44 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 



away for some time owing apparently to the exhausted condition of the bitch 

 it is quite safe to give a little brandy and gruel by the mouth, and then steadily to 

 draw away the whelp, by laying hold of the part presenting with a piece of tape 

 round it, or a strip of calico. 



As soon as all the whelps are born, the bitch may be allowed to rest for a short 

 time, unless she is very much exhausted, when the brandy and gruel may be 

 given, as directed in the last paragraph, After an hour, a little lukewarm gruel 

 may generally be allowed; and in the course of four hours another quantity 

 of the same. No meat of any kind should be given for three days, during which 

 time the state of the bowels should be regulated, if necessary, by castor oil ; and milk 

 thickened with oatmeal or wheat-flour, or broth with the same thickening, or with 

 arrowroot, if diarrhoea is present, should be the only food. Sometimes, after the 

 first week, the whole litter is too great a draw upon the system, and part mvst 

 be removed from the bitch, and brought up by hand, if it is wished to preserve 

 them, feeding them from a common baby's bottle, with the india-rubber nipple, now 

 so commonly in use ; but a very thick and stout one should be selected, or the puppy 

 will compress it too much with its tongue. When the bitch is much reduced by her 

 suckling, she sometimes is subject to fits, for which the only remedy is the removal 

 of her whelps, and the exhibition of strong beef tea, with bark, and ammonia in 

 addition ; together with port wine and arrowroot, if the bowels are relaxed. After 

 the first week, and, indeed, gradually during the fourth, fifth, and sixth days, meat 

 must be added to the other food, or earlier even if the bitch has had much animal 

 food before whelping. 



If the bitch is inclined to devour her young, she should be allowed to remain 

 very quiet, and very little animal food should be given her. A dose of oil should 

 always be given a short time before her whelping time, and if she should, never- 

 theless, devour them, another dose should follow, so as to carry off the effects of so 

 heating a meal. 



If a foster-mother is determined upon, all that is necessary is to muzzle her until 

 the strange whelps have sucked her, and lain for some time with her own ; she will 

 then fail to distinguish between them, and her own offspring may be removed with 

 safety, leaving the foster- whelps to her care, which she will exercise just as fully 

 towards them as if they were really hers. 



If the bitch has been " put by," as it is called, and is not in whelp at the end of 

 nine weeks from her " heat," she will be fat and indolent, with her teats full of milk. 

 At this time it is better to take a little blood from her, and to give her a smart purge 

 once or twice, together with vegetable food; after which she will generally 

 recover her health and spirits, and become much as usual at the expiration of 

 another month or five weeks. This ought to be fully considered in the case of all 

 sporting dogs. 



CUTS, TEAES, AND BITES 



Are easily treated in the dog, because his skin is very readily healed, though 

 not so speedily or in the same manner as that of man. In man a clean cut, if 



