The Dog Part 20

This is a rule that can hardly be with impunity violated by the generality of pract.i.tioners. Simple and brief as may be the direction, it is one that only on rare occasions may be safely disregarded; and of the exceptional case, mention will be made hereafter. The pup must be within the pa.s.sage; and not only there, but so there, as to seem impacted, before a.s.sistance by means of instruments is necessary. The largest foetus can, in almost every case, proceed thus far; and where it is of too great a size to come so low, any interference would be desperate; for then it must be of such a magnitude as to destroy the probability of delivery being accomplished.

When the pup has not entered the pelvis, the pract.i.tioner may be a.s.sured the obstacle is not created by the disproportioned size of the young. The labor either has not proceeded far enough, and time is required for its completion; or the uterus is feeble, and stimulants are wanted to invigorate it. The largest foetus can be moved by the womb; so the size must be an impediment only to its pa.s.sage through the v.a.g.i.n.a. There is therefore no mechanical hindrance before that part has been reached, and no mechanical a.s.sistance at an earlier period is imperative.

When the veterinarian is called to a labor that has already commenced, and perhaps been some time about, he directs his first attention to the orifice. If the perineum looks unnaturally distended, so large as to be remarkable, the presence of a pup in the v.a.g.i.n.a may be concluded; and here he must know how to act with decision.

If the throes are on, and strong, though evidence of pain be heard, we must not be too quick to interfere. If there be anything like a bladder protruding from the v.u.l.v.a, nothing whatever must be done. In easy births the pups invariably come into the world enveloped in their membranes, and thereby their egress seems to be greatly accelerated. If these burst, or are broken, the delivery is thereby rendered more difficult. The membranes consequently, if protruding, should not be touched. Some persons, I know, seize them under an idea, that by pulling at these, or at the cord, the foetus can be brought away. The notion is fallacious. With the first or second pup the membrane may be visible; and, nevertheless, the labor may not then have proceeded far enough to detach all the placenta. The entirety of the caul, or water-bag, denotes that the foetus is alive; and it also shows that Nature is proceeding to accomplish, in due time, her offices.

The position which the b.i.t.c.h a.s.sumes during labor also deserves to be noted. While she remains within her bed, and continues lying upon her side, however tedious may be the labor, there is little reason for apprehension. A few cries vented when the throes are present, or a moan or two emitted when they are coming on, may be expected, and deserve little observation; but when the b.i.t.c.h gives forth sharp, short exclamations, leaves her house or basket, and places herself in the att.i.tude she takes when voiding her faeces, there is cause to conclude something wrong, and requiring immediate help, has taken place.

Most authorities make mention of what are called wrong presentations; and such are very commonly met with in the cow, mare, and the larger animals; but I have never known a case of false presentation in the b.i.t.c.h; and I am led to conclude that the authors who narrated such cases, drew upon their experience in other directions, describing imaginative possibilities as circ.u.mstances that had actually occurred. I do not well comprehend how a false presentation could take place in this animal, and I can grant the possibility of its ever having been witnessed to the first pup alone. It is remotely possible that this one should be presented sideways, though highly improbable it could take such a position. After the womb has expelled the first of the litter, the body of the generative organ contracts; and all the others must pa.s.s through it in a line favorable to the birth.

It is of little consequence, in the young of the dog, whether the head or tail be first born. Examples in both directions are always witnessed in every puppying. So likewise is it of small importance how the legs are placed, though of course delivery is favored by their being properly arranged. At the time of birth, however, the bones of the pup are but partially consolidated; and that circ.u.mstance causes them not to offer those serious obstructions which they are found to present in other creatures. The gelatinous ma.s.s readily takes the form required for its expulsion; and the pract.i.tioner has little reason to perplex himself concerning those particulars which in the calf or foal he knows to be of vital import.

The princ.i.p.al obstruction to birth in the b.i.t.c.h springs from the weakness of the creature. To this its sufferings, and the too frequent tediousness of its labor, are to be mostly attributed. When there are evident signs of debility--shown by the throes having subsided, and further evidenced by no symptom of their reappearance being witnessed after three or four hours'

watching--from a teaspoonful to a table-spoonful of brandy, mixed with sugar and cold water, may be administered; and in half an hour repeated, if it should have no effect. This I have seldom found to fail, and never have I known it to do injury; wherefore I prefer it to the ergot of rye, which in my hands has been uncertain and injurious. Patience, however, is more often needed, than stimulants required; and before the latter are resorted to, the symptoms of debility ought to be recognised; for without these be perceived, the pa.s.sive condition of the uterus deserves no immediate attention.

