MB. G. BEEWIS'S ENGLISH SETTER " DASH II.
THE
T* YV CZ\ 4 Y* Y
nf tte Intel
A SERIES OF ARTICLES
THE POINTS OF THEIR VARIOUS BREEDS,
THE TREATMENT OF THE DISEASES TO WHICH THEY ARE SUBJECT.
BY J. H. WALSH
("STONEHENGE"), Editor of "The inield"
(WITH THE AID OF SEVERAL EXPERIENCED BREEDERS).
IF1 o TJ :B T n
LONDON:
HORACE COX,
"THE FIELD" OFFICE, 346, STRAND, W.C.
1882.
LONDON : PRINTED BY HORACE COX, 346, STRAND, W.C.
PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION.
INGE the third edition of this book was published so short a time has elapsed that very little change in, or addition to, the
'£>
" Dogs of the British Islands " is to be noticed. In the sporting division a warm controversy has for some time been going on with regard to the breeding of the Laverack setter, one party alleging that all of this breed are descended from one pair mentioned by Mr. Laverack as the sole progenitors of his strain, while the other maintain (1st) that Mr. Laverack himself admitted, both orally and in writing, that he had used importations from other kennels ; and (2nd) that it is incredible that the average age (9) necessary to show the truth of the Adam and Eve theory is within the bounds of possibility. My own opinion is that the second of these objections is enough to dispose of this theory to the satisfaction of any person of average powers, but that the first is not by any means proved. In any case the question is of no importance, for the breed is now to be regarded from actual results, and not from theoretical grounds which ought entirely to give way before our experience of its merits or demerits, whichever may be in excess. Now, on the show bench, the Laveracks (so called) have held their own both in this country and abroad, but in the field they have stood no chance against the crosses with other strains, and especially with those used by Mr. Purcell Llewellin, whose breed, now called " Llewellin's," should therefore be preferred. With this exception there has been little or no novelty in any class of sporting dogs described by me in the previous editions, but I have added an article on the French Basset, now extensively bred in this country, written by Mr. Krehl, which will be read with especial interest by the admirers of that dog, and also by hound men in general.
29858ti
PEEFACE.
In the second division I have added articles on the Scotch and Airedale terriers, and have also substituted for Mr. Kidgway's original article on the Irish terrier another written by the President of the Club instituted for the improvement of that breed, embodying their most recent views, and for which, as well as for the article on the Basset, I have to thank that gentleman most sincerely.
I trust that with these alterations and additions the fourth edition of " Dogs of the British Islands " will be considered worthy of continued support.
" STONEHENGE."
PUTNEY, July 12, 1882.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PART I.
BOOK I. MANAGEMENT OF DOGS IN HEALTH.
CHAPTER I. PA&B
Kennel Management of Large Dogs ... ... ... ... ... ... 3
CHAPTER II. House Management of Pet Dogs ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4
BOOK II.
DRUGS COMMONLY USED FOR THE DISEASES OF DOGS, AND THEIR MODES OF ADMINISTRATION.
CHAPTER I.
The Action of Medicines, and the Forms in which they are generally
Prescribed ... " 8
CHAPTER II. Administration of Remedies... 14
BOOK III. THE ORDINARY DISEASES OF THE DOG AND THEIR TREATMENT.
CHAPTER I. Fevers 16
CHAPTER II. Inflammations, &c 24
BOOK IV. JUDGING AT DOG SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS.
CHAPTER I. Judging at Shows ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 49
iv CONTENTS.
CHAPTER II. PAGE
On Judging at Field Trials 58
PART II.
S IF O IR, T I 1ST O- IDOO-S
BOOK I. DOGS USED WITH THE GUN.
CHAPTER I. — SETTERS.
General Remarks ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 65
The English Setter 69
The Black -tan Setter (sometimes called Gordon) ... ... ... ... ... 78
The Irish Setter 81
CHAPTER II. — THE POINTER.
The Modern Pointer 86
The Dropper 92
CHAPTER III. — SPANIELS.
The Modern Field Spaniel 93
The Modern Cocker ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 94
The Sussex Spaniel ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 96
The Clumber Spaniel 99
The Irish Water Spaniel ... 101
The English Water Spaniel ... ... 103
CHAPTER IV. — RETRIEVERS.
The Retriever Proper ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 104
The Wavy-coated Retriever 106
The Black Curly-coated Retriever ... 109
Retrievers other than Black ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 110
Wildfowl Retrievers ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Ill
The Deerhound 111
BOOK II. HOUNDS AND THEIR ALLIES.
CHAPTER I. The Greyhound ... 115
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER II. — MODERN HOUNDS HUNTING BY NOSE.
PAGE
General Remarks 121
The Bloodhound ... ... ... : 122
The Foxhound ... 127
The Harrier ... ... ... 130
The Beagle ... ... ... ... ... 131
The Otter Hound ... 132
CHAPTER III. — THE Fox TERRIER — THE DACHSHUND — THE BASSET.
The Smooth Fox Terrier 134
The Eough Fox Terrier ... ... ... 140
The Dachshund, or German Badger Dog ... ... ... ... ... ... 142
The Basset Hound 157
PART III.
}- 3DOG-S.
BOOK I. WATCH-DOGS.
CHAPTER I. — THE BULLDOG AND MASTIFF.
The Bulldog \.. 163
The English Mastiff 170
CHAPTER II. — THE NEWFOUNDLAND, LABRADOR, ST. BERNARD, AND
DALMATIAN DOGS.
The Newfoundland Dog ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 179
The Labrador or lesser Newfoundland Dog 183
The St. Bernard Dog ... 183
The Dalmatian Dog .. ... 188
BOOK II. SHEEP AND CATTLE DOGS.
CHAPTER I. — THE COLLEY AND OTHER SHEEPDOGS.
TheColleyDog 191
The Bob-tailed Sheepdog ... 198
CHAPTER II. The Pomeranian or Spitz Dog ; also called Loup-loup 198
CONTENTS.
BOOK III. TERRIERS (OTHER THAN FOX AND TOY).
CHAPTER I. PAGE
Nondescript Terriers... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 201
CHAPTER II. — SPECIAL BREEDS OF ROUGH TERRIERS.
The Skye Terrier 203
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier 206
The Bedlington Terrier 214
The Yorkshire Terrier 217
The Irish Terrier * 219
CHAPTER III. — SMOOTH TERRIERS (OTHER THAN TOYS).
The Black and Tan Terrier (sometimes called the Manchester Terrier) . . . 224
The White English Terrier 228
The Bull Terrier 228
The Scotch Terrier ... ... ... 232
The Airedale Terrier... ... 235
BOOK IV.
TOY DOGS.
CHAPTER I. — ROUGH-COATED TOY DOGS.
The King Charles and Blenheim Spaniels... ... ... ... ... ... 238
The Maltese Dog 241
CHAPTER II. — SMOOTH TOY DOGS.
The Pug ... 243
The Italian Greyhound 247
The Smooth Toy Terrier , 250
APPENDIX.
POODLES, FRENCH AND RUSSIAN-THE TRUFFLE DOG-THE CHINESE CRESTED DOG-THE GREAT DANE.
The Poodle 254
The Truffle Dog 260
The Chinese Crested Dog 263
The Great Dane 264
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
TO FACE PAGE
Mr. G. Brewis's English Setter " Dash II." frontispiece
Mr. Purcell Llewellin's English Setter " Countess " 69
Mr. Coath's Black and Tan Setter " Lang " 78
Mr. Macdona's Irish Setter " Eover " 81
Mr. E. J. Lloyd Pi-ice's Pointers " Drake " and " Belle " 86
Mr. Smith's Pointer " Major " 88
Mr. W. Gillett's "Brush" and "Nellie," and Mr. W. Langdale's " Ladybird"
(Cockers) 93
Mr. Soames's Sussex Spaniel " George " — Bred by Mr. Fuller 96
Mr. Price's Clumber Spaniel " Bruce " 99
Mr. Lindoe's Irish Water Spaniels " Eake " and " Blarney "... ... 101
Mr. G. Brewis's Wavy-coated Eetrievers " Paris " and " Melody " 105
Curly-coated Eetrievers. — Mr. Thorpe Bartram's " Nell " and Mr. Morris's
"True" 109
Mr. Field's Deerhound " Bran" Ill
Greyhounds.— Mr. W. Long's " David " and Mr. C. Eandall's " Eiot " ... 115
Mr. Eay's Bloodhounds " St. Hubert " and " Baroness " 122
Lord Poltimore's Foxhound " Lexicon " 127
The North Warwickshire Foxhound " Eosy " 128
Mr. Evans's Harrier " Clamorous " 130
Mr. Crane's Beagles " Giant " and " Einglet " 131
Mr. Carrick's Otter Hound " Stanley " 132
Mr. Murchison's Fox Terrier " Olive," and Mr. Burbidge's Fox Terrier
"Bitters" 134
Eough Fox Terriers. — Mr. G. F. Eichardson's " Bramble " and Mr. Lindsay
Hogg's "Topper" 140
Mr. Barclay Hanbury's Dachshunds " Fritz " and " Dina " 142
Basset Hounds 157
Mr. Vero Shaw's Bull-Dogs "Smasher" and "Sugar" 163
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
TO FACE PAGE
Mr. Lukey's Mastiff " Governor " ...... ... ... 1 70
Mr. Mapplebeck's Newfoundland Dog "Leo" ... ... 179
The Rev. J. C. Macdona's St. Bernard "Tell" ... ... 183
The Rev. J. C. Macdona's Smooth St. Bernard "Monarque" ... ... ... 185
Mr. Tawdry's Dalmatian Dog " Captain " ......... ... 189
Colleys. — Mr. M. Skinner's " Vero," and Mr. H. Mapplebeck's " Fan" ... 191
Mrs. M. E. Prosser's Pomeranian Dog "Joe" ... ... ... ... ... 198
Nondescript Terriers. — Mr. Spink's " Bounce," Mr. Pearce's " Venture," Mr.
Radclyffe's " Rough," Mr. Fitter's " Dandy " ... ...... 201
Mr. Martin's Prick-eared Skye Terrier, and Mr. Russell England's Drop-eared
Skye Terrier " Laddie " ......... ... 202
Mr. J. Locke's Dandie Dinmonts " Doctor " and " Tib Mumps " ...... 207
Bedlington Terriers. — Mr. F. Armstrong's "Rosebud" and Mr. A. Armstrong's
"Nailor" ..................... ...... 214
Yorkshire Terriers. — Mrs. Foster's " Huddersfield. Ben" and Lady Giffard's
"Katie"... ... ...... 217
Mr. G. Jamison's Irish Terrier " Spuds " ......... ...... ... 219
Mr. H. Lacy's Black-tan Terrier " Belcher " ... ... 224
Mr. Vero Shaw's White English Terriers " Sylvio " and " Sylph " ... 228
Mr. Vero Shaw's Bull Terriers " Tarquin " and " Napper " ... 231
Scotch Terriers. — Miss Mary Laing's " Foxie " and Mr J. A. Adamson's
"Roger Rough" ... ......... 232
Mr. L. P. C. Astley's Airedale Terrier Bitch " Fracture " ... 235
Toy Spaniels. — Mr. J. W. Berrie's Modern Blenheim " The Earl," Mr. Julius's
Old Blenheim " Spot," Mr. Forder's King Charles " Young Jumbo " ... 238
Mr. R. Mandeville's Maltese Dog " Fido " ............ ... 241
The late Mr. H. Gilbert's Pug Dog "Prince"; "Mops" and "Nell," the
Parent Stock of the Willoughby Pugs ............... 243
Italian Greyhounds. — Mr. Pirn's " Bismark " and Mr. J. Day's " Crucifix " ... 247 Mr. Howard Mapplebeck's Toy Terrier " Belle," contrasted with his Man-
chester Terrier " Queen II." ...... ...... ... 250
Poodles and Whippet. — Group of Mr. Walton's Performing Dogs ... ... 253
Mrs, Malcolm's Truffle Dog " Judy " . . 260
The Chinese Crested Dog ... ... 263
INDEX TO PART I.
A.
Acute bronchitis page
Acute pleurisy
Acute pneumonia
Alteratives
Amaurosis, treatment of
Anasarca, or general dropsy
Anasarca, treatment of
Anodynes
Anti-spasmodics
Aperients
Ascaris lumbricoides
Asthma, spasmodic, in pet dogs
Asthma, spasmodic, symptoms of
Asthma, spasmodic, treatment of
Astringents
B.
Bala, scale of points used at
Bedford, scale of points used at
Belly distemper, causes of
Belly distemper, treatment of
Bishop's mange lotion
Bitch devouring her young
Bitch foster mother, treatment of . .
Bites in dogs , treatment of
Bladder, inflammation of the
Bleeding from the lungs, styptic for
Blisters
Bloody urine, styptic for
Blotch, treatment of
Bolus, how to administer
Bones necessary for dogs
Brailsford's, Mr., scale of points
Bronchitis, symptoms of acute
Bronchitis, symptoms of chronic
32
31
32
8
27
39
40
9
9
9
40 33 33 34 10
59 59 18 21 14 44 44 44 37 13 10 13 30 14 5
59 32 32
Bronchitis, treatment of page 33
Butler and M'Cullooa's insect destroyer 6
C.
Calvert's carbolic acid wash 4
Cancer, treatment of 43
Canker of the ear, treatment of 28
Cataract 27
Caustics '..... 11
Chest distemper, nature of 18
Chest distemper, treatment of 21
Chest founder 23
Chorea, a sequel of distemper 19
Chorea, treatment of 22, 38
Chronic bronchitis 32
Chronic pleurisy 31
Chronic pneumonia 32
Colic, symptoms and treatment of 36
Consumption 34
Cordials 11
Costiveness 37
Cough mixtures for the dog 12
Cuts, treatment of 44
D.
Deafness, causes of 27
Diabetes, bolus for 10
Diarrhoea, treatment of 36
Digestive ointment 13
Dislocations, treatment of 46
Distemper, chest, nature of 18
Distemper, chest, treatment of 21
Distemper, definition of 17
Distemper, general treatment of 20
Distemper, how to distinguish 19
Distemper, observations on treatment of ... 20
Distemper of the belly, causes of 18
INDEX.
Distemper of the belly, treatment of ...page !
Distemper, sequels of
Distemper tonic **
Diuretics
Dog biscuits
Dog, operations on the 48
Dog shows, judging at 49
Door, best kind of , for kennels 3
Drenching, method of
Dropsy, general symptoms of 39
Dropsy, general treatment of 40
Dropsy of the eye 27
Dysentery, treatment of 37
E.
Ear, inflammation of the 27
Embrocations 12
Emetics •*•• 12
Encysted tumours, treatment of 43
Enlarged growths, sweating application for.. 10
Enlarged joints 42
Enteritis, symptoms and treatment of 35
Ephemeral fever 16
Epidemic fever 16
Epilepsy, symptoms of 38
. Epilepsy, treatment of 39
Eruption between the toes 30
Expectorants 12
Eye, inflammation of the 26
Eyewashes 10
F.
Febrifuges 13
Fever, ephemeral
Fever, epidemic ,
Fever mixture 13
Fever pill 18
Fevers
Field trials, on judging at 58
Firing, use of
Fits, treatment of 31
Fleas in large dogs, to destroy
Fleas in pet dogs, to destroy 6
Fox terrier judging at Lillie Bridge 52
Fractures, treatment of 46
Fungus Hcematodes, treatment of 45
G.
Gastritis, treatment of 3
H.
Head, distemper, symptoms of page
lead distemper, treatment of 20
Heart, inflammation of the 34
Hepatitis, cause of 34
Sepatitis, chronic
Hepatitis, treatment of
Hinder extremities, paralysis of 23
Horseheath and Shrewsbury, methods of
judging at, compared 60
House management of pet dogs 4
Hydrophobia, see " Rabies "
" Idstone's" scale of points 59
Inflammation of the bladder 37
Inflammation of the heart 34
Inflammation of the intestines 35
Inflammation of the kidney 37
Inflammation of the liver 34
Inflammation of the mouth 28
Inflammation of the nose 28
Inflammation of the organs of nutrition 34
Inflammation of the skin 29
Inflammation of the stomach 34
Inflammation of the urethra 37
Inflammations 24
Influenza 16
Intestines, inflammation of 35
J.
Joints, enlarged, cause of ... 42
Judging at dog shows 49
Judging at field trials 58
Judging at shows, inconsistency of the old
method 49
Judging by points, advantages of 53
Judging, public, preferable to private 50
Judging, single, best 50
K.
