DIFFICULT PARTURITION {DYSTOKIA) 323 



When they are about a month old the pups will begin to 

 la-p for themselves (or before that if reared by hand), and they 

 may then have a little bread and milk or other solid food. 



Malformations of the Offspring-. 



The chieif of these are hare-lip, cleft palate, and imperforate 

 anus or urethra. 



In examining newly-born puppies or kittens these should 

 all be looked for. 



Hare-lip alone is often curable (see p. 94), and the pup 

 may be operated upon at once, or, better still, be left until 

 three or four months old. Cleft palate is more troublesome, 

 and if very extensive the pup usually dies from inanition 

 within two or three days. If only slight, and the animal is 

 able to suck, an operation may be done when the tissues are 

 stronger (see Fig. 66). 



Imperforate anus or urethra are remediable (see p. 213). 

 Malformations which amount to monstrosities must be dealt 

 with at the discretion of the surgeon and the owner. As a 

 rule, these freaks of nature settle the question for themselves 

 by living only for a few hours. 



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