THE DOG 87 



teats of the dams being so enlarged that the puppies 

 could not get suitable nourishment. This would be 

 likely to happen only in the case of the dam that had 

 previously several litters ; but if she brought other 

 litters up successfully, on this occasion the true cause 

 might be more easily missed. The remedy was easily 

 found on a future occasion by providing a foster-mother. 



Constipation at this early stage sometimes gives 

 trouble, for which a little castor oil is advisable, and it 

 is good practice at any time during this period to do so 

 whenever a puppy is seen to be restless, whining, or 

 not sucking with the others. The common mistake 

 made is doing so when too late. The use of an enema 

 syringe, even the small glass ear-syringe, with soapy 

 warm water, may be found of great value in an urgent 

 case. 



Your intelligent and careful keeper will prevent the 

 ordinary ailments of puppyhood better by attention to 

 the dam before their birth, and we would specially point 

 out the advisability of allowing the dam to run about 

 during at least two weeks before the expected arrival 

 of the litter. If asked, however, to what the excessive 

 mortality in puppyhood is due, we would unhesitatingly 

 say worms. Here, again, prevention is better than 

 cure. See that the dam is treated for worms before 

 impregnation ; and also recollect that vermin may be 

 the means of introducing these pests, for it has recently 

 been proved conclusively that the " flea " acts as a host 

 during an intermediate stage of the development of the 