Keating' s insect destroying powder 6
Kennel Club code of points 60
Kennel lameness 23
Kennel management of large dogs 3
Kidney, inflammation of the 37
INDEX.
XI
Large dogs, kennel management of page 3
Laryngitis, chronic 30
Larynx, acute inflammation of the 30
Lice in pet dogs, to destroy 6
Limbs, fractures of, treatment of 46
Liniments 12
Liver, inflammation of the 34
Lotions 14
Lowe's, Mr., code of points 60
M.
Malignant distemper, description of 18
Malignant distemper, treatment of 21
Management of pet dogs in the house 4
Mange, description of 29
Mange ointment 13
Mange, red 30
Mange, virulent 29
Mange wash 14
Mange, with thickening of skin 29
Maw worm, description of 40
Mild distemper, symptoms of 17
Mouth, inflammation of the 28
N. Nose, inflammation of the 28
O.
Ointments 13
Operations on the dog 48
Ophthalmia, treatment of 27
Organs of nutrition, inflammation of 34
Ozena (inflammation of the nose) 28
P.
Palsy, treatment of 22
Paralysis of the hinder extremities 23
Parturition, diseases of 43
Parturition, healthy 43
Parturition, process of 43
Parturition, treatment after 44
Penis, wash for 10
Peritonitis, symptoms and treatment of 35
Pet dogs, house management of 4
Pet dogs, medicines for 5, 6
Pet dogs, washing 6
Phthisis, symptoms of page 34
Piles, ointment for 10
Pill, how to administer 14
Pleurisy, acute 31
Pleurisy, chronic 31
Pneumonia distinguished from pleurisy 31
Pneumonia, acute 32
Pneumonia, chronic 32
Pointers, food for 4
Pointer, suggested method of judging 54
Points, advantages of judging by 53
Points, Kennel Club code of 60
Points, Mr. Brailsf ord' s scale of 59
Points, Mr. Lowe's code of 60
Points, scale of, used at Bedford and Bala... 59
Points, table of 57
Public judging preferable to private 50
Puppies, food for 5
Purges, action of 9
Purges, prescriptions for 9
B.
Eabies incurable 24
Babies, preventive measures regarding 25
Rabies, symptoms of 25
Red mange, description of 30
Remedies, administration of 14
Respiration, inflammation of the organs of 30
Rheumatic fever, symptoms of 22
Rheumatic fever, treatment of 22
Rheumatism, chronic 23
Ribs, fractures of, treatment of 46
Rickets, cause of 42
Rickets, treatment of 42
Round worm, description of 40
Round worm, remedies for 41
"Rule of thumb " judging not trustworthy 51
S.
Setters, food for 4
Shaking palsy 20
Shaking palsy incurable 38
Shrewsbury and Horseheath methods of
judging compared c*. 60
Shows, judging at 49
Skin, inflammation of the 28
Spasmodic asthma, symptoms of 33
Spasmodic asthma, treatment of 34
Spasms, prescriptions for 9
Sporting dogs to be fed once a day 3
Spratt's biscuits 4
Xll
INDEX.
Stomachic draught page 13
Stomachic pill 13
Stomachics 13
Stomach, inflammation of the 34
StypticB 13
Surfeit, treatment of 30
T.
Table of points 57
Tsenialata 41
Tffinia solium 41
Tape worm, remedies for 41
Tears, treatment of 44
Tetanus 26
Thickening of skin, with mange 29
Ticks in large dogs, to destroy 4
Ticks in pet dogs, to destroy 6
Toes, "letting down" of 47
Tonic for distemper 14
Tonic mixtures 14
Tonic pills 14
Tonioa, list of 13
" Trembles," the 19
Tumours, encysted, treatment of 43
Turnside 26
"Twitch,"the 19
U.
Urethra, inflammation of th« page 37
V.
Vaynol, scale at points used at 59
Vegetables necessary for large dogs 4
Virulent mange 29
W.
Warts in the month 28
Washes, astringent 10
Washes, list of 14
Washing pet dogs 6
White precipitate for destroying lice and
ticks 7
Worm medicines 14
Worms, general principles of treatment for 41
Worms, maw, remedies for 41
Worms, presence of, in dogs 40
Worms, round, remedies for 41
Worms, tape, remedies for 41
Worms, varieties of 40
Y.
" Yellows," the 18, 34
OF THE
BRITISH ISLANDS.
DOOR LIFTED ; ON ITS HINGES »'
8 3 SCALE OF FEET
KENNEL FOE POINTEES, SETTEES, OE SPANIELS.
PART I.
BOOK I. MANAGEMENT OF DOGS IN HEALTH.
OHAPTEE I. KENNEL MANAGEMENT OF LARGE DOGS.
HE kennel management of greyhounds, foxhounds, harriers, and other sporting dogs varies almost with each kind. Thus, greyhounds are most carefully protected from the weather by a roof to their yard as well as by body clothing, which is worn when in severe training. Next to these come hounds, and then pointers, setters, spaniels, and retrievers, all of which last are allowed a run into an open yard at discretion. In many cases this leads to colds and rheumatism, against which the best precaution is a sloping door for the opening into the sleeping chamber, hinged at the top, and made up at the sides with a /\ shaped piece of wood, but not at the bottom. This, when in its place, allows the dogs to jump up on to their beds, while it protects them from wind and rain when there, and can at any time be lifted completely up so as to allow of the kennel man entering and making all clean. The accompanying engraving shows a plan of such a door, with the dimensions suitable for the pur- pose, and from it any carpenter will easily be able to construct one. The advantage is too obvious to need dilating on it. In the summer time a wooden bench, if pro- tected in this way, and guarded from the wall by planking, needs no straw, which only harbours fleas ; but in the winter it, or deal shavings, which do not harbour fleas, must be provided, and, whichever is used, it should be changed twice a week. The floor of the yard should be of glazed tiles, cement, or asphalte, and all the woodwork should be either painted or dressed with best gas tar, the latter being the better material of the two. If the look of the tar is objected to, it may be coated with lime- wash, which, however, requires a renewal at least once a year.
Sporting dogs are all better fed only once a day, and for those whose noses are of the utmost importance, viz., pointers and setters, the food should be almost entirely of meal, either made into biscuit or well boiled and converted into pudding. In either case, a very weak broth must be made of flesh or greaves, which is then used to boil the meal in or to soak the biscuits. Spratt's and other biscuits have lately been introduced into general use, by which all this trouble is avoided — dried
4 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
flesh, imported from abroad, being mixed with the meal before it is baked. I have tried those of Spratt and Co. with great advantage on pointers and setters, when containing not more than ten per cent, of meat ; but a larger proportion I have found much too heating, causing loss of nose, and a tendency to eruption. They should be given whole and dry, not soaked, the dogs breaking them up easily with their teeth ; and they appear to agree much better in this way than when soaked. Two or three times a week, whatever may be the kind of meal or biscuit used, some green vegetables, well boiled, should be given in addition, by which means the blood is kept cool, the coat blooming, and the nose cool and moist. Messrs. Spratt and Co. add a certain quantity of dates to their biscuits for the same purposes, but they are not sufficient for any length of time to supersede the necessity for green food in the case of kennelled dogs, who cannot get at ^ grass, which instinct prompts those at liberty to bite off and swallow. The number of biscuits required for a pointer or setter daily averages from 3 to 3|, but some gross feeders are sufficiently nourished with 2|, and others demand as many as 4| or even 5.
Last year (1881) Messrs. Spratt introduced beetroot into their biscuits with excellent effect, not only on the health of the dogs fed on them, but also on the appetite for them of delicate or petted dogs. I find by experience that the most fastidious feeder will eat them dry, and strongly recommend this improvement to my readers.
For large dogs, Calvert's carbolic acid wash, diluted with thirty or forty times its bulk of water, and used as a wash, forms the best application for fleas and ticks, and it is also useful as a vermin- destroying wash for the kennel walls and fittings, followed by lime-wash when dry. If preferred, the application described for pet dogs may be employed, or a small quantity of benzine collas may be rubbed in along the back.
CHAPTER II. HOUSE MANAGEMENT OF PET DOGS.
ET DOGS require a different treatment, to understand which it will be better to begin at the beginning. We will suppose that a puppy six weeks old, and of a breed not exceeding 151b. weight, is presented to one of our readers — What is to be done ? First of all, if the weather is not decidedly warm, let it be provided with a warm basket lined with some woollen material, which must be kept scrupulously clean. The little animal must on no account be permitted to have the opportunity of lying upon a stone floor, which is a fertile source of disease ; bare wood, however, is better than caipet, and oilcloth superior to either on the score of cleanliness. In the winter season the
HOUSE MANAGEMENT OF PET DOGS.
apartment should have a fire, but it is not desirable that the puppy should lie basking close to it, though this is far better than the other extreme. Even in the severest cold a gleam of sunshine does young creatures good, and the puppy should, if possible, be allowed to obtain it through a window in the winter, or without that protection in the summer. It will take exercise enough in playing with a ball of worsted or other material indoors until it is ten weeks old, but after that time a daily run in the garden or paddock will be of great service, extending to an hour or an hour and a half, but not so as to overtax its limbs. After this age, two or three hours a day, divided into periods of not more than an hour each, will be of service ; but it is very seldom that young pet dogs can reckon on this amount of exercise, and, indeed, it is not by any means necessary to their healthy growth. Until after the tenth week, cow's milk is almost essential to the health of the puppy. It should be boiled and thickened at first with fine wheat flour, and, after the eighth week, with the mixture of coarse wheat flour and oatmeal. The flour should be gradually increased in quantity, at first making the milk of the thickness of cream, and, towards the last adding meal in quantity sufficient to make a spoon stand up in it. If the bowels are relaxed the oatmeal should be diminished, or if confined increased. This food, varied with broth made from the scraps of the table, and thickened in the same way, will suffice up to the tenth or twelfth week, after which a little meat, with bread, potatoes, and some green vegetable, may be mixed together and gradually introduced as the regular and staple food. The quantity per day will of course vary according to the size of the puppy ; but, as an approximation to the proper weight required, it may be laid down that, for each pound the puppy weighs, an ounce of moderately solid food will be sufficient. From the time of weaning up to the tenth week it should be fed four times a day ; then up to four months, three times ; and afterwards twice until full grown, when a single feed will, in our opinion, conduce to its health, though many prefer going on with the morning and evening supply. When the puppy is full grown, meat, bread, and vegetables (either potatoes, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, or parsnips), in equal proportions, will form the proper diet, care being taken to avoid bread made with much alum in it. Dog biscuits, if sound, answer well for pet dogs ; but the quantity required is so small that in most houses the scraps of the bread basket and plates are quite sufficient. Bones should be supplied daily, for without them not only are the teeth liable to become covered with tartar, but the digestion is impaired for want of a sufficient secretion of saliva.
If the above quality and quantity of food and exercise are given, in combina- tion with the protection from cold recommended, the pet puppy will seldom require any medical treatment. Sometimes, in spite of the most careful management, it will be attacked by distemper contracted from some passing dog infected with it ; but with this exception, which will not often occur, it may be anticipated that the properly treated pet dog will pass through life without submitting to the attacks of this disease, which is dire in its effects upon this division of the canine race. If care is taken to add oatmeal and green vegetables to the food in quantity sufficient to keep the bowels from being confined, no aperient will ever be required ; but
6 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
sometimes this precaution is neglected, and then recourse must be had either to castor oil or the compound rhubarb pill — the dose being one drop of the former or half a grain of the latter to each pound the puppy weighs. If the oil is stirred up with some milk the puppy will take it readily enough, and no drenching is required ; but care should be taken that the quality is good, and that the oil is not the rank stuff sometimes used in the kennels of sporting dogs. The compound rhubarb pill may be given by opening the mouth with the left hand, and then dropping in the pill. It must be boldly pushed well down the throat as far as the finger will reach, no danger being risked in effecting this simple process. If the liver is not acting (which may be known by the absence of the natural gingerbread colour of the evacuations), from half a grain to a grain of blue pill may be added to either dose, and repeated, if necessary, every day or every other day till the desired effect is produced ; or from one-sixth to one-third of a grain of podophyllin, which has a similar effect on the liver. Very young puppies should not be washed even in the summer season, as they are very liable to chill. After they are three months old, however, a bath of warm water, with or without soap, will do good rather than harm, provided that care be taken to dry them well afterwards. For white dogs, white soap is required to give full effect to this operation ; and it may be either " curd " or white soft soap, whichever is preferred, the latter being most effective in cleaning the coat. Long-haired dogs, such as spaniels, the Maltese and Skye terriers, require combing and brushing until they are dry, which should be done in the winter before a fire ; and in the latter breeds the coat should be parted down the back with the comb in the most regular manner. If the hair has become matted, a long soaking will be necessary, the comb being used while the part of the dog submitted to its teeth is kept under water, which will greatly facilitate the unrolling of the tangled fibres. After the coat is dry, where great brilliancy is demanded, a very slight dressing of hair-oil may be allowed occasionally ; but the brush is the best polisher, and when " elbow-grease " is not spared, a better effect will be produced than by bear's grease at half-a-crown a pot.
With the exception of fleas, pet dogs ought -never to be infected with any vermin. Sometimes, however, they catch from others either lice or the ticks which infest the canine race. The appearance of the first two parasites is well known to everyone ; but the tick is not among the things commonly presented to the eye, and we may therefore mention that it may be known by its spider-like shape and by its close adhesion to the skin by means of its legs, with which it digs into the surface. In size it varies from that of the head of a small pin to the magnitude of a small grain of wheat, but not being so long in proportion to its width. The colour changes with that of the dog and with the quantity of blood imbibed, which always gives a greater or less tint of bluish-red ; but in very young ticks the colour is a pearly grey. In destroying fleas the best remedy is the insect-destroying powder sold by Butler and M'Culloch, of Covent Garden, by Keating, of St. Paul's Church- yard, and most chemists, which may be well rubbed in without fear of consequences. Lice and ticks require a stronger drug to destroy them, and this should be used with more care, as, being a mercurial preparation, it is liable to be absorbed if the
HOUSE MANAGEMENT OF PET DOGS.
skin is wetted, and then produces serious mischief, accompanied by salivation ; or, if the dog is allowed to lick himself, this effect is still more likely to follow. The dog should therefore be kept carefully from all wet for at least twelve hours, and during the application of the remedy it should either be carefully watched and prevented by the hand from licking itself, or it should be muzzled. The remedy is white precipitate, in powder, well rubbed into the roots of the hair over the whole body, and left on for six hours, after which it should be brushed out. At the expiration of the week the application should be repeated, and possibly it may be required a third time ; but this is seldom needed.
BOOK II.
DRUGS COMMONLY USED FOR THE DISEASES
OF DOGS, AND THEIR MODES OF ADMINISTRATION.
[It is to be constantly borne in mind that the doses given below are those suited to the dog of average size and strength. Where, therefore, the patient is a toy dog, the dose must be reduced to one-third or even one-fourth of that given. The same rule applies to puppies.']
CHAPTER I.
THE ACTION OF MEDICINES, AND THE FORMS IN WHICH THEY ARE GENERALLY PRESCRIBED.
ALTEEATIVES.
LTEEATIVES are intended to produce a fresh and healthy action, instead of the previous disordered function. The precise mode of action is not well understood, and it is only by the results that the utility of these medicines is recognised.
1. JUthiops mineral, 2 to 5 grains ; powdered ginger, ^ to 1 grain ; powdered rhubarb, 1 to 3 grains. Mix, and form into a pill with syrup, to be given every evening.
2. Plummer's pill, 2 to 5 grains ; extract of hemlock, 2 to 3 grains. Mix, and give every night.
3. Stinking hellebore, 5 to 8 grains ; powdered rhubarb, 2 to 4 grains. Mix, and form into a pill, to be given every night.
4. Liquor Arsenicalis — of which the dose is 7 drops to an average sized dog — this is specially serviceable to dogs rendered gross by over feeding and no work.
5. Podophyllin, f grain ; compound rhubarb pill, 3 grains. Mix, and give once or twice a week until the liver acts freely.
6. Cod liver oil, from a teaspoonful to a table spoonful, with one or two drops of wine of iron twice a day.
LIST OF DEUGS. 9
ANODYNES.
Anodyne medicines are given either to soothe the general nervous system, or to stop diarrhoea ; or something to relieve spasm, as in colic or tetanus. Opium is the chief anodyne used in canine veterinary medicine, and it may be employed in very large doses.
ANODYNE PEESCEIPTIONS.