When the throes are on, the efforts may be a.s.sisted. This is best done by placing the hands under the abdomen, and with them making pressure whenever the straining appears. The hands, however, must not be held so long as will let them get hot; for, by communicating warmth, more harm is done than the benefit afforded is likely to compensate. The object in placing the hands under the belly is, to brace and give support to the abdominal muscles; which, in the dog, are naturally weak, and in the b.i.t.c.h during gestation always become attenuated.

Cold cloths to the abdomen will also in some cases--but not in all--excite the uterus, and bring on vigorous throes. The coldest water I could procure is that of the temperature employed by me; and it has seldom, to my knowledge, been otherwise than beneficial.

When the birth is long delayed, the bladder and r.e.c.t.u.m should be examined and emptied of their contents by means of the injection-pipe and catheter.

To draw off the urine of the b.i.t.c.h is not difficult or dangerous. A knowledge of the situation of the meatus, or termination of the urethra, is necessary to the operation; and this is best obtained by dissection. It lies within the pelvis, a short way anterior to the brim, and above the symphysis of the ischium. I know that while endeavoring to explain, I am here making use of words which will to the majority of readers convey no meaning; nevertheless, I cannot be more clear. I have, however, in a communication to the _Veterinarian_, entered into this matter; and I here extract from that journal part of a paper published in the number for January, 1849:--

"With regard to the b.i.t.c.h, I always let the animal stand upon her legs, simply having an a.s.sistant to hold the head and engage the attention of the creature. The meatus lies about half an inch or two inches within the pelvis, the distance varying with the size of the dog. The line of the urethra is rather forward than downward, though, of course, in both directions. After having once or twice pa.s.sed the instrument, it is surprising how very readily this conjectured impossibility is performed. I think so little of the difficulties, that I have no inclination to dilate upon the few precautions which are required to remove them. I may, however, here state, that, when grasping the p.e.n.i.s of the dog, a handkerchief or a portion of tow will be required to render the hold secure; and the wire should, before the catheter is introduced, be withdrawn, while it ought to be moistened with olive oil to facilitate its pa.s.sage, as the ca.n.a.l is not unfrequently devoid of mucus."

When the pup is partly born, and its pa.s.sage appears to be delayed, either through the feebleness of the throes or some mechanical impediment, a.s.sistance should be afforded. The restlessness of the b.i.t.c.h will, perhaps, be the most proper indication; and it is the more necessary to be cautious in our interference, as, on account of the size of the animal, the aid we can afford is limited. When a paw is to be seen, this may be laid hold of; but not without the fingers being covered; for, as the limb is slippery, the force intended to secure it would hardly render the grasp confirmed, and might crush the member. The osseous structure in the pup at birth, as I have already stated, is not consolidated; and all other components of the body are in a condition proportionally immatured. The tiny being, when first brought into the world, is little better than a living ma.s.s of pulp; and on that account, it must be gently handled. Far less violence than might be supposed requisite to do so, will dismember it; and no vast force is needed to pull even the head from the trunk.

Aware of this, the efforts intended for the delivery must be regulated by the power of the substance to endure them. The pract.i.tioner must take a thin, soft cloth, or what is better, his silk pocket-handkerchief, and with this lay hold of any part that can be grasped. If but one leg can be got hold of, that must be secured, and an attempt made to bring forward the other. The two being obtained, gentle force or traction may be through them applied while the throes are on. The dragging must not be strong, as, if the pup be alive, it will be injured; or, alive or dead, it may be torn to pieces.

