14 THE DISEASES OF THE DOG. 



CHAPTER II. — CANINE PHARMACY, MATERIA 

 MEDICA, AND THERAPEUTICS. 



Bearing in mind the nature and peculiarities of our 

 canine patients, as above indicated, we must consider the 

 specialities of canine pharmacy. Many tasteless pills of 

 various sorts are to be purchased from the veterinary phar- 

 maceutical chemists in London and other large towns, and 

 they will be found neat, clean, cheap, and convenient for 

 every-day routine practice, but they cannot be relied on to 

 meet all requirements. As excipients, diluents, and placebos 

 the syrups have some value, as that of poppies, of buckthorn, 

 and of squills, in addition to their more active medicinal 

 effects. Honey, too, more frequently finds a place in 

 canine than in veterinary practice. Medicines, pleasantly 

 flavoured, can be given as electuaries, placed on the animal's 

 tongue for him to suck in, but generally for dogs the pill, 

 draught, or enema is advocated. 



Pills may be given much larger than those generally 

 used, but the small ones give least trouble ; it is 

 better, however, to give one large pill than several small 

 ones. The following details require consideration in 

 the administration of pills. Firstly, the size of the 

 animal. When it is small it must be taken on the lap, when 

 of medium size placed standing on its hind legs with, in 

 both cases, its back to the operator. If the animal be very 

 large the operator must stand with it between his legs. 

 Secondly, some animals fight and scratch with the fore 

 paws ; their limbs must be held by an assistant or a cloth 

 tightly tied so as to bind them to the chest. Thirdly, the 

 jaws must be separated and kept apart. This is generally 

 done by placing one hand so that the palm rests on the 

 upper part of the muzzle, and pressing, with the fingers on 

 one side and the thumb on the other, the soft parts of the 