1. FOR SLIGHT PURGING. — Prepared chalk, 2 drachms ; aromatic confection, 1 drachm; tincture of opium, 5 to 8 drachms ;" rice water, 7 ounces. Mix; dose, two tablespoonfuls after every loose motion.
2. FOR LONG-CONTINUED PURGING. — Diluted sulphuric acid, 3 drachms ; tincture of opium, 2 drachms ; compound tincture of bark, 1 ounce ; water, 6f ounces. Mix ; two tablespoonfuls every four hours.
3. Castor-oil, 2 ounces ; tincture of opium, 1 ounce. Mix by shaking ; a table- spoonful night and morning while the bowels are loose.
4. Powdered opium, f to 2 grains ; prepared chalk, 5 to 10 grains ; catechu, 5 grains ; powdered ginger, and powdered caraways, of each 1 to 3 grains. Mix, and form it into a pill with syrup, and give every three hours.
ANTISPASMODICS.
Antispasmodics, as their name implies, are medicines which are intended to counteract excessive muscular action, called spasm, or, in the limbs, cramp.
1. ANTISPASMODIC MIXTURE. — Laudanum and sulphuric aether, of each ^ to 1 drachm; camphor mixture, 1 ounce. Mix, and give every two hours till the spasm ceases.
2. ANTISPASMODIC INJECTION. — Laudanum, sulphuric aether, and spirit of turpentine, of each 1 to 2 drachms ; gruel, 3 to 6 ounces. Mix.
APEEIENTS.
APERIENTS, or purges are those medicines which quicken or increase the evacuations from the bowels, varying, however, a good deal in their mode of operation. Some act merely by exciting the muscular coat of the bowels to contract ; others cause an immense watery discharge, which, as it were, washes out the bowels ; whilst a third set combine the action of the two. The various purges also act upon different parts of the canal, some stimulating the small intestines, whilst others pass through them without affecting them, and only act upon the large bowels ; and others, again, act upon the whole canal. There is a third point of difference in purges, depending upon their influencing the liver in addition, which mercurial purgatives certainly do, as well as rhubarb and some others, and which effect is partly due to their absorption into the circulation, so that they may be made to act by injecting into the veins, as strongly as by actual swallowing and their subsequent passage into the bowels. Purgatives are likewise classed, according
10 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
to the degree of their effect, into laxatives acting mildly, and drastic purges acting very severely.
1. STRONG APERIENT BOLUS.— Calomel, 4 grains; jalap, 14 to 20 grains. Linseed meal and water, enough to make one or two boluses, according to size.
2. A GOOD APERIENT BOLUS. — Blue pill, | scruple; compound extract of colocynth, 1 scruple ; powdered rhubarb, 5 grains ; oil of aniseed, 2 drops. Mix, and give to a large dog, or divide into two or three for medium-sized or smaller ones.
3. CASTOR OIL MIXTURE. — Castor oil, ^ pint; laudanum, ^ ounce; oil of aniseed, 1 drachm; olive oil, 2 ounces. Mix, and give one, two, or three table- spoonsfuls, according to the size of the dog.
4. PURGATIVE INJECTION. — Castor oil, f ounce ; spirit of turpentine, 2 drachms ; gruel, 6 to 8 ounces. Mix.
ASTRINGENTS
Cause contraction in those living tissues with which they come in contact, whether in the interior or exterior of the body ; and whether immediately applied or by absorption into the circulation. They are divided into astringents adminis- tered by the mouth, and those applied locally to external ulcerated or wounded surfaces.
1. ASTRINGENT BOLUS USEFUL IN DIABETES OR HEMORRHAGE. — Powdered opium, 2 to 3 grains ; gallic acid, 4 to 6 grains ; alum, 5 to 10 grains ; powdered bark, 10 grains ; linseed meal, enough to form a bolus, to be given to a large dog (or divided for a small one) two or three times a day.
2. ASTRINGENT WASHES FOR THE EYES. — Sulphate of zinc, 5 to 8 grains ; water, 2 ounces. Mix.
Or, goulard extract, 1 drachm ; water, 1 ounce. Mix.
Or, nitrate of silver, 2 to 8 grains ; water, 1 ounce. Mix, and drop into the eyes with a quill ; or wine of opium to be dropped into the eye.
3. WASH FOR THE PENIS. — Sulphate of zinc, 6 to 10 grains ; water, 1 ounce. Mix.
Or, chloride of zinc, f to \\ grains ; water, 1 ounce. Mix.
4. ASTRINGENT OINTMENT FOR PILES.— Gallic acid, 10 grains ; goulard extract, 15 drops ; lard, 1 ounce. Mix.
BLISTEES
Require great care in their application to the skin of the dog, and should never be used without a muzzle, which may only be removed during feeding time. Before applying them, cut off the hair with scissors from the part to be blistered.
1. ORDINARY BLISTER FOR PURPOSES OF COUNTER-IRRITATION. — Powdered cantharides, | ounce ; Venice turpentine, 6 drachms ; lard, 3 ounces. Mix, and rub in with the hand.
2. SWEATING APPLICATION FOR ENLARGED GROWTHS. — Eed iodide of mercury,
LIST OF DRUGS.
1 drachm; lard, 1 ounce. Mix; rub 'in a little every day till a watery discharge is produced, then desist for a day or two ; and repeat as often as necessary.
3. Tincture of iodine, 1 ounce. Paint on some of the tincture every day till a sufficient effect is produced.
CAUSTICS
Are substances which burn away the living tissues of the body, by the decom- position of their elements. They are of two kinds, viz., first, the actual cautery, consisting in the application of the burning iron, and called firing ; and, secondly, the potential cautery, by means of the powers of mineral caustics such as potash, lunar-caustic, corrosive sublimate, &c.
Firing is seldom practised on the dog, but sometimes it may be had recourse to with advantage, when a very thin iron must be used. The red-hot iron is also sometimes needed to stop bleeding from warts in the mouth removed by the knife > or in a similar way for piles.
STRONG SOLID CAUSTICS are as follows : —
1. FUSED POTASS. — Difficult to manage, because it runs about in all directions, and little used in veterinary medicine.
2. LUNAR CAUSTIC, OR NITRATE or SILVER. — Very valuable to the veterinary surgeon. It should always be kept at hand in the portable wooden case made specially for it.
3. BLUE STONE, OR SULPHATE OF COPPER. — May be handled safely, and no case therefore is required. When used, it should be freely rubbed into the part affected, It is valuable for unhealthy sores, &c.
4. CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE is only required to remove warts, but can seldom be trusted to any but a practised surgeon.
CORDIALS
Are medicines which act as warm temporary stimulants, augmenting the strength and spirits when depressed, and often relieving an animal from the ill-effects of over-exertion.
1. CORDIAL BALLS. — Powdered caraway seeds, \ to If drachms ; ginger, 20 to 40 grains ; oil of cloves, 3 to 8 drops. Mix. and give 10 grains for a dose.
2, CORDIAL DRENCH. — Tincture of cardamoms, \ to 1 drachm ; sal volatile, 15 to 30 drops ; infusion of gentian, f to 1 drachm ; camphor mixture, 1 ounce. Mix.
DIURETICS
Are medicines which promote the secretion and discharge of urine, the effect being produced in a different manner by different medicines ; some acting directly upon the kidneys by sympathy with the stomach, while others are taken up by the blood-vessels, and in their elimination from the blood cause an extra secretion of the urine. In either case their effect is to diminish the watery part of the blood, and thus promote the absorption of fluid effused into any of the cavities, or into the cellular membrane, in the various forms of dropsy.
12 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
1. DIURETIC BOLUS. — Nitre, 6 grains ; digitalis, ^ to 1 grain ; ginger,
4 grains. Linseed meal and water to form a bolus, which is to be given night and morning.
2. DIURETIC AND ALTERATIVE. — Iodide of potassium, 3 grains ; nitre, 4 grains ; digitalis, f grain ; extract of gentian, 5 grains. Mix, and give twice a day.
EMETICS
Are sometimes required for the dog, though not so often as is commonly sup- posed. Vomiting is a natural process in that animal, and seldom wants provoking ; indeed, if emetics are often had recourse to, his stomach becomes so irritable that neither medicine nor food will remain on it ; hence their administration should be carefully kept within the bounds of absolute necessity.
1. STRONG EMETIC. — Tartar emetic, \ to 1 grain ; powdered ipecacuanha, 4 to
5 grains. Mix, and dissolve in a little water, to be given as a drench ; and to be followed by half a pint of lukewarm water in a quarter of an hour.
2. COMMON SALT EMETIC. — A teaspoonful of salt and half this quantity of mustard are to be dissolved in half a pint of warm water and given as a drench.
EXPECTORANTS
Excite or promote a discharge of mucus from the lining membrane of the bronchial tubes, thereby relieving inflammation and allaying cough.
1. EXPECTORANT BOLUS. — Ipecacuanha powder, 1 to If grains ; powdered rhubarb, 1 to 3 grains ; compound squill pill, 1 to 2 grains ; powdered opium, \ to 1 grain. Linseed meal and water enough to make a bolus, to be given night and morning.
2. Ipecacuanha powder, and powdered opium, of each a grain. Confection enough to make a pill, to be given every six hours.
3. AN EXPECTORANT MIXTURE FOR CHRONIC COUGH. — Friar's balsam, 10 to 15 drops ; syrup of poppies, 1 drachm ; diluted sulphuric acid, 5 to 10 drops ; mucilage, \ ounce ; water, \ ounce. Mix, and give two or three times a day.
4. AN EXPECTORANT IN RECENT COUGH. — Tincture of lobelia, 10 to 15 drops ; almond emulsion, 1 ounce ; extract of conium, 2 to 3 grains ; ipecacuanha wine, 5 to 10 drops. Mix, and give two or three times a day.
LINIMENTS OR EMBROCATIONS
Are applied to the skin for the purpose of producing counter-irritation, and are specially useful in chronic rheumatism, colic, &c. The most generally useful is the following : —
Laudanum, liquid ammonia (strong), spirit of turpentine, soap liniment, of each \ ounce. Mix.
LIST OF DBUGS. 13
FEBRIFUGES.
Fever medicines are given to allay fever, which they do by increasing the secre- tions of urine and sweat, and also by reducing the action of the heart.
1. FEBRIFUGE PILL. — Calomel, 1 to 3 grains ; digitalis, -| grain ; nitre, 3 to 5 grains. Confection to form a pill, to be given every night.
Or, 2. Nitre, 3 to 5 grains ; tartar emetic, i grain. Confection to form a pill, to be given night and morning.
3. FEVER MIXTURE. — Nitre, 1 drachm ; sweet spirits of nitre, 3 drachms ; mindererus spirit, 1 ounce ; camphor mixture, 6| ounces. Mix, and give two table- spoonfuls every six hours.
OINTMENTS
Are greasy applications, by means of which certain substances are brought into contact with the vessels of the skin.
1. MANGE OINTMENT. — Green iodide of mercury, 1 drachm; lard 1 ounce. Mix, and rub in a small quantity every other day to the parts affected.
N.B. — Not more than a quarter of the body should ever be dressed at one time. Care should be taken to avoid leaving any superfluous ointment on the surface of the body.
2. DIGESTIVE OINTMENT. — Red precipitate, 1 ounce ; Venice turpentine, 1^ ounces ; bees' wax, f ounce ; lard, 2 ounces. Mix.
STOMACHICS
Are given to increase the tone of the stomach in particular.
1. STOMACHIC PILL. — Extract of gentian, 5 grains ; powdered rhubarb, 2 grains. Mix, and give twice a day.
2. STOMACHIC DRAUGHT. — Tincture of cardamoms, ^ drachm; compound infusion of gentian, 1 ounce ; tincture of ginger, 5 drops. Mix, and give twice a day.
STYPTICS.
Styptics are remedies which have a tendency to stop the flow of blood either from internal or external surfaces. They are used either by the mouth, or to the part itself in the shape of lotions, &c. ; or the actual cautery, which is always the best in external bleeding.
1. INTERNAL STYPTICS — FOR BLOODY URINE, OR BLEEDING FROM THE LUNGS. — Superacetate of lead, 12 to 24 grains ; tincture of matico, | to 1 ounce ; vinegar, 2 drachms ; water, 7 to 7| ounces. Mix, and give two tablespoonfuls two or three times a day to a full-sized dog.
TONICS
Augment the vigour of the whole body permanently, whilst stimulants only act for a short trnv. They are chiefly useful after low fever.
14 THE DOGS OF THE BEIT1SH ISLANDS.
1. TONIC PILLS. — Disulphate of quinine, 1 to 3 grains ; ginger, 2 to 3 grains. Extract of gentian, enough to form a bolus, to be given twice a day.
2. TONIC MIXTURE. — Compound tincture of bark, 1 ounce ; decoction of yellow bark, 7 ounces. Mix, and give two tablespoonfuls twice or thrice a day.
3. DISTEMPER TONIC. — Aromatic spirit of ammonia, 1 drachm; decoction of yellow bark, 1 ounce ; compound tincture of bark, 1 drachm. Mix.
WASHES OE LOTIONS.
1. MANGE WASH. — Calvert's carbolic wash diluted with twenty times its bulk of water, and rubbed into the roots of the hair in red mange.
2. BISHOP'S MANGE LOTION is a preparation of lime, &c., which is said by good judges to be extremely successful in curing mange, and especially red mange. It is at all events not likely to be injurious.
WOEM MEDICINES.
1. Areca nut powdered, of which 2 grains for every pound the dog weighs is the dose, for worms generally.
2. Santonine is the remedy for round worm. Dose for the average dog, 3 grains in a pill.
3. Spirit of turpentine, 1 to 4 drachms, to be tied up in a piece of bladder and given as a bolus in obstinate cases of tape worms.
4. MALE FERN. — Eoot, 1 to 3 drachms ; oil, 10 to 30 drops, in tape worm.
OHAPTEE II. ADMINISTRATION OF REMEDIES.
ITHOUT some little patience and a knowledge of the temper of the dog, it is often very difficult to administer physic in any shape. A large powerful animal, of a savage temper, is scarcely to be controlled even kv his keeper ; but any dog of less than 401b. or 501b. weight is within the power of a resolute man, especially with his hands properly guarded by gloves.
In giving a pill or bolus to a small dog, he should be gently taken into the lap of the operator, or left in that of his attendant, then laying hold of the space between the canine teeth and the molars on each side with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, the mouth is forced open, and the pill dropped into the throat by the other hand, following it rapidly with the forefinger and pushing it down as far as the finger will reach. The mouth is then kept shut for a second or two until the pill has had time to reach the stomach.
ADMINISTBATION OF EEMEDIES.
15
A large dog must be backed into a corner, then stride over him, and put a thick cloth into his mouth. The ends of this should be brought together over his nose, and held with the left hand. An assistant then lays hold of the lower jaw with the aid, if necessary, of another cloth, and wrenches the jaws apart, the right hand of the operator pushes the pill or bolus down the throat, taking care, as
before, to keep the head up with the jaws closed for a short time. The mode of drenching is either to pour the fluid down, using the cheek as a funnel, as shown in the engraving, or to open the mouth as for a bolus, and pour it down the throat by means of a small sauce ladle, or a soda-water bottle. The mouth must be shut directly the fluid is received, to enable the dog to swallow it.
BOOK III.
THE ORDINARY DISEASES OF THE DOG AND THEIR TREATMENT.
CHAPTER I. FEVERS.
SIMPLE EPHEMEEAL FEVER.
N the Dog, simple fever is merely a condition in which there is first a chilliness, accompanied by actual increase of surface heat, and quick respiration and pulse ; then loss of appetite and diminished secretion of urine, with frequently costive bowels ; and, finally, a tendency to con- gestion in the mucous membrane of the lungs or nostrils, or of some other internal organ, but generally of the lungs and nose, producing cough and running at the nose and eyes. The febrile symptons usually run a short course, seldom going beyond three days, but the congestion of the mucuous membrane often remains much longer.
In the first place, complete rest should be accorded ; next, a dose of aperient medicine, with calomel, in the following shape, will generally be advisable, as it will clear away any sources of irritation which may exist : Calomel, 2 to 4 grains ; jalap in powder, 10 to 15 grains ; ginger, 1 grain — mix. The dose will be in proportion to the size and strength of the dog, giving one-half or a quarter to a small one, or to a young puppy. When this has operated, with the assistance of some gruel, very little more will be necessary under ordinary circumstances, and in a few days the dog will be well.
SIMPLE EPIDEMIC FEVER, OR INFLUENZA.
