The Extremities 319 



of the puppies of three consecutive generations were bom with the 

 two terminal coccygeal vertebrae bent at right angles. Fox Terriers 

 and Poodles and other breeds which are ordinarily docked soon 

 after birth sometimes come into the world with bobtails. Whether 

 this variation can be regarded as a result of long-continued disuse 

 through the practice of docking from remote times, it is difficult 

 to say, though Darwin has pointed out, mutilations occasionally 

 produce an inherited effect. A good example of artificial selection 

 is seen in the Bob-tailed Sheep dog. 



TRAUMATIC LESIONS. 



The most common lesion to befall the tail is brushing or crush- 

 ing from its being caught in a closing door. Usually, in these 

 cases the wound is a compound one, but in some instances, as when 

 the organ is trodden upon, a simple fracture may result. A very 

 troublesome lesion is frequently seen in Great Danes. These ani- 

 mals are possessed of very long tails, which they wag with great 

 force. When confined in narrow quarters, constant pounding of 

 the organ against a hard surface soon renders the extremity bruised 

 and sore. Ulceration develops and the wound bleeds at the slightest 

 irritation, the blood being swished about in all directions, to the 

 disgust of everyone with whom the animal comes in contact. Fin- 

 ally, the bone becomes necrosed. Prevention in these cases is in- 

 finitely better than cure. If it is absolutely necessary that an animal 

 be confined in narrow quarters the conditions which are productive 

 of the trouble can be rendered nugatpry by the adoption of a 

 simple device. Strips of wood three or four inches in width are 

 nailed to the wall lengthwise above the level of the animal's head 

 on both sides and the back. From these some heavy draping made 

 of stout material is suspended and allowed to reach almost to the 

 floor. This acts as a buffer to the pounding tail, and the latter es- 

 capes injury. 



Treatment. When the parts are badly crushed, amputation is 

 necessitated, but as long as the bone is intact and only the soft parts 

 injured, efforts should be directed towards saving the organ by the 

 usual soothing antiseptic measures employed in wounds of this 

 nature. Fractures, when simple, are treated as outlined in the chap- 

 ter on Fractures, but the bandages must be of the very lightest 

 character possible. Compound fractures generally necessitate am- 



