78 COURSING 



whelping, it would be highly injurious for the mother to have 

 to jump up to, or down from, a height. 



If a bitch is permitted to whelp on straw thrown into a 

 corner of the box, it will be found that in a day or two the 

 whelps will have scratched about until they lie on the bare 

 floor, which is not at all conducive to their welfare. Some 

 place a piece of carpet and throw the straw on that ; but it 

 quickly absorbs the urine and becomes foul and unwholesome. 

 Of course care must be taken that all draughts are excluded, 

 and that there is sufficient light and ventilation. For our own 

 part we have converted a row of loose boxes that were used 

 for brood mares, and fitted them with movable benches, under 

 which we have run a two-inch hot-water pipe ; this is fed 

 from a boiler erected in the furthest partition, and the same 

 furnace heats it and the boiler wherein the food is prepared. 

 The doors of these boxes are divided in the centre, and when 

 the top portion is open a sheet of galvanised netting secures 

 the inmates. 



It is not everyone, however, who can find the facilities at 

 hand, but in most country places there are buildings that can 

 be converted to the purpose, and a bay of a barn or a clean 

 and well-drained pigsty is not to be despised as a substitute 

 for a more commodious lying-in hospital. 



So far we have said nothing about the medical treatment of 

 a pregnant or suckling bitch, and if dosing can be avoided by 

 all means let it be ; but there are circumstances under which 

 it is necessary to have recourse to physic. Foremost amongst 

 these is when the bitch shows signs of irritant skin disease, 

 whether it be follicular mange or eczema, and she should be 

 very carefully watched : for should she litter down with her 

 blood or skin disease, her whelps will assuredly contract the 

 complaint, and a load of anxiety will fall on the breeder. What 

 is born in the blood will come out in the flesh, and although 

 the little creatures may appear sound and clean up to the time 

 of weaning, they will, nevertheless, break out subsequently, and 

 a deal of care and attention will be necessary to restore them 