This species of fever is closely allied to the preceding variety in everything but the cause, which, instead of being exposure to cold, is some peculiar condition of the air, to which the name epidemic is given, in order to conceal our ignorance, for it is really only giving a name and nothing else. The term influenza is precisely similar, both only signifying the peculiar and general prevalence of the complaint, and not defining its nature or its cause. The latter term is, however, applied more especially to epidemic catarrh, which is the form we are now considering. As the
DISTEMPER. 17
symptoms are very closely similar to those of simple cold, or ephemeral fever, it is unnecessary to repeat them ; nor is the treatment in the first stage at all different. But as the cough and running seldom disappear without some extra care and attention, it does not always do to trust to nature here for a cure. Lowering medicines and diet after the first few days are not at all successful ; and, on the other hand, warm expectorants, with tolerably good and nourishing slops, will be found to answer the best. The expectorant bolus, No. 1, may be given night and morning with advantage. As soon as the cough and running at the nose have some- what subsided, and before exercise is allowed, the bark mixture (Tonic No. 2) may be given ; and only when the strength and spirits are so recruited as to warrant the supposition that the health is greatly restored is the dog to be allowed exercise, and then only at first with great caution. It is often the case that a premature exposure to air and excitement brings on a relapse, and especially when the lungs are at all implicated either in their substance or mucous membrane: A human patient can be taken out in a carriage, but dogs, unless they are great pets, are seldom allowed that indulgence ; and hence the necessity for the above precaution.
DISTEMPER
Distemper may be defined as a feverish disease, always marked by rapid loss of strength and flesh, in proportion to the severity of the attack. It may occur at any period of life, and even more than once in the same individual ; it is, however, generally met with in the puppy, and in most cases the dog is afterwards exempt. The essence of -the disease appears to consist in a poisoned state of the blood, which may be either produced by contagion or by putrid emanations from filthy and overcrowded kennels ; and it is from the efforts of nature to throw off this poison that the various symptoms are produced by which we know the disease. These symptoms differ according to the peculiar constitution of each dog, and to the state of the air and other causes which produce them. Hence it is usual to speak of distemper as either simple or attended with certain complications in the head, chest, belly, &c. But, although they are all essentially the same disease, these variations may be conveniently described as — 1st, Mild Distemper ; 2nd, Head Distemper ; 3rd, Chest Distemper ; 4th, Belly Distemper ; and 5th, Malignant Distemper.
In Mild Distemper there are in almost all cases the following symptoms, which also show themselves in the other kinds, with the additional symptoms peculiar to each. The first thing noticeable is a general dulness (particularly shown in the eyes), accompanied by a dislike to play or take any kind of exercise, and by a want of appetite. Soon there appears a short cough, attended by a disposition to sneeze ; and the dog often seems as if he hardly knew which of these acts to do first. The cough and sneezing are seldom heard while the dog is quiet, but when he is brought out of his kennel into the air, and particularly after he begins to play or run about, the mucous membrane is irritated and the coughing is set up, either by itself or alternately with sneezing. There is some slight thirst, a warm dry nose generally (but not invariably), a disordered state of the bowels, which may be either confined
18 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
or relaxed, and a scanty secretion of high-coloured urine. In a few days the dog loses flesh and strength to a great extent, but then gradually recovers.
Head Distemper commences in the same way as the mild form, but the cough or sneezing is very slight, and sometimes there is not a vestige. On separating the eyelids, the whites are seen to be covered with blood-vessels loaded with dark blood, and a strong light seems to give pain. This kind of distemper is often indicated, soon after its commencement, by a fit, lasting a short time, and leaving a state of torpor from which the dog can with difficulty be aroused. If the brain is not relieved, the fits recur at short intervals, and the stupor increases, until the dog becomes quite insensible, and dies in a violent convulsion.
Chest Distemper appears to be an extension downwards into the chest of the irritation which produces the cough. It there generally sets up the kind of inflam- mation known as bronchitis, together with which, however, there is often inflamma- tion of the substance of the lungs (pneumonia), or even of the external surface (pleurisy).
Distemper of the Belly is too often the result of mismanagement, produced either by the abuse of violent drugs or by neglect of attention to the secretions for some time previously. In the former case the bowels become very relaxed at the end of a week or ten days from the first commencement of a case of mild distemper, and then there is a constant diarrhoea, soon followed by the passage of large quantities of blood. This may be quite black and pitchy when it comes from the small intestines, or red and florid where the lower bowels are affected. Sometimes these symptoms appear of themselves, but generally they result from calomel or other violent medicines. When there has been neglect, and the bowels have been allowed to become confined, while at the same time the secretion of bile has been checked, a most dangerous symptom, known as " the yellows," shows itself, the name being given in consequence of the skin and white of the eyes being stained of a yellow colour, from the presence of bile. This may occur without distemper, and then it is not so fatal; but when it comes on during an attack of this disease it is almost invariably followed by death.
Malignant Distemper may come on at first, the dog attacked being as it were at once knocked down by the severity of the poison ; or it may show itself at the end of a week or ten days from the first commencement. It may follow either of the four kinds already described, being marked by an aggravated form of the symptoms peculiar to each ; but there are some additional evidences of the poisoned state of the blood, which show themselves in the four stages into which the disease, when well marked, divides itself. These stages are — 1st, incubation, during which the disease is, as it were, hatching or brewing ; 2nd, reaction, when nature is working herself up to throw off the poison ; 3rd, prostration, following these efforts ; and 4th, convalescence, wherein the constitution recovers its usual powers. In a well-marked case of malignant distemper these four stages average about a week or ten days each ; and it is important to ascertain their existence, inasmuch as the treatment proper to each varies very considerably. The period of incubation is known by the symptoms described as common to mild distemper, as well as to the other kinds ;
DISTEMPEE. 19
but, in the malignant form, the strength is lost much more rapidly, while the appetite is almost entirely absent, and the secretions are very much disordered. During the reaction, the pulse becomes quick and hard, the breathing is much hurried, and is often much quicker than the pulse without the existence of any inflamma- tion. This is very important to notice, as, when such is the case, any lowering measures are highly improper ; but, on the other hand, the pulse may be very high and strong, and the breathing laboured, which, together with other unmistakable evidences afforded to the practised ear, prove the existence of inflammation, and require energetic and lowering treatment. At this time, also, are developed those dangerous affections of the brain, bowels, or liver, to which I have before alluded. When the stage of prostration sets in the whole system is thoroughly reduced, the dog is so weak that he is unable to stand, his appetite is often entirely gone — so that he must be drenched if he is to be kept alive ; his gums, tongue, and teeth are coated with a black fur, and his breath is highly offensive. At this time an eruption of the skin generally shows itself, sometimes consisting in mere purple spots, in others of small bladders filled with yellow matter, but most frequently of bladders, varying in size from a pea to half a hen's egg, and containing matter more or less stained with purple blood, or occasionally blood alone. This eruption is thickest on the skin of the belly and inside of the thighs, but sometimes it extends to the whole body. It is a favourable sign, taken by itself, though it generally attends upon severe cases. In the convalescence from malignant distemper, health gradually returns ; but without the greatest care in all respects a relapse is very apt to occur, and is then generally fatal.
To distinguish these several forms of distemper from the diseases which most nearly resemble them, it is chiefly necessary to bear in mind that the peculiarity of distemper, especially in its malignant form, is the rapid tendency to loss of strength and flesh which accompanies it. Thus a common cold with cough is attended with slight feverishness, languor, loss of appetite, &c., but it may go on for several days without the dog losing much flesh, and with a very partial loss of strength. So} also, with ordinary diarrhoea ; it is astonishing how severe an attack is required to reduce a dog in anything like the same degree which a few days' distemper will effect. In diarrhoea the dog gets thin, it is true, but he does not become the living skeleton which distemper produces ; nor does he lie exhausted in his kennel, utterly unable to rise from his bed, and obliged to be supported in order to relieve himself. The same may apply to simple inflammation of the lungs, which may be treated most energetically by bleeding and lowering medicine with good effect, and without knocking the dog off his legs; while in chest distemper, even though the local symptoms are apparently as severe, a treatment one-half as energetic will be fatal from the exhaustion following upon it.
The sequels of distemper should also be alluded to, as consisting of chorea, commonly called " the twitch," and a kind of. palsy, known as " the trembles." Both are produced by some obscure mischief done to the brain or spinal marrow in the course of the disease, and they generally follow the kind which I have described as head distemper. Chorea may be known by a peculiar and idiotic-looking drop
20 THE DOOS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
in one fore-quarter when the dog begins to move, so that he bobs his head in a very helpless way. Sometimes the twitch is slight and partial, at others it is almost universal ; but it always goes off during sleep. Shaking palsy affects the whole body, and is far more rare than chorea, which is fortunate, as I believe it to be incapable of cure.
The treatment of the several forms and sequels of distemper must always be conducted upon the acknowledged principle that this is a most debilitating disease, and that any very lowering measure must be avoided, if possible. On the other hand, inflammation is always to be feared attacking either the brain, lungs, or bowels ; and as bleeding and other remedies of a similar tendency form the most active means for getting rid of inflammation, there is often left to the person in charge only a choice between two dangers. Two things, therefore, are to be attended to in the general treatment. 1st. Not only to avoid lowering the system, but also in bad cases to support it by good diet, as far as is consistent with the avoidance of the encouragement to inflammation. 2nd. To take especial care that inflammation does not go far enough to destroy life, or to leave such organic change in the brain or lungs as shall render the dog useless for the purposes to which he is designed. This requires some experience in practice, though in theory it is simple enough ; and, indeed, one is sometimes obliged to blow hot and cold at the same time, lowering the dog with one hand and propping him with the other. It must always be remembered, also, that this is a disease which has a natural tendency to recovery, its essence being an effort of the powers of the system to throw off a poison in the blood. Hence nature requires to be aided, not opposed ; and that man will succeed the best in the long run who interferes the least with her operations. With these preliminary observations I shall proceed to give special directions for the treatment of each form.
1. GENERAL TREATMENT. — In the early stage give a mild dose of aperient medicine, such as castor oil and syrup of poppies in equal proportions ; or, if the liver is not acting, calomel and jalap. It is always better, however, to avoid giving calomel if there is plenty of bile in the evacuations. After the early stage is gone by, give nothing in the shape of medicine, but keep the kennel dry, clean, and airy, but warm. Change the litter frequently, and avoid exercise till the cough and running at the eyes have entirely ceased. For several days the diet should consist of nourishing broths, thickened, when there is diarrhoea, with flour, rice, or arrow- root ; or, if the bowels are confined, with oatmeal. If there is little water passed, give every night (as a drench) five or six grains of nitre, with half a teaspoonful of sweet spirits of nitre.
2. HEAD DISTEMPER requires very energetic local treatment in addition to that recommended above. From four to eight leeches may be applied to the inside of the ears, washing the part well with milk and water first. Then put in a seton to the back part of the neck, first smearing the tape with blistering ointment. If the head is very much affected apply cold water to it by means of a wet cloth, or if that is not allowed, by the watering-pot. Calomel and jalap must be given to act on the liver and bowels, and a pill (consisting of half a grain to one grain of tartar
DISTEMPEE. 21
emetic) two or three times a day. As soon as the urgent symptoms have dis- appeared, the dog often requires supporting with beef tea and tonics, as described in No. 5.
3. CHEST DISTEMPER must be met with bleeding if there is evidence of inflam- mation ; but if not, it is better to avoid such a lowering measure, and trust to antimony or ipecacuanha. Mix one grain of either of these with half a grain of opium, and give two or three times daily. If there is long-continued mischief, apply a blister to the chest, or rub in mustard mixed with vinegar. When the breathing is more rapid than the pulse, stimulants will be required, such as the bark and ammonia mixture in No. 5.
4. DISTEMPER OF THE BELLY, attended with purging, requires the immediate use of astringents, of which opium is the best. There is nothing better than the following mixture. Take of prepared chalk 2dr., mucilage of acacia loz., laudanum loz., tincture of ginger 2dr., water 5^oz. Of this give from a dessert-spoonful to a tablespoonful every time the bowels are relaxed. The diet should be almost entirely of boiled rice, flavoured with milk or broth, and if there is much thirst rice-water only should be allowed. On the other hand, where there is a confined state of the bowels, which is generally attended with "the yellows," calomel, rhubarb, and aloes are the only remedies to be relied on. Take of calomel 3gr. to 5gr. ; rhubarb and aloes of each 5gr. to lOgr. ; mix, and form into a bolus with water, and give twice a day till it acts freely. A turpentine enema may also be administered, but this requires some practical skill to carry out. Should bile begin to flow, there is still great care required to avoid checking the diarrhoea on the one hand, while on the other the exhaustion caused by it is often frightfully great. Strong broths thickened with flour or rice must often be given by force, as the appetite is generally much reduced in this disease. Where there is great exhaus- tion from diarrhoea, arrow-root with port wine will be of use.
5. MALIGNANT DISTEMPER is less difficult to manage than that of the head, and far less than " the yellows," when complicated with the ordinary attack. The great thing is to avoid reducing the system in the early stage, and to give at that time only such remedies as are imperatively required. A mild dose of oil, as described under No. 1, will be of service, after which the less done the better till the usual weakness shows itself. In the interval it may be necessary to treat the case as one affecting the head, chest, or belly, as described under Nos. 2, 3, or 4 ; but so soon as the excessive exhaustion shows itself, there is no chance of recovery without resort- ing to strong tonics and good food. For this purpose there is no remedy like port wine, or bark and ammonia — the former of which may be given, mixed with an equal part of water, and with the addition of a little spice, such as nutmeg or ginger. For the latter, take of decoction of bark loz., aromatic spirit of ammonia Idr., compound tincture of bark Idr. Mix and give twice a day to a large dog, or half the quantity to a small one. The greatest care here is required to support the strength by drenching the 'dog, if needful, with beef tea ; and, if the bowels are at all relaxed, give the dog the astringent mixture ordered under No. 4. Clean straw, a warm, dry kennel, and absolute rest, are also essential to recovery.
22 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
6. CHOREA or PALSY may be treated by a change to country air if the puppy has been in the town, and by giving from 3gr. to 5gr. of sulphate of zinc in a pill every day. The eyes are best left to themselves ; and, however bad they may appear, they will generally recover their- brilliancy as the strength is restored. If not, apply a wash composed of 2gr. or 3gr. of nitrate of silver dissolved in loz. of distilled water, or the same proportions of the sulphate of zinc and water.
N.B. — The above doses are calculated for a full-sized dog. For their reduction see the directions at the head of list of drugs at page 8.
RHEUMATIC FEVER,
Or Acute Rheumatism, is a very common disease in the dog, though not very generally attended to or described by writers on their complaints. It arises from exposure to cold, when the dog has been overfed, and rendered unfit to bear its attacks upon a system full of inflammatory matter. The pampered pet is the most liable ; but greyhounds and pointers which are highly fed, and sometimes not sufficiently exercised, are also very liable to its approaches. In the dog rheumatism is either confined to the muscular system or to the coverings of the spinal marrow, which sometimes take on the rheumatic inflammation to such an extent as to cause paralysis of the hind-legs. General rheumatic fever, or acute rheumatism, is characterised by intense soreness of the surface, so that the dog shrinks on the approach of the hand from fear of being touched. He will almost always retire to some corner, and refuse to leave it on being called by his owner ; and if brought out by force, he will stand and snarl at every hand ; and this is one of the best methods of diagnosis with which we are acquainted. The treatment should be as follows : First give a smart purge (1) or (2) in the list of aperients. After this has acted give the following pill, or half of it, according to the size of the dog, three times a day until the pain has abated : Calomel and powdered opium, of each 1 grain ; colchicum powder, 2 grains ; syrup to form a pill. When the pain is gone, if the bowels are not very relaxed, give a dose of castor oil ; and during the whole continu- ance of the pain use a warm anodyne embrocation, composed of laudanum, spirit of camphor, and liq. ammoniae in equal proportions. This will act still better if the dog is first put into a hot bath at 100 degrees of Fahrenheit, then dried well by a good fire, and afterwards the liniment rubbed into the parts which are most full of pain. For the more chronic forms, called kennel-lameness and paralysis of the hind-quarter the warm bath and liniment may be used with the aperients, as above ; but instead of the calomel and opium, give one or two tablespoonfuls of the following mixture twice a day : Iodide of potassium, 1 drachm ; sweet spirits of nitre, 3 drachms ; nitre, 1J drachm; camphor mixture, 6 ounces. Mix. The diet in each case should be low, all animal food should be taken away, and the dog fed upon meal or rice according to the state of the bowels. It is a disease in great measure the result of too stimulating a food, and a withdrawal of meat will go far towards a cure, which, however, is seldom of long continuance when the disease has become chronic.
