252 BREEDING. - 
DESTRUCTION OR CHOICE OF WHELPS AT BIRTH... - 
Sometimes it is desirable to destroy all the whelps as soon as 
possible after birth, but this ought very seldom to be done, as in all 
cases it is better to keep one or two sucking for a short time, to 
prevent milk fever, and from motives of humanity also: if: how: 
ever, it is decided ~ destroy all at once, take them ‘away’as fast 
as they are born, leaving only one with the mother to engage her 
attention; and when all are born, remove the last before she has 
become naed to it, by which ‘plan less cruelty is practised than if 
she is permitted to attach herself to her offspring: Low diet and 
a dose or two of mild aperient medicine, with. moderate: exercise, 
will be required to guard against fever; but at best it is a bad 
business, and can only be justified nude extraordinary: circum- 
stances. 
