156 EVERYTHING ABOUT DOGS. 



in part by the bitch being held upside dawn. Care must be taken not to use undue 

 force or the uterus may be ruptured. After the return it is a good plan to inject 

 a quantity of cold water into the vagina to act as an astringent. 



"When the protruding uterus shows signs of having been injured or is much 

 congested, or decomposition has set in, amputation is advisable. This is best 

 done by drawing the part gently out and applying a strong ligature as high up as 

 possible and cutting off the free portion." 



In the June number of the Kennel Gazette (Eng.) Mr. Sewell takes up the 

 care of the mother and puppies, and, judging from the serious losses which occur 

 in almost every kennel from carelessness, or worse, kennel managers cannot read 

 the following too carefully, and even the veterans may gain a wrinkle or two. 



"When the bitch has finished pupping she should be made comfortable by 

 renewing her bedding and given some warm milk. As to the bedding, there is 

 nothing better than straw, laid straight, across the box and changed daily. I do 

 not like mats or cloths even for small dogs in these cases, for they become so 

 quickly foul. When the bitch has had a large litter or has had a bad time, it is a 

 good plan to give the yolk of an egg, beaten up with milk and a little brandy; or, 

 if the bitch is inclined to vomit, some beef tea or Bovine a small quantity every 

 hour. This may even be occasionally given before the bitch has finished having 

 all her puppies, if she appears very exhausted. A few hours later in ordinary 

 cases, when all is going well, some thin oatmeal gruel, which is the best food for 

 the next two or three days, may be given. When the bitch seems disinclined to 

 take sufficient milk gruel, (sheep's head broth, thickened with line oatmeal, may 

 be ordered, and even bread and milk or gravy. After the third day, more solid 

 food may be given, as crushed biscuit or boiled rice, with sheep's head broth and 

 the meat from the bones added; also a little fish, and if the bitch is not feeding 

 well, milk may be given to drink instead of water. As time goes on, especially 

 when there is a large litter, more nourishment is required, and the food must be 

 increased by degrees so that the bitch is kept in fairly good condition, though 

 of course not made fat, or the secretion of milk may be checked and the puppies 

 will suffer. 



Some bitches are so zealous in their care of the puppies, more especially at 

 first, that their health suffers in consequence. In such cases the dam must be 

 made to go out to relieve herself, particularly the bladder. I have seen very 

 severe cases of illness caused by the mother not leaving her puppies, and in two 

 instances death was the result of the bladder becoming over-distended and not 

 being emptied. The condition of the bowels also sometimes requires attention, 

 but, as a rule, when the bitch has been allowed to follow her natural desires and 

 she has eaten the foetal membranes, the bowels are often relaxed in the course of 

 a day or two, and so long as it is not severe, no notice may be taken of it, but when 

 there is much purging it is a good plan to give a small dose of castor oil to carry 

 it off, and if after this has worked off, very loose motions continue -and are fre- 

 quently passed, some carbonate of bismuth, from five to fifteen grains shaken dry 

 on the tongue, may be given three or four times a day. In these cases the milk, 

 or broth, 'should be thickened with arrowroot instead of oatmeal so long as the 

 bowels continue troublesome. 



After pupping, a bitch naturally has a great deal of discharge from the womb, 

 which continues, as a rule, for about a fortnight, sometimes a good deal longer. 1 

 find it a good plan when the last puppy is born to syringe the uterus out with a 