CHRONIC EHEUMATISM. 23
CHRONIC RHEUMATISM.
This generally receives a specific name according to the part attacked. Thus, if it seizes on the muscles of the chest or shoulders, it is called
KENNEL LAMENESS, OR CHEST-FOUNDER, which is the great bugbear of the foxhound kennel, and is produced in these animals from cold, after the extraordinary fatigues which they undergo. When a hound is worn down by long-continued exhaustion, and is then placed to lie in a damp or cold kennel, he is almost sure to contract rheumatism, especially if he is fed upon stimulating food, which most hounds are, in order to enable them to bear their labours. Thus, over- work and no work at all alike engender the disease, but in a very opposite state ; the former producing an active fever of a rheumatic character, whilst the latter brings on a more chronic and low kind, attended with great muscular stiffness, but not with high fever.
PARALYSIS, or loss of power in the hinder extremities (improperly so called), is another result of the low kind of rheumatic fever which comes on from long- continued high feeding followed by cold ; and it is exactly of the same character as chest-founder, but confined to the hinder limbs instead of the shoulders. I have said that it is improperly called paralysis, and my reason for this is, that it is not at all analogous to other forms of paralysis, though there is temporary loss of power ; but so there is in all rheumatic conditions ; yet who would say that the poor rheumatic subject, who can neither move hand nor foot, is suffering from paralysis. Assuredly no one who understands the nomenclature of disease, because the essence of paralysis is considered to be loss of power from disease in the nervous system ; hence, when the loss is dependant upon want of tone in the muscles affected, it is clearly a misnomer to apply the term paralysis.
The treatment of these local affections is often attended with little or no advantage, but the following somewhat empirical remedy has been found to be successful in many cases. At all events I know no more reliable remedy. It is called the red herring recipe, and is as follows : Score a red herring with a knife and well rub in two drachms of nitre ; give every morning on an empty stomach, and keep the dog without food for two hours after ; at night give a drachm of camphor made into a ball. The herring may be mixed with a little broth and meal if he will not eat it otherwise. Trimethylaniine, which is obtained from a similar source, has been recommended by Dr Richardson as superior to the red herring. The dose is from 5 to 15 drops given in milk.
24 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
OHAPTEE II. INFLAMMATIONS.
BABIES.
(IMPROPERLY CALLED HYDROPHOBIA.)
OST MORTEM examination has not revealed with certainty the exact seat of this disease, but there is little doubt that it is confined to the spinal cord and base of the brain. It is admitted by the medical pro- fession throughout Europe and America that no cure has yet been discovered for this terrible disease, and therefore it will only be needful here to describe the symptoms, so that proper precautions may at once be taken, when they appear, to prevent the dog from communicating the disease by his saliva, or, if he has already bitten man or animal, to stamp it out in the latter case, or in the former to prevent the inoculation from taking effect by absorption.
The Hon. Grantley Berkeley has taken on himself of late years, with very little experience of rabies, to resuscitate the long exploded fallacy that the rabid dog may be distinguished from the animal whose brain is only attacked in an ordinary way, by the fear of water, which the former, as he alleges, always displays. Every modern authority is against him, yet he fearlessly recommends owners of dogs which are attacked by madness of any form to run all sorts of risks so long as they show no fear of water. He says they may handle such patients with perfect impunity ; and as his name stands high with the multitude because of his position in the world of sport, he is likely to mislead a good many into taking his advice. My own experience is not much greater then his in true rabies, having only seen three cases of it ; but, as far as it goes, it is dead against him, there being no fear of water in either of the cases seen by me, but, on the contrary, a strong desire and craving for it. In each case the disease was propagated from, and in two of them both from and to, others ; so that there could be no doubt of its being true rabies. Still, I should lay little stress on so limited a number, and prefer to rest the question on the general opinion of the medical profession, which, as I said before, is unaminous on this point, and I shall therefore dismiss it as settled without further discussion.
The symptoms of canine madness are very much the same in all cases, though varying somewhat in their manifestations. The first and most marked is a change of disposition and temper, so that the naturally good tempered dog becomes morose and snappish, and those which are usually fondling in their manners are shy and retiring. Sometimes the change is even so great that the usually shy dog becomes bold ; but this is not nearly so common as the opposite extreme. Generally
EABIES. 25
the rabid dog shows a warning of his coming disease by this change of manner for several days before it breaks out with severity; though I have seen one well- marked attack which began and ended in death within forty-eight hours. This was in a Newfoundland dog, which I bought in perfect health to all appearance, and shut up in order to accustom him to his new master for a week or ten days, feeding him myself at the end of the first twenty-four hours, and observing no change from the usual habits of a strange dog. On the evening of the tenth day, however, after he had appeared in very good spirits, and eaten his dinner from my hand in the morning, he began to show signs of bad temper, and exhibited that peculiar snapping at imaginary objects well described by Mr. Youatt. On the next day he was in a highly rabid state, and died in the night after. When these premonitory symptoms have lasted an uncertain time, varying from twenty-four hours to three or four days, the dog begins to attack imaginary objects, and if real ones are presented to him he will tear them savagely to pieces. He is now exceedingly irritable, and wanders restlessly from place to place, having apparently a strong desire to do something, but not caring what that is, so that he is not quiet. If he is confined by a chain he will try and gnaw it to pieces ; and if restrained by a door within narrow bounds he vents his fury upon that. In this state he knows not the sensation of ordinary pain, but will bite a red-hot poker presented to him exactly as if it were a cold one. As the disease advances water is eagerly swallowed, but in his hurry the dog will generally upset his stock of that fluid ; and hence he is often thought to be unable to swallow, whilst all the time he is burnt up with thirst, and will constantly imbibe it, if he can do so without knocking over the vessel containing it in his haste. The howls and groans are generally peculiarly deep and melancholy, and by them a mad dog in confinement may often be recognised, though sometimes the patient is quite silent, and in that state is said, in common language, to be " dumb mad." When at large, however, no warning noise is made, and the dog seems only determined on a straightforward trot. If he is interfered with in any way, and more especially if he is struck, he will wreak his vengeance on the offender ; but he seldom goes out of his way to do a mischief, and will often pass through crowds of people without biting them ; even if pursued and annoyed by cries and hootings, he takes no notice until he is injured, and then more frequently endeavours to escape into solitude, than turn upon his assailants. This desire to wander appears to me an instinctive attempt to get rid of the disease by muscular action, and if indulged in quietly, I am inclined to think that there might be some chance of a recovery ; but as it would not be wise to run the risk, the experiment can never be tried. The disease is evidently caused by some poison, and, as in other cases, poisons are got rid of by some extraordinary secretion, so I am lead to believe that the wearing down of the muscular, and with it the nervous system by long-continued fatigue, is the natural cure of the disease.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES are the only ones of service in this complaint, which if fully established, has hitherto been uniformly fatal in all animals attacked by it, including man himself. When a bite has taken place, the best plan is to destroy
E
26 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
the animal at once : for though excision may most probably prevent the occurrence of the disease, no risk should be run. In man, immediate excision, followed by caustic, should always be had recourse to, previously taking care to suck the wound, with a mouth free from ulcers, to discover which put a little salt in the mouth, when it will by its smarting show their existence, if there are any. It is supposed that confinement is the cause of the disease ; and I am strongly inclined to believe that such is the case, as in those countries where dogs are suffered to be at large, rabies is an unknown disease. A wooden caustic case, containing a pointed piece of lunar caustic, is sold by all chemists, and should be carried in the pocket by those who run any risk of a bite from a rabid dog.
The average time elapsing between innoculation and the appearance of the disease is about two or three months. It has been known to break out in less than three weeks ; and, on the other hand, not till fully six months after the reputed bite.
TETANUS
Is a disease very similar in its nature to rabies, but manifesting itself in spasms of the muscles, rather than in general irritability of them. I have, however, only seen one case in the dog, which was the result of a severe injury, and it is said to be very rare indeed. No remedy seems to exert any power over it any more than over rabies itself. Chloroform, by inhalation, might be tried ; but I can scarcely expect any good result in the dog, when its effects on the human being are so far from satisfactory.
TIJENSIDE
Appears to be an inflammation of one side of the brain only, producing a ten- dency to turn round in a circle, like " the gidd" of sheep. It is rather a rare disease, and is easily recognised by the above characteristic sign. There is no apparent constitutional disturbance, and the dog eats much as usual; but the moment he attempts to walk he begins to turn round. In a case which I saw some years ago, the dog recovered by the use of a seton, with purgatives, followed by nitrate of silver, given three times a day in a pill, as follows : —
Nitrate of silver, carefully powdered, 2 grains ; crumb of bread, enough to make eight pills.
INFLAMMATIONS OF THE EYE.
The EYE is the seat of various inflammations, coming on from causes totally distinct from one another. Thus, in distemper, there is generally an inflammation, with discharge, and sometimes the inexperienced attendant will fear that the eye will be lost ; but if the dog recovers his strength, the eye, in almost all cases, is restored also, and especially if it is not interfered with. If, on the other hand, an attempt is made to apply remedies, with the intention of saving the sight, the effect is the reverse of good, and the disease is aggravated so far as often to cause the ulceration to extend through the cornea, and destroy the eye. In ordinary ophthalmia, arising from cold, there is considerable injection of the vessels of the
INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE AND EAR. 27
white of the eye, which becomes red and swollen. In this kind, if an ulcer appears, it will often eat through the cornea, and the eye will be lost by a discharge of its contents. Sometime, again, in a weakly young dog, there is a low kind of inflam- mation, with great intolerance of light, and a discharge of watery fluid instead of thick pus. This is strumous ophthalmia, and requires a very different treatment. A third kind of ophthalmia, the rheumatic, is unattended by discharge ; the vessels are deeply gorged, and the pain great. This, however, is a disease peculiar to old dogs, and from that cause may generally be distinguished from the strumous, and from the ordinary ophthalmia, by the absence of discharge. There is also an inflammation, the result of accident, which sometimes destroys the eye rapidly, and requires energetic treatment. The Treatment of ordinary ophthalmia should depend upon its severity, which, if great, will demand bleeding and .strong purgatives? followed by a grain of calomel and opium two or three times a day. When an ulcer appears, a wash should be used daily, consisting of the nitrate of silver in solution, or the sulphate of zinc, according to the formulas given under Eye-washes. In the strumous kind tonics are necessary, consisting of 1 grain of quinine and 3 of hemlock, in a pill, three times a day. When the rheumatic form shows itself, a brisk purge must first be given, and then the iodide of potassium should be adminis- tered according to the formula at page 12. If this does not succeed, a seton may be inserted in the neck.
CATARACT consists in an opacity of the crystalline lens, for which nothing can be done ; for although it might be removed by operation, the dog would still be unable to see for want of the glasses, which, in the human subject, supply its place. It may easily be recognised by the clear white pupil, which takes the place of the ordinary dark centre of the organ.
DROPSY of the eye is only the result of chronic inflammation, and little can be done to alleviate it, as the eye is almost always destroyed before the disease pro- ceeds so far as to cause dropsy.
AMAUROSIS, or paralysis of the nerve, is generally a sign of disease of the brain, either produced by injury or from overfeeding. The dog is more or less blind without the eye showing any change in form, and even at first being preternaturally bright. But if the dog is watched, he is seen to be blind by his striking his head against objects in his way, and by his timid mode of moving about. If the disease is recent, the dog may possibly be cured by smart purgatives and a seton ; but, in most cases, very little benefit is experienced from these remedies.
INFLAMMATIONS OF THE EAR.
DEAFNESS often arises from severe cold, and may then be expected to disappear as the dog recovers, but it is sometimes congenital, and when such is the case, no remedies are of any avail. If it comes on after distemper, it will generally dis- appear, or if it occurs from ordinary cold. Whenever it is obstinately persistent for more than a fortnight, a seton in the neck is the best remedy, kept in for some weeks.
28 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
CANKER of the ear is an eruption attacking the ear passage or external ear, as the case may be, rather than a disease of the ear itself. According to ita seat, as above mentioned, it is termed external or internal, and then requires very different treatment. Internal canker may be suspected when the dog is seen to shake his head constantly without having any eruption on the external ear to account for this habit. On looking into the ear passage, it will generally be found to be full of yellow matter, bnt sometimes the membrane lining is thickened, red, and dry. In either case it is inflamed, and requires local as well as general treatment. A solution of nitrate of silver should be dropped into the passage every other day, alternating its use with the green iodide of mercury, which should be blown in without admixture with lard. The dog should be physicked with a mild aperient, his diet should be reduced in quantity and quality, and some boiled green vegetables should be added to it every other day. These remedies generally effect a cure in a fortnight, unless the disease has extended beyond the drum of the ear into the delicate structures of the interior, in which case it is often incurable.
EXTERNAL CANKER attacks the tips of the ears, producing a scabby sore, on one or both, which is greatly aggravated by the dog continually shaking his head. Hence it often requires a canvas cap to be tied on, so as to confine the ears, without which, in bad cases, no remedy is effectual. The general treatment is the same as for internal cankers, but the sores require touching with bluestone after rubbing off the scales, and afterwards applying the ointment of green iodide of mercury.
In very bad cases of either kind, when the system is in a very gross state, 6 or 8 drops of liquor arsenicalis should be added to the food twice a day, proportioning the dose to small dogs accordingly. It should be continued for weeks or even months, until it produces a redness of the white of the eye.
INFLAMMATION OF THE MOUTH.
The MOUTH is liable to inflammation from decayed teeth, or from the collection of tartar about them. The only remedy is the removal of these causes of irritation.
WARTS sometimes infest the mouth to a very troublesome extent. They must be removed with scissors, and the bases should then be touched with a small red- hot iron; or with lunar caustic, the former being simpler, and giving less pain, if properly applied.
INFLAMMATION OF THE NOSE (OZENA).
The NOSE is sometimes attacked by inflammation of its lining membrane, producing a stinking discharge, which the dog is constantly dropping about. A solution of chloride of zinc (2 grains to the ounce of water) may be thrown up with a syringe daily.
SKIN DISEASES. 29
INFLAMMATION OF THE SKIN.
MANGE is the kennel term for several inflammations of the skin, whether acute or chronic, the chief popular distinction from surfeit or blotch being, that it is communicable from one to the other by contact — that is to say, that it is " catching." Hence, tbe sporting public exclude surfeit, blotch, &c., from this definition, and only include under the term mange those chronic eruptions which are capable of being taken by one dog from another. There are, however, several distinct varieties, which are not sufficiently described ; and every now and then I see a fresh and perfectly new form, so that I cannot give a complete epitome of them. Every sportsman must know that when his dog has an eruption, the first question asked is the following, namely, " Is it mange, or not ? " and to this it is not always easy to give a satisfactory reply. The following are, however, the forms of mange which I have met with ; but, as I said before, I am constantly meeting with a new variety.
1. VIRULENT MANGE, in its more ordinary form, occurs most commonly in utterly-neglected and large kennels, where dogs are suffered to remain in large numbers together, in all their filth, and without exercise. It is seldom met with elsewhere, but it is highly contagious. The skin is bare of hair in large patches, but these are not in regular forms, being gradually shaded off into the hairy parts, as if from scratching, and are nowhere quite free from hairs. It is dry and rough, with a few oozing scabs here and there, and with inflamed creases, extending wherever there is a fold. The eruption is generally confined to the back, bosom, and inside of the thighs. The health is not much affected, but from the loss of sleep, and constant irritation caused by the itching, there is sometimes some little fever. An insect (acarus) is the cause of this form of mange, but my readers will be none the wiser for reading its scientific name. The treatment consists in a gentle dose or two of aperient medicine internally, and externally of the application of the ointment of green iodide of mercury, which should not be rubbed in at one time over more than ono quarter of the body, for fear of absorption. In such virulent cases, therefore, as extend to more than this extent of surface, a part should be first anointed sparingly, taking care to leave no superfluous ointment on the coat but rubbing it till it has nearly or quite disappeared. With this precaution no danger is to be apprehended from licking, as a small quantity does no harm to a dog of average strength. By repeating the application every second or third day, the most severe cases are soon cured, no remedy within my knowledge being so certain in its operation. In case of failure, Bishop's mange lotion may be used instead. It is sold by Messrs. Barclay and Son, Farringdon-street, London.