A broken pup, as the foetus is called when any part of it has been pulled off, is always more dangerous to the life of the b.i.t.c.h, and much more difficult to get away, than one that is entire. The impediment bears relation to the extent of the mutilation. Thus the separation of the head is more serious than the deprivation of a limb; for, let not the reader imagine that in the dog, as in the cow or mare, embryotomy by means of a knife can be successfully resorted to. I have endeavored sometimes to perform craniotomy, or to remove the brains of the foetus, hoping by so reducing the bulk of the head to facilitate the delivery; but the result has displeased me, and I no longer follow the practice. The pup, if to be got away at all, will be most easily removed entire; and that it may not have its integrity destroyed, the a.s.sistance given to the mother must be temperate. Every little aid is a help to the labor; and knowing that, we must be content if we are denied to accomplish all. The traction, a.s.sisted by a secure grasp, should be steady; and the lips of the part should at the same time be as much as possible pulled open with the fingers of the free hand. Mild, soothing, and encouraging words will, during the operation, be of every consequence; and it is of importance that, in every particular, the animal should be humored to the extent of possibility.

Restraint should be enforced only where absolutely necessary; and when it is so, the creature will strangely comprehend the reason that compels, and patiently, or at least without resentment, submit to its endurance. A harsh word, however, or a blow, or both together, too frequently gratify the impatience of the pract.i.tioner, and, at this time, often dispel the throes on which the birth depends. The dog is ever sensitive to correction; no living being more acutely feels rebuke or praise; and its excitable nature, lighted up by the pains of labor, cannot then endure unkindness, and should receive our sympathy. Good language, no hurry, and a rejection of all violence, will do more for a desperate case than all the drugs in the pharmacy, or all the tact which ingenuity is possessed of.

To secure the legs, when they can be felt, Blaine recommends a skein of worsted. I have not found that article of any use whatever. If introduced into the v.a.g.i.n.a, it soon becomes moist, adheres to the finger, and cannot be detached from it. If, however, applied in a loop or slip-knot round a paw, I have known it cut through the bone; and its only advantage lies in the fact of its little tendency to come off when once fixed. Even in that respect, however, it sometimes disappoints, and I consequently no longer use it. To supply its place, I had the following very simple instrument made; and it answers every intention, although it is but seldom required:--

[Ill.u.s.tration: PARTURITION INSTRUMENT.]

A tube of polished metal is at one end curved to suit the line of the pelvis, and at the other it is grooved, and also has a small cross-bar.

Into the tube a piece of zinc wire is introduced, so as to double and form a loop at the bent extremity, the ends of the wire coming forth at the other. One of the ends of the wire is twisted into the groove, so as to render it fast; and that being done, the instrument is prepared for use.

When required, it is introduced with the loop of wire upon the point of the finger, and the paw it is desired to fix being felt, the finger is withdrawn, and the instrument moved forward. The free end of the wire is then pulled to render the hold secure; when it is twisted round the projecting bar and made secure. By employing a pliable wire, we gain those advantages which arise from its not becoming flabby and adherent when the part is moist; but it retains its form, and is therefore more readily directed. The tube a.s.sists us in guiding the loop, which, being once fixed, can be made secure, so that traction does not afterwards further tighten it. The danger, however, is not entirely removed; for, if undue force be used, the wire may do injury as well as the worsted; and for that reason I seldom resort to it, unless a.s.sured the pup is dead, when the pains are generally slight, and additional force is often necessitated.

When the pup dies before birth, the membranes in which it is enveloped generally rupture; and by introducing the finger, the foetus is to be felt without these interposing. The mere rupture of the membranes, and the emission of the meconium--a dark, greenish, semi-fluid substance--will not alone convince us of the fact; but, if the labor has been prolonged, if the throes are almost lost, and if no motion can be detected in the pup, we may conclude the life has departed.

Dead pups are more difficult to deliver, and stimulants are generally needed to promote their expulsion; but manual help is to be given with caution. Youatt speaks of working hard, till his nail was soft and his finger sore, for two hours at a time; and that author tells us the pa.s.sage was, by his industry and frequent examinations, so much swollen, that only with considerable difficulty could the finger be pa.s.sed.

The humanity which shines in every wish that writer ever penned, and the purpose of all his teaching, a.s.sures us he thought such a proceeding was not only imperative but praiseworthy. He was, however, a good man actuated by an imperfect knowledge. Let no one follow his example; but be pa.s.sive till the time for action is ascertained--and it is of no use to grope for it. Frequent examinations are injurious; the more seldom they are made the better; for, if undertaken only when the judgment sees a chance of hope, no harm will be occasioned. Under every delay, therefore, have patience; for often the pup which originally would resist every attempt to bring it forth, will, after it has been dead a few hours, be delivered with a facility we could not antic.i.p.ate. If the parts are not irritated and rendered dry, there is little to be apprehended; but if this be done, inflammation of the uterus is apt to be induced, and should that occur, it is of little consequence to the life of the b.i.t.c.h whether the pup be delivered or not delivered.

