ACCIDENTS AND OPERATIONS. 369 



general character oi the animal is essentially changed. She 

 accumula.tes a vast quantity of fat, becomes listless and idle; 

 and almost invariably short-lived. 



The female dog, therefore, should always be allowed to 

 breed. Breeding is a necessary process, and the female pre- 

 ventedfrom it is sure to be affected with disease sooner or 

 later ; enormous collections and indurations will form, that 

 will inevitably terminate in scirrhus or ulceration." * 



VACCINATION. 



Vaccination is very largely adopted for the prevention of 

 distemper, and, so far as its beneficial effects are concerned, 

 itmight just as well be practised for the same purpose with 

 regard to other canine diseases. Between distemper and 

 small-pox (variola) there is not the slightest analogy. How- 

 ever, the operation is a harmless one, and as the latter disease 

 does occasionally attack the dog, it may be attended with 

 good results. 



The usual places selected for vaccination are the back of 

 the neck, the inside of the forearms, and the ears. In the 

 latter, care should be taken that disease of the cartilage is not 

 occasioned. 



CHLOROFORM. 



Little need be said here on the well-known value of chloro- 

 form in surgical operations on the lower animals. In veteri- 

 nary practice it is now, I am thankful to say, extensively 

 used. In the dog it is of especial value ; indeed, an operation 

 of any consequence on the larger breeds, and those of a savage 



* Youatt : " The Dog," p. 225. 

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