2. MANGE, WITH THICKENING OF THE SKIN, appears to be more dependent on constitutional disorder than the first variety, and for it the arsenical solution is no doubt very valuable. In this disease the discharge is very offensive ; the skin is thick, and pouring out an irritating ichor, which occasions a constant and violent itching ; the hair falls off, and the dog is continually scratching himself.
30 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
The REMEDY for this state is a cooling diet, without any animal food of any kind, and composed chiefly of potatoes and other vegetables. A smart purge may be first given, and then the liquor arsenicalis in doses of from two to ten drops three times a day, mixed with the food, according to the size of the dog. If this dose makes the eyes red, or stops the appetite, or occasions vomiting, it may be diminished one-half; but the best plan in all cases is to begin with a full dose at first, and when the desired effect is produced, gradually to diminish it. Less than two or three months will seldom effect a cure, and green iodide ointment will often be required to complete it.
3. RED MANGE, is the most easily detected of all the varieties, because it always shows itself by altering the colour of the hair, whether the dog is white or not. If white, the hair becomes pink ; and if brown or red, it is of a brighter shade ; while if black, it becomes reddish brown. It does not, however, fall off, except from the constant scratching which takes place. There is no eruption visible, but the skin is more red than natural.
The REMEDY is either the ointment of green iodide of mercury, which, however, sometimes fails, or Bishop's mange lotion wash above mentioned applied to the roots of the hair with a stiff brush every other night. Liquor arsenicalis should also be given as above described.
BLOTCH OR SURFEIT is one of those skin diseases which is dependent upon too gross a diet, and is not of a specific nature, that is to say, it is not caused by contagion, nor by a parasitic insect. It begins with an irritation of the skin, which causes the dog to be constantly scratching. On examination, there is a matted mass of loose hair, as if some starch had been dropped on the coat ; and when this comes off, the skin underneath is red, and deprived of its cuticle, dis- charging also a thin watery fluid. These patches occur chiefly on the back and the inside of the thighs, and also on the scrotum, where they are very commonly met with.
The TREATMENT consists in giving cooling and laxative medicines, with starvation and plenty of exercise. This will almost always effect a cure. Locally a piece of bluestone may be rubbed upon the sores, but they will not heal until the constitutional foulness of blood has been relieved, after effecting which local measures are seldom needed.
An ERUPTION between the toes is also constantly occuring in sporting dogs ; and it is precisely similar in its nature and cause, and also in the treatment. Bluestone is almost invariably successful, if combined with purgation and starvation. It generally requires to be well rubbed into the roots of the nails, and also to the clefts between the toes.
INFLAMMATION OF THE ORGANS OF RESPIRATION.
The LARYNX, situated at the top of the windpipe, is not so often the seat of acute inflammation as in man and the horse, but chronic laryngitis is by no means unfrequent in the dog. Both are recognised by the hoarseness of the cough and
PLEURISY. 31
bark, and by a rough sound in breathing, sometimes very audible at a short distance ; and accompanied by a certain degree of increased quickness in respiration, vary ing according to the intensity of the attack.
The TREATMENT will vary according to the acuteness and severity of the disease ; and if this is urgent, bleeding and emetics will be necessary, followed by small doses of calomel, digitalis, and nitre, as prescribed at page 13. If, on the other hand, the more common form of chronic laryngitis is developed, remedies of a different nature must be adopted. A seton should be inserted in the throat, and a good discharge from it promoted by the application of blistering ointment to the tape. Iodide of potassium may generally be given in one, two, or three grain doses, with five or six drops of ipecacuanha wine, and five grains of nitre three times a day, mixed in a little water. When this has been given for a short time without benefit, any of the warm expectorants given at page 12 may be tried ; and sometimes one, and sometimes another, will be of service. The dog, during the continuance of this disease, must be kept rather low than otherwise, but not rigidly starved, as is necessary in some inflammations of the respiratory organs, and should have a fair allowance of walking exercise.
PNEUMONIA, or inflammation of the substance of the lungs, must be dis- tinguished from pleurisy (inflammation of the pleura) and bronchitis, which, when simple, is confined to the lining membrane ; but very commonly there is a combina- tion of two out of three in the same attack.
All are characterised by fever, with quickened respiration and pulse ; generally there is cough, but not always ; and in all cases there is great anxiety depicted in the countenance. The following series of symptoms mark the difference between the three forms of inflammation, whether acute or chronic :
SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE PLEURISY
COMMENCE with shivering, with slight spasms and sweats. Inspiration short, unequal, and interrupted, as from pain ; expiration full ; air expired not hotter than usual. Slight cough only, and without expectoration. Pulse quick, small, and wiry.
The STETHOSCOPE gives the usual respiratory murmur, accompanied with a rubbing sound in the parts attached.
PERCUSSION elicits at first little or no deviation from the natural sound ; after effusion has taken place there is a dull sound.
DISEASE TERMINATES in a gradual disappearance of the symptoms, or in the effusion of fluid (pus or lymph).
SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC PLEURISY.
INSPIRATION always deep ; expiration short. Cough dry, sometimes with expectoration ; frequently changing from dry to moist cough.
STETHOSCOPE indicates an absence of respiratory murmur in the lower parts of
32 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
the chest, and sometimes a gurgling noise. Strong respiratory murmur in the superior portion of the lung, very often of one side only.
TERMINATES either by cure or by effusion and infiltration of the whole of the cellular membrane of the chest and belly, and sometimes of the scrotum and thighs : at last the serum in the thorax presses upon the lungs till it causes suffocation.
SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE PNEUMONIA
COMMENCE with shivering, without spasms. Inspiration full ; expiration short ; air expired hot, Nostrils red in the interior. Cough generally violent, with expectoration of rusty mucus, not very profuse. Pulse quick, full, and soft.
The STETHOSCOPE gives a crackling sound in the early stage, followed by increased dullness, and, finally, by crepitating wheezing.
PERCUSSION gives after the first stage a dull return to the finger.
DISEASE TERMINATES in resolution, with cessation of the bad symptoms ; or in solidification, called hepatization ; or sometimes in abscess of the lung.
SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC PNEUMONIA.
INSPIRATION and expiration both difficult and interrupted. Cough present, but not frequent, and evidently avoided and suppressed. Expectoration rarely profuse ; sometimes absent.
STETHOSCOPE indicates hepatization, from the entire absence of murmur.
PERCUSSION also gives a very dull return to the fingers. Sometimes there is a mucous rattle.
TERMINATES sometimes in resolution ; or, if fatal, in a discharge from the nostrils of purulent matter, coloured with blood, and often very fetid. The animal never lies down at length, but sits up on his hind legs.
SYMPTOMS OF ACUTE BRONCHITIS
COMMENCE also with shivering, followed by constant hard cough. Air expired warm, but not so hot as in pneumonia. Inspiration and expiration both full. Cough after a time attended with expectoration of mucus, at first sticky, soon becoming frothy, and, finally, profuse and frothy. Pulse full and hard.
The STETHOSCOPE gives a soap-bubble kind of sound, with wheezing.
PERCUSSION elicits nothing of consequence.
DISEASE TERMINATES either by resolution, or by extention to the cellular membrane, constituting pneumonia in combination with bronchitis.
SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC BRONCHITIS.
RESPIRATION free, but quicker than natural. Cough constant and intense, evidently not restrained by fear of pain ; sometimes to such an extent as to cause soreness of the muscles of the belly.
ACUTE BRONCHITIS. 33
STETHOSCOPE gives a rattling sound, as of soap bubbles, with a great deal of wheezing.
PERCUSSION gives no result different from a state of health.
TERMINATES in resolution ; or, if fatal, in an accumulation of mucus, and consequent suffocation. Until very near suffocation the dog will almost always lie down ; whereas the contrary is the case in pneumonia.
The TREATMENT will a good deal depend upon which of the above three con- ditions is present, though not to such an extent as to be of very great consequence. In pleurisy and pneumonia, bleeding will almost always be required in the early stage, but not in bronchitis, which seldom is benefited by loss of blood. Blisters, again, relieve pneumonia and bronchitis, but are actually prejudicial in pleurisy, where the close relation between the vessels of the pleura lining the chest, and the skin covering it, often causes the irritation of the latter to extend to the former, and thus increase the mischief it was intended to relieve. With regard to internal medicines, they are, fortunately, much the same in all three. Calomel and opium, with or without digitalis and tartar emetic, will generally be useful ; and in bronchitis, rhubarb, opium, and ipecacuanha, as follows : —
Calomel and opium in powder, of each | to 1 grain ; tartar emetic, f to f grain ; digitalis, | grain.
Confection enough to form a pill, to be given three times a day. Or,
Rhubarb powder, 2 grains ; ipecacuanha powder, ^ to 1 grain ; extract of opium, | to 1 grain ; compound tincture of benzoin, 2 drops.
Mix, and form a pill, to be given three times a day.
When these remedies have had the desired effect of relieving the inflammation, as evidenced by the breathing and pulse becoming slower, and by the dog being able to lie down, if the pneumonia has been present, some one of the cough mixtures or pills given in the chapter on drugs, under the head of Expectorants will be found beneficial ; but it is generally difficult to say which of them will best suit any particular case. A trial may be made of one for two or three days, and if that fails, another should be substituted for it. The diet should be very low at first, and afterwards only a milk and farinaceous one, with vegetables, should be allowed for some weeks. When dropsy of the chest supervenes upon pleurisy, tapping has occasionally been had recourse to ; but for sporting dogs it is wholly useless, because the animal never recovers sufficient bodily powers to be of real service in the field ; and it is only in pets whose lives are valued by their masters or mistresses that this operation should ever be had recourse to.
CHRONIC BRONCHITIS, WITH SPASM, usually known as spasmodic asthma, is very common among ladies' pets, who become overfed in consequence of the kindness of their mistresses, and their blood vessels gorged with foul blood, when spasm comes on with congestion of the mucous membrane of the large air-tubes, causing that frightful panting for breath which is so distressing in the human subject, and which even in the dog is by no means calculated to afford pleasure to the spectator. A fat, pursy, and asthmatic old dog is a miserable object of pity, and had far better be destroyed than suffered to live on in misery. The nose
34 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
is dry and hot, the animal spirits are flagging ; there is a distressing cough, and exercise is followed by an aggravation of the symptoms.
The TREATMENT should be by giving nauseating doses of tartar emetic, camphor, and henbane ; or of ipecacuanha with the two last, as follows : —
Ipecacuanha, f to If grains ; camphor, 1 to 2 grains ; extract of henbane, If to 3 grains. Make into a pill, and give three times a day.
A blister or seton may be applied to the side, and low diet in small bulk should be given ; but there is little chance of doing more than to relieve a dog labouring under this complaint.
CONSUMPTION, OR PHTHISIS, is a disease of the lungs, in which a peculiar condition, called tubercle, is developed in them ; and when aggravated by cold, or often by the natural constitution of the dog, they become inflamed, are converted into abscesses, and cause the death of the animal by constitutional fever (hectic), and by the suffocation produced either by a vessel giving way, or by the quantity of matter discharged into the air-passages. The symptoms are very insidious, and many dogs have them developed to a great extent before their owners take any notice of their condition. Very little good can be effected by treatment, but some- times cod-liver oil, with steel, will be of temporary service. In sporting dogs, however, it is seldom that it is desirable to prolong life with this condition of the system ; and it is never right to breed from dogs or bitches suffering under this disease, it being decidedly hereditary.
INFLAMMATION OF THE HEART is another of the diseased conditions which attack the dog, generally from over-exertion in an unprepared state. There is usually a very rapid action of the heart, with a strong bounding pulse, and laborious breathing, unaccompanied by cough.
The TREATMENT is to be conducted upon lowering principles, with digitalis and nitre, and blistering or a seton in the side.
INFLAMMATION OF THE OEGANS OF NUTEITION.
GASTRITIS, or inflammation of the stomach, is either acute or chronic. Acute gastritis is generally caused by poison administered wilfully, or by some similar accidental circumstance, such as highly-seasoned food, &c. There is constant violent retching, with intense thirst, and apparently great pain. The nose is dry, and the breathing quick ; no kind of food is retained on the stomach ; and the poor wretch lies extended on the cold earth with his belly applied closely to it. There is a constant desire to lick cold marble or iron, so as to cool the tongue, and cold water is eagerly sought after.
The TREATMENT chiefly consists in removing the sickness, which is best accom- plished by calomel and opium, 1 grain of each in a pill twice a day.
HEPATITIS, or INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER, is one of the most common of all diseases to which the dog is subject. In the acute form it is the disease which is characterised by the yellow skin and eyes, commonly called " the yellows," which in sporting dogs is very commonly fatal. Acute hepatitis comes on from exposure to
INFLAMMATION OF THE INTESTINES. 35
cold and wet, one or two days after which the dog is shivering and feverish, with a small, hard, and wiry pulse, and a dry nose ; there is generally obstinate costiveness, and when the bowels are moved, the motions are white or slate-coloured and entirely devoid of bile. If these symptoms are not soon alleviated, the inflamma- tion goes on to destroy the substance of the liver, and the dog dies rapidly from constitutional disturbance, arising chiefly from the want of depurating power of the liver. To remove the inflammation, bleeding is sometimes necessary in the early stage, but as it reduces the strength greatly, and as this is required to be kept up during convalescence, it is always attended with danger. Calomel, with or without opium, is the only medicine to be relied on in extreme cases, but when there is time enough, podophyllin may be substituted for it. If there is no diarrhoea produced by these drugs, opium may be omitted, but it must be added to counteract that effect in sufficient doses. If the bowels are confined, a dose of rhubarb and castor-oil may be given, mixing 10 grains of rhubarb with a tablespoon- ful of oil and a teaspoonful of syrup of poppies for a full-sized dog, and less, in pro- portion, for a smaller one. Sometimes a blister must be applied to the side when the inflammation runs very high ; and, in all cases, the mercury must be continued until the motions acquire a natural colour, when the stomachic No. 2 may be given and the mercury discontinued. Chronic hepatitis is a very different disease, and is more frequently the result of bad general management than of cold. Want of exercise is the usual cause, which has given the liver the work of the lungs. The symptoms of chronic hepatitis are multiform, and no one can be depended upon except the absence of bile in the faeces, which is an invariable sign, for no gland in a state of chronic inflammation will be able to secrete good bile.
The TREATMENT is to be conducted by rubbing into the region of the liver on both sides the ointment of biniodide of mercury, together with castor oil and rhubarb internally, in sufficient doses to keep the bowels gently moved. If the mercurial ointment does not soon cause the bile to flow, it may be assisted by small doses of blue pill or Plummer's pill, added to the rhubarb and oil, and the stomachic draught, No. 2, should be regularly administered in addition. If these means are perseveringly continued, and the dog is regularly but gently exercised, with plain farinaceous food, mixed with weak broth, the disease, unless very inveterate, will generally subside, and if a free flow of bile is obtained little doubt need be felt of the ultimate recovery.
INFLAMMATION OF THE INTESTINES
May be said to be divided into four varieties, though one of them is more of a spasmodic than of an inflammatory nature ; these are — first, peritoneal inflammation ; secondly, colic, or inflammation and spasm of the muscular coat ; thirdly, diarrhosa, or acute inflammation of the mucous coat ; and, fourthly, constipation, from chronic inflammation of the same membrane.
1. PERITONITIS and ENTERITIS are merely different parts of the same mem- brane inflamed ; the former comprehending the peritoneum lining the abdominal
36 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
walls, whilst the latter embraces the peritoneum covering the intestines. In practice, there is very little difference between them, and the symptoms and treat- ment are the same. It is a frightful disease, and soon runs its course to a fatal termination ; beginning with shivering, cold legs, ears, and nose ; breath hot ; pulse hard, quick, and small ; the expression is an anxious one, with a staring eye ; the tail is pressed firmly against the anus, and there is intense tenderness of the belly ; bowels generally costive, and urine scanty ; tongue dry and rough ; with thirst and loss of appetite. As the disease advances all these symptoms become aggravated, and very soon the dog dies, worn out with irritation and pain.
The TREATMENT consists in full bleeding, with calomel and opium, of each a grain every four hours. Blisters, or stimulating applications to the belly, and a warm bath, will be beneficial in some few cases ; but whatever is done must be done quickly, as the disease soon passes on to a fatal termination, if unchecked by remedies.
