196 THE DISEASES OF THE DOG. 



membrane, decidua vera, which lay against the placentae, 

 are shed, and the womb gradually resumes its ordinary 

 non-pregnant characters. 



Appendix. — Organs and Process op Lactation and 

 their Disorders. 



The mammary glands are eight to ten in number, 

 arranged in double series along the under surface of the 

 trunk, four being pectoral, four abdominal, and two 

 inguinal. They are simple as compared with the elaborate 

 corresponding organs in the cow, but, nevertheless, each is 

 a small complete gland and has a teat with orifices 

 numbering from eight to ten. The milk produced by 

 these organs is specially rich, containing a very consider- 

 ably larger proportion of solids than that of almost any 

 other domesticated animal, the preponderance being in 

 casein and fatty matters. Fleming alludes to an idea 

 prevalent in a part of France where women suckle puppies, 

 that the latter suffer from rickets when thus weaned. 

 The use of pups by women to remove surplus milk from 

 their mammae is also adopted in Burma, where small 

 fancy dogs are much appreciated for the purpose. 



Retention of Milk is apt to occur when non-parturient 

 animals commence to have activity of the mammary 

 glands, or in those mammae which are least appreciated by 

 the pups (generally the pectorals). Such retained milk is 

 very apt to form small hard concretions in the teats which 

 obstruct the flow of any milk subsequently formed, and 

 so may give rise to so-called " milk abscess." To avoid 

 this the teats should be regularly examined, and any excess 

 of secretion removed by pressure from above downwards. 

 The state of these parts should be constantly looked to in 

 every bitch suckling pups, or in which any signs of 

 spurious pregnancy have been manifested. If these con- 

 cretions actually have formed, the best treatment is prompt 

 surgical removal, which, although it seems somewhat 

 heroic in principle, will be found the best plan in the long 