From the pup, whether it be dead or alive, we are not to look for those signs which denote there is a pressing necessity to accomplish the delivery without delay. I have known a foetus, after being ascertained to be dead, to be retained four days, and the b.i.t.c.h to survive. Instances of the dead pup remaining in the womb a day or two are very common; and, if we had no other proofs, these would be sufficient to convince us there need be no immediate hurry. When, however, the b.i.t.c.h becomes restless, gets in and out of her bed, pants, staggers, refuses food, drinks largely, and is shortly afterwards sick; when the tongue becomes dry, and the pulse grows quick and thin, or unnaturally hard and strong, there is danger, and at every hazard delivery must be accomplished. There will, however, then only be a distant chance of success; and where these indications have been remarked, the life of the mother has generally been lost. If a portion of the litter has been born, and, on the appearance of the symptoms just described, the pups refuse to suck, and when placed to the teats turn from them, the termination will be fatal. The milk seems to have lost its inviting properties, and to be rendered disgusting by the approach of death; and the sign is as conclusive as the departure of vermin from the carcase of an animal.

Forcible delivery is to be accomplished by every means in our power; for it is undertaken only when hope by ordinary process is despaired of.

Forceps of any kind, however, are to be employed with extreme care. These instruments are always dangerous in the b.i.t.c.h; as we cannot see, and can but imperfectly feel, so there is little guide to their proper use. The crochet, a blunt hook--and for the dog it can hardly be too blunt--is to be preferred. As I have before submitted to the public my opinion of this instrument, I here extract from a paper which appeared in _The Veterinarian_ for February, 1847:--

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE CROCHET.]

"I was obliged to meet my pupils in the evening, and was not sorry to leave a case which had now, in my mind, become hopeless; but as I walked, I could not forbear thinking of that which had occupied most of my attention during the day.

The different instruments employed to facilitate the labors of different animals pa.s.sed in review before me; but some were not applicable to the dog, and others could not be manufactured with sufficient speed to benefit my present patient. The crochet, used with such power by the human pract.i.tioner, seemed the one most likely to avail; indeed, it had often before occurred to me, that an adaptation of this instrument would, in our hands, be of infinite service; and, after I had dismissed my cla.s.s, I hurried to procure what I had conceived would be useful. Mr. Perry, to whom I applied, had a human crotchet in his shop, and this he consented to alter according to my directions. I stayed till the alterations were completed, and by eleven at night reached home, to put the adaptation of the crotchet to the test. It answered beyond my utmost expectation, and I was enabled to bring away the whole of the contents of the womb with comparative ease. Four pups were extracted; and while I compared them with the little animal from which they had been removed, it required the evidence of my senses to convince me that the disproportioned ma.s.s had been forced through the narrow pa.s.sage of the Italian greyhound's v.a.g.i.n.a. The pups were all dead. Each bore the well-marked character of the Russian, and by their size indicated their sire: nor was that size decreased by their having been retained a week beyond their usual period.

"So far my labor was accomplished; but the appearance of the b.i.t.c.h indicated that all had been done to little purpose.

The pulse began to decrease in number, and, nevertheless, continued hard and jerking--the eyes became fixed--the jaw closed--the head pendulous--and all the symptoms of approaching death were exhibited. I tried to support the system; but the poor animal died in spite of every attention, and the examination after death showed the womb to be intensely inflamed.

"It was with some anxiety that I looked for injuries and abrasions, scarcely deeming it possible the violence I had necessarily employed had not lacerated the delicate structure with which the instrument had been in contact. Not a mark which I could attribute to the crotchet was to be discovered. I have seen fearful wounds made by the forceps used to deliver the b.i.t.c.h; but here, in the most desperate case of the kind which I had ever undertaken, was not a scratch or a bruise to be detected.