2. COLIC is very common in all kinds of dogs, and is partly of a spasmodic, partly of an inflammatory nature. There is intense pain, coming on in paroxysms, during which the dog howls with agony. Very often the attack is quite sudden, and comes on after a full meal which has been eaten much as usual ; suddenly the dog starts up, with something between a moan and a groan, and then lies down again ; soon after there is another groan, and a shifting of the position, and then, after an interval of rest, and perhaps sleep, there comes on a regular paroxysm of pain, with violent howls, which soon, however, cease, only to be repeated at intervals, varying in length according to the severity of the attack. The nose is not dry or hot, the tongue is clean and moist, and the appetite even is not affected ; pulse full and soft, and not much quicker than natural. There is no tenderness of the belly, and pressure seems to alleviate the pain, rather than to increase it.
The TREATMENT consists of giving ether and laudanum internally, in doses of from thirty to sixty drops of each, and a clyster of turpentine and laudanum, one teaspoonful of each in a half a pint of gruel. The stimulating embrocation, page 12, should be well rubbed into the bowels ; and in bad cases a very hot bath may be administered. When the colic comes on in young dogs, the injection of turpentine with laudanum and a little ether will generally Suffice without any internal medicine; but a dose of castor oil will almost always be necessary to carry off the offending matter.
Sometimes colic is followed or attended by INTUSSUSCEPTION, in which one contracted part of the bowel is driven into the expanded part below it. It cannot be distinguished from colic, and the animal is sure to die, unless an operation is performed to liberate the bowel ; which might be easily done if the disease could be discovered with certainty ; but, unfortunately, this is not the case.
3. DIARRHCEA, or DYSENTERY, comes on either from epidemic causes, or from some irritating and improper food, or from too violent aperient medicine. Unless there is an epidemic raging at the time, or the diarrhoea is clearly connected with distemper, the treatment should generally commence with a dose of castor oil, having with it a few drops of laudanum. If this is not enough to stop the purging,
INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. 37
the anodyne mixture, No. 1, may be tried, and failing that, No. 2, adding more laudanum to each dose, if necessary, up to any extent, for this medicine is well borne by the dog in full doses. Rice-water is to be the only drink allowed ; and arrowroot or rice the only food, flavoured with milk or weak mutton-broth. If the dysentery is very bad, an injection of laudanum and starch may be tried ; but it is seldom retained, even for a minute or two, and unless mechanical pressure is kept upon the anus by means of a towel, it is quite useless.
4. COSTIVENESS is generally the result of chronic inflammation of the bowels, or of the liver, by which their functions are impaired ; and when the former is torpid, the healthy stimulus of the bile is not afforded. Dogs which are regularly exercised are not very liable to costiveness, but those which are confined to the house or to their kennels, are often terribly tormented by it, and suffer severely from the consequences, including that painful affection, piles, to which the dog is much subject. Very often the dog suffers very severe pain from the obstruction afforded by pent-up faeces, and is utterly unable to pass them until Nature has set up an inflammation of the rectum, by which mucus is poured out, and the mass comes away with much straining. The dog thus affected is almost mad with pain ; he runs to and fro, rushes into odd corners, and shakes his head in the most odd manner, and in this stage may very easily be mistaken for a " mad dog ; " but the suddenness of the attack, and the mass of hardened faeces easily felt in the flank mark the difference between the two cases.
The TREATMENT of costiveness should be by diet if possible, and the substitution of oatmeal, with or without the addition of boiled green vegetables, will generally effect this. If not sufficient, give a pill of rhubarb and ipecacuanha — 5 to 30 grains of the former, with f grain of the latter — at the time of feeding, every day.
INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEY AND BLADDER.
INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEY is not very common in the dog, but it some- times occurs from the use of turpentine as a vermifuge. Very rarely there is met with in the kidney a formation of stone, called Renal Calculus, but no means can be used to remove it, nor are there any symptoms which indicate its presence during life.
INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER AND URETHRA is very usual in the dog, and is marked by a discharge of yellow mucus from the end of the penis. This is the result of high feeding generally, though sometimes it comes on from mechanical irritation.
The TREATMENT is to be conducted by giving saline aperients : sulphate of magnesia, \ to 1 ounce ; nitre, 10 to 15 grains ; water enough to dissolve. Mix, and give twice a week.
Balsam of copaiba may be given in obstinate cases, in does varying from 4 to 15 drops, in a little mucilage ; but it seldom is retained on the stomach, and the best chance is to give one or two of the capsules now commonly sold, which may be
38 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
pushed down the throat. When the discharge is clearly in the sheath, a wash of the sulphate of zinc, as here prescribed, may be used. Sulphate of^zinc, 10 to 15 grains ; rose water, 1 ounce. Mix.
CHOREA AND SHAKING PALSY.
The former is almost always a sequel of distemper, and may be known by the peculiar nodding of the head, or twitch of the fore-leg, which all dog owners must have seen. Shaking palsy is a general agitation of the body, without the twitching so characteristic of chorea. Chorea generally occurs as a sequel of distemper (see page 19) ; but sometimes it appears without that combination. Little can be done in either case ; but nitrate of silver, in doses of -|th of a grain, has sometimes effected a cure of chorea. When the disease first comes on, a general tonic treatment should be tried, the first principle being to improve the general health by good food and fresh air, aided by stomachic medicines ; and secondly, to give such strengthening and tonic medicines as are likely to improve the tone of the nervous system. Fresh country air is of the utmost consequence, and this alone will often dispel the attacks of chorea ; but when united to a liberal diet it is doubly likely to be successful. The puppy should have plenty of good milk, or, if that cannot be obtained, beef tea or mutton broth, with oatmeal or wheaten flour added in proportion to the looseness of the bowels. If these are confined, they must be acted on by castor oil or rhubarb and aloes, or some of the aperients which merely act without producing much loss of strength. When the strength is somewhat improved by diet and stomachics, sulphate of zinc, in doses varying from 2 to 4 grains three times a day, may be given ; or a grain or two of quinine, with 2 or 3 grains of extract of hemlock in a pill, will be likely to be serviceable, but either must be used regularly for some weeks in order to have a fair chance of success. By these means many bad cases may be relieved, or perhaps nearly cured ; but with sporting dogs, if the attack is really severe, it is seldom that sufficient improvement is effected to make the dog as efficient as before. Hence, in this instance it is perhaps better to destroy him, than to persist in patching him up in a way which will only render him a burden and disgrace to his master. Shaking palsy, I have already remarked, is wholly incurable.
EPILEPSY
May be distinguished from the fits of puppyhood by the great champing of the jaws and struggling of the limbs during the fit, and also by the frothing at the mouth which is generally an accompaniment of it. It comes on without notice} and in the setter and pointer is peculiarly annoying, because it generally shows itself at the time when their services are most wanted, namely, during the middle of a day's shooting. Very often this happens during the excitement of the " point," but the fit is scarcely marked till the birds are sprung, when the dog generally falls, and is seized with struggles and foaming at the mouth. Generally this lasts for a few minutes, extending sometimes to half an hour, after which he recovers himself, and will even continue his work without loss of nose. With regard to the
GENERAL DROPSY. 39
causes of epilepsy nothing is known, but its attacks are aggravated by improper food, and by the addition of flesh without due preparation, as is often heedlessly done just before the shooting season.
The TREATMENT consists in attention to the general health, which is all that can be done, as in confirmed epilepsy a cure is seldom effected. If recently developed, bromide of potassium should be given in from 3 to 5 grain doses, and this should be continued for at least a month or six weeks.
By FITS may be understood those which occur to the puppy during dentition or from distemper, both of which indicate either disease of the brain, or great disturbance of the digestive apparatus in consequence of worms. These fits are accompanied by slight convulsions, but no foaming at the mouth, and the dog is not speedily recovered from them, but lies exhausted after he recovers his con- sciousness. They are very fatal in distemper, being symptoms of great mischief in the brain ; but they are not invariably fatal, because the severity of the fit does not always indicate a corresponding degree of internal mischief.
In their TREATMENT Mr. Mayhew recommended injections of ether and laudanum ; but I can scarcely assign to this remedy the credit which he claims for it, knowing that many epileptic fits are recovered from without any aid at all, and finding that he classes all under the one head of "fits." In the kind I am now considering, there is generally some exciting cause present, as distemper, or the irritation of worms, or of teething ; and if these are removed, the fits will generally subside, and, consequently, the whole attention should be directed to this object. These fits seldom recur many times in succession, being either speedily fatal, or else ending in a complete cure ; and in this respect they are unlike epilepsy, as well as in their symptoms and treatment.
GENERAL DROPSY.
ANASAECA, or general dropsy in the dog, is not a very uncommon disease among old kennelled dogs, owing to the improper way in which they are fed and kept without exercise. It consists of an infiltration of serum from the blood vessels into the cellular membrane, caused by the kidneys refusing to act, as a consequence generally of inflammation ; and the disease, therefore, is merely a symptom of inflammation of the kidneys, for which reason I might have classed it among the inflammatory diseases, but that it sometimes occurs from a different condition of that organ, owing to a want of tone in the general system. Its most frequent cause is either improper stimulants — in the case of the stallion greyhound, a very frequent cause — or a gross kind of food, or sometimes from simple over-crowding of the dogs in a small kennel, occasioning a breaking down of the system, and an exudation of serum as a consequence. Among over- stimulated pets, which are not allowed any exercise, it is a very common disease, and often carries them off in a very dis- gustingly loathsome condition. When the liver is in fault, by throwing too much work upon the kidneys, as is sometimes the case, the urine is yellow, but in the usual way it is highly charged with salts, and dark brown, not yellow.
40 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
THE TREATMENT consists in acting in accordance with the cause — that is to say, in treating the case so as to relieve the dropsy, and not upon any fixed prin- ciples ; thus, supposing the kidneys are inflamed, blood must be taken, and calomel and digitalis given in grain doses of each, without any violent diuretics, which will only aggravate the disease. If the dropsy is merely a symptom of a breaking down of the system, this must be propped by bark and steel, with perhaps ammonia in addition. When the urine is mixed with blood, in a broken down constitution, the following mixture may be given, on the authority of Mr. May hew, and I have my doubts of its success : — Tincture of cantharides, 3 drops ; water, two ounces. To be given twice a day.
If the dropsy is from the kidneys refusing to act, 6 or 8 grains of nitre may be given two or three times a day, in the diuretic mixture, No. 2, but the great prin- ciple is to make out the cause and act accordingly.
WORMS.
The PRESENCE of WORMS in the intestinal canal is one of the greatest annoyances to the proprietors of dogs of all classes. In the greyhound they are a constant source of mischief, and in the other varieties of sporting dogs they are equally common. In the puppy they are particularly injurious, cutting off his supplies of food, and also irritating his nervous system, to a degree which can scarcely be credited without actual experience. Whenever a puppy is seen to look rough and unhealthy in his coat (mere roughness is 110 indication), and when he is also thinner than he ought to be, with a ravenous appetite, and the constant passing of small quantities of faeces, the first part of which is solid, while the latter part is loose and frothy ; when he also is more dull than natural, with a hot dry nose, and offensive breath, it may generally be concluded that he has some kind of intestinal worm, and the only thing is to find out which species is present, and then to exhibit the appropriate remedy, For this purpose the areca nut is a very useful medicine, given in proportion to the age and size, from a whole nut powdered, which is the dose for a full grown dog of 401b. or 501b., down to a quarter of a nut for a little dog of lOlb. weight. This should be given, and followed in a few hours by a mild dose of castor oil, when some of the worms present will most likely make their appearance, and according to their nature must the remedy be.
The VARIETIES of WORMS are as follows :
1. The COMMON MAW- WORM. — This is a short white worm, about an inch long, with a pointed head, and a flat broad tail, the intervening part being nearly oval. These worms exist chiefly in the large intestines, where they are often in great numbers, and they are generally supposed not to interfere much with the health of the dog ; but as it appears, according to Dr. Cobbold, that they are joints of the tape worm, it may, I suppose, be considered that this idea is not correct.
2. The LONG BOUND-WORM (Ascarls lumbricoides). — A pink or red worm, resembling the garden worm in appearance, but somewhat less in size, and not so red in colour. They chiefly inhabit the small intestines, and are very injurious to
WOEMS. 41
the health, interfering with the digestion in every way, since they take up the chyle for their own use, and also irritate the mucous membrane by their presence.
3. The TAPE-WORM (Tcenia solium and Tcenia lota). — This worm is found in two or three species, but for our purpose it is sufficient to describe its general appearance, which is that of a long flat worm, divided into joints, and often coming away in portions, but leaving the head behind. It is, when suffered to remain long enough, from six to eight feet long, and the dog may often be seen running about with a foot or two hanging from his anus, or curled round his tail, to his great annoyance and 'disgust. The tape-worm inhabits the small intestines, and is much worse even than the round worm in its effects upon the health of the animal. Its expulsion should therefore be effected with great care, and its head, which is larger considerably than the diameter of the rest of the body, should be diligently sought for, for until this is found it cannot be asserted with positive certainty that the vermifuge has been successful.
The GENERAL PRINCIPLES of treatment consist in starving the dog for from twelve to twenty-four hours, and then administering the appropriate vermifuge followed by a mild dose of aperient medicine, to carry off the worms from the intestines. The following is a complete list of vermifuges suited to the various conditions and kinds of worms ; but it will be necessary to repeat here what are the best for each kind, and their respective advantages and disadvantages, for, unfortunately, all are more or less injurious to the dog, and their use is only to be encouraged as a less evil than the continued existenee of worms.
The REMEDIES FOR ROUND-WORM are as follows : —
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium).
Garlic (Allium sativum).
Cowhage (Macuna pruriens).
Santoniiie, or the active principle of worm-seed (Artemisia contra).
Indian Pink (Spigelia Marylandica).
Areca nut (Nux areca).
Stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus').
Powdered tin and glass.
Calomel (Hydrargyri chloridum).
For TAPE-WORM or MAW-WORM the following may be used with advantage :
Areca nut (Nux areca).
Kousso (Bray era anthelmintica).
Barbadoes tar (Petroleum Sarbadense).
Pomegranate bark (Punica granatum).
Male fern (Felix mas).
Spirit of turpentine (Spiritus terebinthince).
Of these wormwood, garlic, and cowhage are nearly inert : santonine is
G
42 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
useful for round worms, as also are Indian pink and hellebore ; calomel is unsafe in the highest degree, and powdered tin and glass nearly useless. With the exception of Barbadoes tar, all the remedies enumerated for tape- worm are efficacious, but more or less injurious when the constitution is at all weakly.
Areca nut is the remedy upon which reliance is now chiefly placed, its careful and repeated exhibition being almost always sufficient to procure the expulsion of the worms ; the dose of the freshly grated nut is 2 grains for each pound the dog weighs, and this should be given freshly mixed in broth, or, if the dog refuses it, mixed into a pill with a little jam or treacle ; it should be repeated every four or five days for about four or five doses, when it may reasonably be hoped that a cure is effected, but, if not, a second course will almost always succeed. For round worm santonine is the most efficacious remedy, the full dose being 3grs.
RICKETS AND ENLARGED JOINTS.
When a puppy is unable to stand strongly on his legs, which are more or less twisted and the joints enlarged, the condition is known by the name rickets, and if the case is a bad one, he had better be destroyed. The disease is often produced by bad management, but sometimes it is the result of breeding " in and in," or of diseased parents. Phosphate of lime is the main agent in stiffening the skeleton, and if food containing this salt is not afforded in sufficient quantity the bones are of a gelatinous character, easily bending under the dog's weight, and consequently rendered by nature too bulky for his future well-being as an animal fitted for the chase. Many breeders like to see a puppy show larger joints than usual, and consider them an indication of strength; but I am strongly of opinion that the reverse is the case, and that the puppy which has them is not nearly so strong as one whose limbs are grown more like those of an old dog. This, however, is a disputed point, and I would never advise the rejection of a puppy because his joints were all enlarged ; but, if one is much larger than the others, it is a sign of worse disease than rickets, and more nearly allied to what, in human pathology, is called scrofula. Sometimes the swellings disappear, and the disease is cured, but generally these joints become more and more inflamed, and finally go on to form matter, and to make the dog entirely lame. Little can be done for this in the way of treatment, and the destruction of the puppy is the best plan of proceeding. In rickets, however, a great change sometimes takes place, and the bending of the limbs or the enlargement of the joints gradually disappears, leaving only some slight indication of what has existed. Too often, however, the bone is weak and liable to fracture ; and at the time when the dog is wanted for the sport to which it is dedicated, the bone gives way, and the time and trouble occupied- in its rearing are found to have been totally thrown away ; hence the necessity for good feeding in the rearing of all young dogs, and too much c are can scarcely be bestowed upon them.
CANCER— DISEASES OF PARTURITION. 43
CANCER AND FUNGUS H^MATODES.
