wait some hours, during which 

 time everything should be done to try and excite contraction of the parts. If the 

 means taken do not succeed, then there is nothing to be done except the Caesarean 

 operation, as it is not safe to attempt delivery with forceps or crochet when the 

 puppies cannot be felt with the finger.' 



'Then follows a description of the Caesarean operation, which, of course, no 

 one but an experienced veterinary surgeon should be allowed to perform; so it is 

 not necessary to give it here. 



"Prolapsus or inversion of the womb or uterus into the vagina sometimes, but 

 very rarely, occurs during parturition, due to very severe straining, or as the 

 result of too much force being used to remove a puppy with forceps or by other 

 artificial means. Care must be taken in these cases not to mistake protrusion of 

 the uterus with prolapsus of the vagina, or a polypus. The latter may be recog- 

 nized as a solid pear-shaped body with a narrow neck, whilst a, prolapsed vagina 

 is generally a large solid oval body which almost fills the vaginal canal if it does 

 not protrude externally; it has a broad base and rises at the back part of the 

 passage just behind the meatws or opening of the bladder. The uterus is soft, 

 reducible, and rough and tubular in shape, besides showing dark-colored patches 

 where the placenta? have been attached. 



. "After the womb has been cleansed by being sponged with a weak, tepid solu- 

 tion of Condy's Fluid or permanganate of potash, it should, if possible, be returned 

 by gentle pressure on the fundus of the uterus with a piece of whalebone with 

 the point covered with sponge; the returning is assisted if the hind legs are raised 



