81 
Notes On the Care of the Shepherd 
is to call in your veterinarian. It is strange that 
many people, after paying a very good price for a 
dog and after becoming so attached to him that he 
is accounted a member of the family, will be heart¬ 
less enough to dose him in his hour of need with 
a lot of patent nostrums, knowing perhaps nothing 
of diagnosis and intensifying the poor fellow’s suf¬ 
fering with a vague and senseless dosing for some¬ 
thing that they know nothing about! It may be 
that your veterinarian can not come to you on the 
moment and you may be able to give first aid by 
an intelligent description of the symptoms over the 
telephone. I have bred dogs for thirty years, have 
studied their anatomy to help me in my work and 
have been the constant associate of my veterinarian 
friends, but never, when trouble comes to my dogs, 
do I depend upon my imperfect knowledge when 
their life is at stake, but always call in the best pro¬ 
fessional talent. When a member of your family 
is ill, your first thought is the physician, why not 
do the same thing ior your dog who would often 
give his life for you if necessary and who loves you 
as much if not more than anyone? Every owner 
should have on hand a rectal thermometer and in 
the event of illness first of all take the temperature, 
study every movement of your dog, and observe 
anything that seems unusual about him, his respir¬ 
ation, his appetite, has he a great desire for water, 
his positions and action when walking, the condition 
of his skin, the condition of the foeces, then call up 
your veterinarian and a visit or two will usually 
bring your dog back to his normal condition. 
