DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 439 



of a dog's claws, although for the operation the animal 

 never q^uits its mistress's arms. They are q[uick and 

 effectivcj cutting through the strongest claw on the in- 

 stant ; giving no pain ; often removing the nail without 

 the knowledge of the patient, who provokes laughter 

 rather than commiseration by freq[uently shamming the 

 agony he does not feel — venting heart-rending cries, but 

 invariably in the wrong place. For the performance of 

 the operation there is but one caution necessary, and 

 that is, to leave the root of the claw long enough, or not 

 to attempt cutting it too short ; because the unnatural 

 life the animal lives causes small arteries to extend even 

 into the growth of horn, and a little blood is a terrible 

 loss in a lady's eyes. However, beyond causing the mis- 

 tress distress, the practitioner need be in no fear about 

 dividing one of these abnormal vessels, for the eccentric 

 growth of which the most experienced practitioner can- 

 not at all times be prepared. 



Falling off of the Ghxw. — There is another injury 

 to which the claws of the dog are exposed, and the cause 

 of which in no instance have I been able to trace. The 

 toe becomes hot, swollen, and inflamed ; the animal walks 

 lame, or upon three legs. Whenever the particular claw 

 in fault is touched, the cries of the dog sufficiently testify 

 that the seat of the disease has been found. A simple 

 treatment, such as bathing the claw and placing the foot 

 frequently in warm water, will occasion the horny cover- 

 ing to be cast off in a few days ; after which all that is 

 required will be to wrap the part up in soft lint for a 



