280 DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 



thought it to be incapable of doing harm. Nature has 

 not fitted the dog to thrive upon many substances ; cer- 

 tain vegetables afford it wholesome nourishment, but a 

 large share of that which is either wantonly or ignorantly 

 given as food, is neither nutritive nor harmless. What- 

 ever injures the digestion, from the disposition of the 

 rectum to sympathise in all disorders of the great mucous 

 track, is likely to induce piles ; and the anus of the ani- 

 mal is often as indicative of the general state of the body 

 as is the tongue of man. 



In perfect health the anus should be small, firm, close, 

 and entirely retracted ; especially should it be cleanly. 

 Any soil upon the part, or any excrement adhering to 

 the hair about its margin, is indicative of derangement. 

 If the fundament protrudes, so that it can be grasped by 

 the finger and thumb, or if it presents a sensible projec- 

 tion to the touch, the digestion is not sound. The indi- 

 cation is still worse when the orifice is enlarged — the 

 edges not being inflamed, which indeed they seldom are, 

 but swollen, loose, coarse, creased, and unsightly. This 

 state will not continue long before cracks and ulcers may 

 be detected upon the borders of the opening, which ulti- 

 mately is constantly moistened by an unctuous and pecu- 

 liarly fetid discharge. If the lips of the orifice be gently 

 pulled aside, the more inward portion of the membrane 

 will frequently be seen of a bright scarlet color, and wet 

 with a watery fluid, but the anus is rarely of so deep a 

 tint, the hue being, even in aggravated cases, only a pale 

 reddish brown. 