"I have since confirmed the indications of utility which were given by the crotchet on the first occasion of its employment; and had I not received such proofs in its favor as appeared to be conclusive, I should, perhaps, on the results of a few cases only, have hesitated to introduce it to general notice. Besides the instances before alluded to, I have employed the instrument on four occasions--three times in my own practice, and once at the request of a pract.i.tioner, whose name it is desired I should conceal. Two of the cases were successful, so far as the b.i.t.c.hes were concerned; one, which was evidently sinking when brought to me, was delivered of a pup in a decomposed state, and died five hours afterwards, the post-mortem displaying acute peritonitis; the other, which I attended to yesterday, was alive when I last saw it; but I am of opinion its hours are numbered. The pulse is hard, but not quick--the animal restless--and the eye dull: worse symptoms can hardly be present. The poor beast had been left too long una.s.sisted for help of any kind to be of much avail.

"Of the pups brought forth by the aid of the crotchet, the majority were dead; indeed, though safe to the mother, the instrument is apt to be fatal to the offspring. The numbers stand thus:--Dead when extracted, 7; mutilated when brought forth, and immediately destroyed, 1; alive, 1. Thus the proportions are as 8 to 1 against the probability of saving the pups; but it must be remembered that the calculation is made from the cases of which the majority were, by previous delay, rendered hopeless, and under fairer circ.u.mstances the result might have been different.

"I will now proceed to describe the crotchet, and explain the manner in which I have employed that instrument. It has been long known to the human accoucheur, but by him is not employed save under certain conditions. A piece of stout steel wire const.i.tutes its substance. The wire, about twelve inches long, is flattened at one extremity, and both ends crooked and made perfectly smooth or blunt, the flattened hook being the larger of the two. For the dog, the instrument must, of course, be proportioned to the pa.s.sage into which it is to be introduced; and as the pup, in consequence of the weakness of the abdominal parietes in the b.i.t.c.h, often is felt lying below the level of the symphysis, a dip or lateral bend is given to the hooks.

"So simple is the crotchet, which ought to be highly polished, in order to secure its being perfectly smooth. It is first warmed and greased, then introduced with the index finger of one hand, while the other guides the instrument into the womb. The foetus is to be first felt, and this is the more readily done if an a.s.sistant supports and compresses the abdomen. When the finger has ascertained that the pup is favorably placed, the hook (and I generally use the flattened extremity of the instrument) is to be pushed forward and then retracted, until the operator is aware that a firm hold has been obtained. The purchase being secure, the finger is to be employed to keep the foetus from escaping, by pushing it against or towards the point of the crotchet, and holding it there. Traction is now made steadily and in the proper direction; and the a.s.sistant at the same time, by manipulating the belly, facilitates the delivery of the b.i.t.c.h, which should be in a standing position--not upon its back.

"The directions are not very complex, but they must not on that account be disregarded. By introducing the finger, and taking care that its extremity corresponds with the point of the instrument, a great object is gained by securing the pup more firmly: yet there are other advantages also obtained by this mode of operating. The head of the foetus is generally too large for the v.a.g.i.n.a, and hence the difficulty of its expulsion; but by the employment of an instrument which is simultaneously to pa.s.s, we appear to be increasing the obstruction: however, by compressing the head with the end of the finger, it is in some degree forced to conform to the diameter of the pa.s.sage, which the gelatinous development of the pup at the time of birth readily enables it to do.

Moreover, the hazard of injury being done, if the instrument should lose its hold, is guarded against; for should the hook slip, the point would be received upon the end of the finger before it could catch the soft parts. However, the operator will feel the hold giving way long before it is entirely lost, and will be enabled to rectify the occurrence in the majority of cases before there is a chance of accident. The finger, therefore, becomes a sensible guide to the operator, and by its employment the traction is rendered more firm and steady. But above all, care should be taken to have the instrument perfectly blunt, and the beaks of the hooks not too long. A sharp point might, at the first glance, seem more likely to answer the purpose in view; but its employment would be attended with danger, and on being tested, it would be found more apt to tear away. In fact, the sharper the point, the less firm would be the hold, since the substance to be secured is somewhat of a pulpy nature; whereas, by using as broad and flat a point as possible, the force is exerted on a larger surface, and the grasp is proportionably the more likely to be retained; the object being not to rend the foetus, or tear it away, but to gently pull it through the v.a.g.i.n.a, using only so much violence as the judgment a.s.sures us is imperative for the accomplishment of the purpose."

On reflection, I am inclined to think the measures adopted in the case narrated above were somewhat more precipitate than they ought to have been. Now, I should have taken more time; and the success does not a.s.sure me that the haste exhibited was fully warranted.

