49Q DISEASES ARISING EROM NEGLECT. 



showing the same amount of it. Inexperienced breeders are often 

 sadly puzzled to know whether such puppies are worth rearing, 

 and I have often saved the lives of valuable animals, which had 

 been condemned as diseased, but which ultimately turned out to be 

 all that could be wished. When, therefore, such a state of things 

 exists, let the patience of the owner be exercised till the ninth or 

 tenth month, or sometimes still longer,- and, if about this time the 

 limbs do not grow into shape, it will be quite early enough to 

 consider what is to be done. But, again, there is to be met with 

 a scrofulous enlargement .of.the joints which is seldom got rid of; 

 but this occurs in delicate puppies, and not in the large overgrown 

 animals which are the subjects of the mere " big joints" above 

 described. There is a puffy and soft feeling communicated to- the 

 hand on examining the leg, and usually there is a tenderness on 

 pressure, together with more or less lameness in walking or run- 

 ning. This scrofulous enlargement may occur in the knees, hocks, 

 or stifles, but the last-named joints are most usually the seats of 

 the disease. Sometimes nature rallies and throws off this' ten- 

 dency to scrofula, but more frequently the joints become larger and 

 larger, the lameness increases, and, in most cases, some one joint 

 being worse than the others inflames and forms matter within it, 

 when nothing is to be done but to consign the poor animal to the 

 halter or the river. 



INDIGESTION (Dyspepsia). 



Among the most common consequences of improper feeding and 

 neglect of exercise is indigestion,, attended by its usual concomitant, 

 constipation. (See page 461.) It shows itself in flatulence, loss 

 of appetite, alterations of constipation and diarrhoea, low spirits, 

 and want of muscular vigour; although often. the animal is fat 