It is not always easy to ascertain when the whole of the pups have been removed. The last in the womb, always occupying the extremity of one of the horns of the uterus, may by an inexperienced pract.i.tioner be overlooked. Most persons seek to learn whether the labor has been perfected, by inserting the finger up the v.a.g.i.n.a; and they who base their opinions upon an "_examination_" of that description will often be deceived. External manipulation will best lead us to the knowledge we desire to gain; and when the hand is properly directed, an approach to certainty can be obtained. The pup to be felt through the walls of the abdomen is an uneven body; the inequalities caused by the limbs being detected. After parturition there is generally one thing that may be mistaken, which is the contraction of the body of the uterus. The first pup born occupied that situation, and on its expulsion the part of the womb it filled narrows, becoming thick and somewhat hard. Under the fingers, it conveys the idea of a solid substance, and it may be imagined to be another foetus. It is too frequently seized when the forceps are ignorantly and violently employed. The womb has been repeatedly forcibly dragged forth, and its integrity destroyed. A mistake of this kind is fatal. The rupture of the uterus is followed by sickness and a cessation of the throes; while the hemorrhage from the laceration induces inflammation that destroys the life; therefore, when forcible means are determined upon, extreme care is required, and forceps, as a general rule, had better be dispensed with. As regards other means--such as the tube and wire, the crotchet, the supports to the abdomen, and the employment of stimulants--these must be regulated by the circ.u.mstances of the case.

The appearance of the b.i.t.c.h will generally denote when the births are completed. She, after the last of the litter has been born, seems to be much rejoiced, and by her manner indicates she has no more business at present to transact. She curls herself round, draws her puppies close to her, makes the bed comfortable, sees that all her family are in order, and then composes herself for a comfortable sleep. The meaning of her actions is at this time so conspicuous, that I have repeatedly lingered to watch them; and he who has never witnessed her conduct on such occasions, might be entertained by observing it.

The animal subsequently requires little attention, beyond a change of bed and a fair supply of nutritive food. She does best when least noticed; but it is well to see that she takes a sufficiency of exercise. On the following day she should be taken out; and on every day after that she ought to be about pretty much as before. Some b.i.t.c.hes, however, are such devoted mothers as to sacrifice health, and occasionally life itself, to enjoy the pleasure of being with their young ones. This excess of affection must be controlled; for if not checked it will seriously injure both parent and offspring. All animals, however, are not thus distinguished. Some b.i.t.c.hes cannot be induced to suckle the pups they have given birth to; and others, though less frequent, will eat their progeny.

The disposition to desert or destroy their young seems to prevail among the parentage of this world. In the female of the dog the maternal instinct is most powerful; but under certain conditions of the animal's body, the natural impulse seems to be perverted, and she takes the life she would else have perished to preserve.

It is painful, knowing this, to reflect that on his own species man inflicts the highest punishment, for an act that possibly may be, in the human being as in brutes, the consequence of a mental excitement accompanying the period of parturition. Women, when not in distress and otherwise afflicted, rarely indeed are guilty of infanticide; and I have observed annoyance or ill health proceed or accompany the like act in animals. If the rabbit be looked at, her alarm seems to change her nature; and the b.i.t.c.h that devours her pups will, upon inquiry, be generally found to have suffered some species of persecution. That the brain is affected there can be no doubt. The unnatural propensity is of itself a proof; but the strange appearance, and the altered looks of the creature, sufficiently denote her state. She is not then savage; her ferocity has been gratified; and she seems rather to be afflicted with a remembrance of the act she was unable to resist. She is the picture of shame; she slinks away at our approach, and her eye no longer confidently seeks that of her master; her aspect is dejected, but I think more with sorrow than with crime.

I would not plead for sin; but what I have beheld in dogs inclines me to think the majority of those who have been hung for infanticide were legally murdered. There is danger in admitting such an opinion; but seeing all animals at certain periods exhibit a particular propensity, it is very doubtful whether the morbid feeling, as exemplified in the human race, is really one that calls for mortal punishment.

When a b.i.t.c.h has devoured her young, let an emetic be administered; and should the bowels be costive, an aperient be exhibited. A little fever medicine may follow; but if its effects are not immediately witnessed, tonics, without loss of time, should be resorted to. The food must be mild; and everything should be done to guard against excitement. The system requires to be soothed; for the act is always attended with general disturbance; and attention must be paid to prevent the milk from acc.u.mulating in the glands.

Some persons entertain a notion that the b.i.t.c.h which has once devoured her litter, will ever after retain the disposition. This is a false idea. On the next occasion, if properly treated--that is, if not persecuted, chastised, alarmed, and annoyed, but properly dieted--she may prove, and most likely will prove, an excellent mother; the very excitability which, when over-stimulated, induced her unnatural impulse, making her, when tranquil, the more alive to the instincts of her nature. I once saw this in a very remarkable manner ill.u.s.trated by a rabbit. The doe was sold to me very cheap, and was in litter at the time of purchase. A week after she came into my possession, she plucked her fur and made her bed. One morning I distinctly saw a nest full of young; but looking again at noon, not a single one of the progeny was to be beheld. Some little blood and a mangled leg told their history; and the animal a fortnight afterwards was again put to the buck.

I by chance discovered, while the doe was breeding, that she had an inordinate thirst. At first it amused me to see the creature lap the water I presented to her; but at last I placed within her hutch a cup, and had it kept constantly filled. Her desire for liquid was not speedily quenched; and it became to me a source of some pain when I reflected how much agony the craving must have caused prior to my being conscious of its existence. The next litter was not eaten by the mother. She brought them up, and they likewise did well, drinking as much as they pleased. The disposition of the doe appeared to undergo a change. From having been savage, that is, from always endeavoring to bite and scratch the hand that cleaned her residence, or even supplied her table, she became gentle and familiar, allowing her person to be caressed, and letting her progeny be looked at. She was at last as good as she was beautiful; and I parted with her for a sum exactly four times that which she had cost me.

After a b.i.t.c.h has pupped, there always is from the v.a.g.i.n.a a discharge, which rarely ceases before a week expires, and sometimes flows forth for a longer period. Some gentlemen of the "fancy," as the dog breeders term themselves, boast they know how to check it; and to what extent their knowledge may reach I cannot pretend to say. I have been requested to perform such an office, but hitherto I have not attempted to fulfil it; and I should be very sorry to do so, even if I were certain there existed the means to arrest the exudation. It is natural; if the animal be left alone, she will be sure to perform the offices of cleanliness, and to do everything her state requires.

For the first week the b.i.t.c.h is very attentive to her family; and as it gives her pain when one is taken up, it is better not to handle the pups more than is absolutely necessary. She should be well fed; not crammed, but nourished; and she will require more food than formerly, for there are many mouths to feed through hers. The quant.i.ty of support she needs may be conjectured from the rapid growth of the pups.

A small b.i.t.c.h of my own had a litter of four. The mother weighed seven pounds six ounces; and between the second and fourth weeks the young ones daily added one ounce and a half each to their bulk. It would require some amount of milk to supply such a quant.i.ty of flesh; and we have also to remember that, during the rapid growth, the process of consolidation is simultaneously going forward. Good nourishing food, sufficient in bulk, is absolutely imperative; for if the pups be stinted, the dogs will a.s.suredly be weak.

A strong b.i.t.c.h may be able to bring up as many young as she can produce at a litter; but the animals of the smaller or more choice breeds are seldom possessed of such capabilities. The very diminutive will not generally rear two pups without suffering; and four are a very heavy drag upon the majority of the animals kept as pets, even though they be in no way remarkable on account of size. Three, perhaps, is the average number the larger favorites can nurture.

When, through a desire to get as many specimens of a particular breed as possible, a delicate b.i.t.c.h is allowed to suckle all the members of a heavy litter, fits are the too probable consequence. The animal becomes so much weakened by the continual drain upon her, that the whole system is debilitated, and the brain shares the general disorder. Previous to this being perceptible, the animal may be observed to pant violently when her young are sucking; and instead of cuddling to them in a manner expressive of her delight, she stretches herself out, and frequently exhibits uneasiness by shifting her position. At length she breaks away from her offspring, which appear to be dissatisfied with her departure. She does not continue quiet after her escape, but seeks ease in vain, has a vacant expression of countenance. Affection, however, impels her to return; and the same scene is exhibited, the pups seizing upon her, and having no regard for her exhaustion. The little things are hungry, for the source of their nourishment is failing; and thus the demand is the greater, just as the supply becomes the less.