These malignant diseases usually attack the bitch either in the uterus or teats. Cancer, in the early stage, is known by its peculiar hardness, while fungus is distinguished by its comparatively soft and elastic feel, and by its general tendency to bleed. Both are incurable, and the only chance is to remove the tumours with the knife if they occur in the teats, but the disease generally returns.
ENCYSTED TUMOURS
Are very common in the dog, and consist of small soft bags, lying close under the skin, of a circular form, and devoid of pain or inflammation. They vary in size from that of a pea to the volume of a small orange. The only remedy is the knife, which may be used with perfect safety, by anyone accustomed to it. The skin must be saved and dissected back, and the tumour, when exposed, may readily be lifted out of its bed without much dissection ; after which the parts may be suffered to heal of themselves.
DISEASES OF PARTURITION.
In HEALTHY PARTURITION the bitch seldom suffers much ; but sometimes in a small bitch, when the sire is of much larger size, the disproportion between the whelps and the mother is so great as to occasion great difficulty and danger. This sometimes also happens without any apparent reason.
In order to ascertain whether or not the bitch is in pup,' a careful external examination will generally be necessary ; when, on pressing the fingers deeply into the flank, several small round or oval bodies may be felt, in number according to the future litter. Between the fourth and seventh weeks the whelps cannot so easily be felt; but, though they are said to be lost, a careful examination by a practised hand will always detect nearly all of them lying close against the spine. After the seventh week they appear very plainly, and the belly rapidly swells till it attains the size which it presents at whelping time ; about three or four days before which the teats begin to swell, and on the day before generally are full of milk — a pretty sure indication of the near approach of labour.
In the PROCESS OP PARTURITION, the bitch should be left to herself as much as possible ; and if of good size and healthy, she will nearly always pass through it without trouble. Sometimes, however, her pelvis is too small to allow of the passage of the whelp, and then either she must die, or man must afford his aid by mechanical means ; but this operation is too difficult for any but a practised hand, and therefore I should recommend the aid of a skilful veterinarian to be in all cases called in. If a part of the whelp is bom, and the remainder does not come
44 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
away for some time — owing apparently to the exhausted condition of the bitch — • it is quite safe to give a little brandy and gruel by the mouth, and then steadily to draw away the whelp, by laying hold of the part presenting with a piece of tape round it, or a strip of calico.
As soon as all the whelps are born, the bitch may be allowed to rest for a short time, unless she is very much exhausted, when the brandy and gruel may be given, as directed in the last paragraph, After an hour, a little lukewarm gruel may generally be allowed; and in the course of four hours another quantity of the same. No meat of any kind should be given for three days, during which time the state of the bowels should be regulated, if necessary, by castor oil ; and milk thickened with oatmeal or wheat-flour, or broth with the same thickening, or with arrowroot, if diarrhoea is present, should be the only food. Sometimes, after the first week, the whole litter is too great a draw upon the system, and part mvst be removed from the bitch, and brought up by hand, if it is wished to preserve them, feeding them from a common baby's bottle, with the india-rubber nipple, now so commonly in use ; but a very thick and stout one should be selected, or the puppy will compress it too much with its tongue. When the bitch is much reduced by her suckling, she sometimes is subject to fits, for which the only remedy is the removal of her whelps, and the exhibition of strong beef tea, with bark, and ammonia in addition ; together with port wine and arrowroot, if the bowels are relaxed. After the first week, and, indeed, gradually during the fourth, fifth, and sixth days, meat must be added to the other food, or earlier even if the bitch has had much animal food before whelping.
If the bitch is inclined to devour her young, she should be allowed to remain very quiet, and very little animal food should be given her. A dose of oil should always be given a short time before her whelping time, and if she should, never- theless, devour them, another dose should follow, so as to carry off the effects of so heating a meal.
If a foster-mother is determined upon, all that is necessary is to muzzle her until the strange whelps have sucked her, and lain for some time with her own ; she will then fail to distinguish between them, and her own offspring may be removed with safety, leaving the foster- whelps to her care, which she will exercise just as fully towards them as if they were really hers.
If the bitch has been " put by," as it is called, and is not in whelp at the end of nine weeks from her " heat," she will be fat and indolent, with her teats full of milk. At this time it is better to take a little blood from her, and to give her a smart purge once or twice, together with vegetable food; after which she will generally recover her health and spirits, and become much as usual at the expiration of another month or five weeks. This ought to be fully considered in the case of all sporting dogs.
CUTS, TEAES, AND BITES
Are easily treated in the dog, because his skin is very readily healed, though not so speedily or in the same manner as that of man. In man a clean cut, if
CUTS, TEAES, AND BITES. 45
properly treated, heals as if by magic ; and in three days large surfaces of many inches in extent will often be firmly healed by a kind of glue thrown out from the cut surfaces, which afterwards becomes organised. In the dog and horse, however, no such glue is thrown out, and the oozing is always of a watery nature ; so that apposition must always be maintained by stitches, and even they are only of use in preventing extreme displacement while they remain inserted. In slight cuts, tears, and bites, therefore, it is better to leave them alone to the healing powers of the dog's tongue; but in those cases where a large flap is torn down, as in the legs, for instance, a stitch or two should always be inserted, over which a bandage should be fixed, and the- dog kept muzzled until union takes place. Without the last precaution stitches and bandages are of no use, since the dog will always manage to remove them, and will tear out any stitches which may be inserted, however carefully they may be tied. The first thing to be done is to wash the parts, if dirty, and then with a common needle and thread to put in several stitches, according to the extent of the wound ; but only fixing it so as to keep it nearly in position, for an exact adaptation is of no use whatever. In putting in the stitches, the following is the plan to be adopted: take the needle and thread and insert it in the outside of the skin, on one side of the wound, and bring it out on the inside; then pass it from the inside towards the out of the opposite part of the corresponding flap on the other side, and tie the ends so as to close the wound. Repeat this as often as necessary, and cover all up with the bandage as already directed. After four or five days the threads may be cut and removed, because they are no longer serviceable, and only serve to irritate the skin; and from this time the whole dependence must be placed upon the bandage in keeping the parts together. In some parts — as, for instance, the flank, a bandage can scarcely be applied; but even there it is wonderful how nature fills up an apparently irremediable gap. I have often seen a flap torn down by a spike, which has hung down from the flank for five or six inches, but at the end of a month scarcely any scar can be seen. The owner therefore need never despair as long as the skin only is the seat of the accident; but when the abdominal muscles also are torn the bowels are apt to protrude, and the parts, if left to themselves, will never regain their original condition. Here a circular stitch must be practised, so as to pucker up the parts like the mouth of an old-fashioned purse, and if the walls are thick enough the plan may be practised with success; but in the thin tendinous expansions covering the middle of the belly there is great difficulty in carrying out this plan of rectifying the injury. The mode by which nature heals all the wounds of the dog is by granulation, in which small red bladders are thrown out by both surfaces, which, after they are in contact for some hours or days, coalesce and form a bond of union; but if they are allowed to rub against each other this union cannot take place, and the growth is confined to the angle of the wound only. Hence the use and necessity of a bandage, which keeps the two surfaces in close contact, and hastens the cure in a remark- able manner; effecting in ten days what would often require ten weeks if left
46 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
to the dog's tongue alone. When the granulations rise above the level of the surrounding skin, a piece of bluestone may be rubbed over them daily ; and if the whole sore is too red, and the granulations large and smooth, a little friar's balsam may be brushed over it ; or, what is far better, a solution of nitrate of silver, of the strength of from three to eight grains to an ounce of distilled water.
FEACTIJEES
May easily be treated in -the dog by any person possessed of ordinary mechanical ingenuity. The bones most commonly fractured are those of the extremities ; but almost all throughout the body are at times subject to this accident.
FRACTURES OP THE BIBS are very common from the kick of a horse, or from the thick boot of a man, who sometimes in his rage, at the attack of a dog, administers a blow with his iron-shod toe which is sufficient to destroy life, or, at all events, to break one or more ribs. When from any cause they are fractured, the best plan is to apply a horse-girth round the whole chest, by buckling it smoothly twice round, or, if the size of the dog will not admit of this, the girth may be adapted to one circle only. This may be buckled so tightly as to prevent the dog using his ribs in breathing, and to confine him to the use of his diaphragm for that purpose, by which means the ribs are kept quite still, and nature in about three weeks unites the broken ends. For a broken shoulder-blade, or true arm, there is little to be done, nor in the case of a fractured pelvis or upper thigh-bone can much good be effected by interference. Nature will in all cases work a cure so far as to enable a new joint to be formed ; but the animal is rendered useless for sporting purposes, and can only be kept for his or her breed.
In FRACTURES OF THE LIMBS, splints or strips of deal should be neatly applied round the limb and encircled with tapes to keep them in position. The first thing to be done is to adapt the splints to the leg, so that the parts shall be kept in a tolerably correct position while the inflammation is being subdued ; for if the fracture has been the result of much violence there will be considerable swelling of the soft parts, and the tapes require constant attention to prevent undue pressure. Some experience in such matters is, however, required, and a surgeon should always be called in when the animal is of sufficient importance.
DISLOCATIONS
Consist in a displacement of the end of a bone from its connexion with the one above it ; and they may occur at the hip, stifle, shoulder- joint, or knee, as well as the joints of the toes. The hock is seldom dislocated without fracture, but such an accident has been known to occur, and great trouble would be experienced in its
DISLOCATIONS. 47
reduction, on account of the shape and nature of the joint. Dislocation of the stifle-joint is not very common, it being very strongly guarded by ligaments, and broad also in the surface of the bones of which it is composed. The hip-joint is very often the seat of dislocation, and is one of the most intractable of all to manage. The socket projects in a prominent manner from the body of the pelvis, and when the head of the thigh bone is thrown out of its cup in sinks at once deeply by the side of it, and can scarcely be drawn out of its bed by any force which can be applied. In the anterior extremity, the knee is the chief seat of this kind of accident, and it is dislocated quite as frequently as the hip, but its reduction is ten times as easy, because both bones can easily be grasped, and extension being made, they are speedily brought into a proper relative position. But though they are readily reduced, they are as easily thrown out again ; and, therefore, great care is required to prevent this unhappy result. The elbow and the point of the shoulder are seldom put out, because these joints are so securely guarded that the bones of which they are composed are more inclined to break than to leave their sockets. In both the hind and fore-legs the toes are often put out ; and, besides this accident, the tendons are apt to give way, causing the accident which is called " the letting down of the toes."
The TREATMENT of all dislocations consists in putting the displaced bone back again into its socket as speedily as possible, for if allowed to remain long out of its proper situation it contracts fresh adhesions, and can scarcely be drawn away from them by any practicable force. The dislocated knee is reduced simply by pulling steadily the two bones away from one another ; an assistant seizing the arm, and the operator making extension by laying hold of the foot and pastern. After it is reduced, a piece of list should be crossed in the form of a figure of eight behind the joint, so as to prevent it from being straightened, and thus again displaced; and this position must be maintained for some time, in order that the torn ligaments may have time to unite. In the dislocated hip, unless very recently done, chloro- form should be used, because the muscles of that joint are very powerful and it will require great force to overcome their action without its assistance. The dog is first placed on a table, with a firm cushion under it ; chloroform is then administered, by placing a sponge dipped in it in the end of a leather muzzle, such as is used for the greyhound. The holes at the side should be stopped, by pasting strong paper over them, so as to make a complete cone, one end of which is adapted to the jaws, and the other is closed by the sponge ; so that the dog, when it is put on, can only breathe through the sponge. After a short time he snores, and breathes heavily, and then the sponge may be withdrawn for a time, and the attempt made to lift the bone into its socket. I have, however, lately failed, even with the aid of this agent, in reducing a hip dislocated only for about ten days ; and I am not aware of any case of more than a few hours' duration where a hip has been replaced. Nevertheless, in a valuable dog, such as that in which I made the attempt, which was a highly-prized puppy, presented to me, and of a very scarce breed, the attempt is worth making, especially as it occasions no pain.
48
THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
OPERATIONS.
IN OPERATING ON THE DOG, either a regular muzzle should be put, or ordinary tape or cord should be applied to the mouth, as indicated in the annexed engraving,
binding it firmly round the jaws two or three times, and carrying it back to encircle the neck so as to prevent the dog pulling it off.
-ۤ3H
BOOK IV. JUDGING AT DOG SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS,
CHAPTER I. JUDGING AT SHOWS.
HATEVEE difference of opinion may exist as to the utility of dog shows in improving the breeds of this animal, there can be no doubt of their popularity, or that they have become permanent institutions. Large sums of money are annually spent in rearing and feeding dogs with the express purpose of exhibiting them; and it may, therefore, be admitted without argument that it is desirable to conduct these shows in the way most likely to give satisfaction to their supporters.
From their institution at Newcastle in 1858 there has been a growing feeling of dissatisfaction with the awards of the judges. Animals which have been successful under one set of judges in obtaining a first prize, have been altogether overlooked by another, not even obtaining a commendation, though in equally good condition at both places, and often with the same or nearly the same competitors. That these have been exceptional cases is true enough, but nothing has been more common than that the position of first and second prizeholders should be reversed within the same month — remarkable examples of which might be adduced, but the instances are so well known that it is needless to specify them. I have repeatedly drawn attention to these facts, and attempted to demonstrate that for the cause of this fickleness we must look to the absence of any recognised standard by which to measure the particular breed which is being judged. Among cattle and sheep-breeders it is generally admitted that certain leading qualities shall be considered all-important, such as the propensity to carry flesh of good quality on the parts most valuable to the butcher, early maturity, and, in the sheep, quantity and quality of wool. But in horses and dogs, and more especially in the varieties of the latter, there is not the same unanimity, even in leading principles; and in matters of detail, as may naturally be supposed, the difference of opinion is very great.
At the present time (1877) Dog Shows have reached such a pitch of general interest, that the question of judging demands a very careful consideration, and very recently in the Field I inserted the following article with that view: —
H
50 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
"ON JUDGING AT DOG SHOWS."
" It is needless for us to return to the much- vexed questions relating to the discrepancies between the decisions given on the merits of competing dogs at the various exhibitions of those animals which are now so common as to occupy our columns largely with their reports from week to week throughout the year. That they exist is admitted by all who are in the slightest degree acquainted with the facts, and that they are much to be lamented is equally to be taken for granted. The subject for our present consideration is how this lamentable state of things is to be avoided or. reduced within reasonable limits ; for no one can expect absolute uniformity in any machinery composed of fallible human beings.
" In regard to this selection of prize winners, there are now five open questions under general consideration : First, shall the judges be public or private ? secondly, shall there be one, two, or three judges ? thirdly, shall the judge or judges select the prize winner at random, or be guided by any written law? fourthly, shall he or they be compelled to draw up a numerical estimate of each of the prize winners, founded on a standard of points furnished for the purpose ; and if so, shall it be published ? and fifthly, how shall the judges be elected ? Each of these subjects we now propose to discuss seriatim.
" In reference to public v. private judging, the general verdict is certainly in favour of the former whenever it can be managed, and all the clubs devoted to any particular breed have, we believe, adopted it. The only large show whose managers hold out against it is that held at Birmingham, where the want of space is a sufficient reason to forbid it ; and the choice lies between the abandonment of Curzon Hall, with all its counterbalancing advantages, and the continuance of the old system of judging in private. The Birmingham Show being the oldest annual exhibition of dogs, and having always been well managed on the whole, has obtained a strong hold on the public, and, in spite of the abovementioned drawback, it seems likely to continue its career with success. Nevertheless, it is quite clear that public- judging is now established, and will be adopted at all other large shows.
"The next question is not so easily settled, and it is only recently that it has been fairly tried. One thing has, however, been fully shown by experience, viz., that when more than one judge is appointed, they should possess equal knowledge of the breed or breeds placed before them. Nothing is so liable to lead to dissatisfaction as the importation of a judge specially acquainted with a particular breed, and the coupling of him with a ' gentleman of position.' Wherever this has been done some fiasco has occurred, and at length the plan has been abandoned. Our own opinion, founded on a long experience in every department of dog shows, is that ultimately single judging will be found to act most beneficially ; but it requires some length of education to develop firm-
JUDGING AT SHOWS. 51
ness of purpose sufficient to carry good principles into fair practice, and there are many men possessed of sufficient knowledge, who have yet such a deficiency of moral courage as to make them require a coadjutor to share the onerous responsibility of condemning to the ranks the dogs of their friends. On the other hand, if, as we allege, it is necessary that both the judges of a class should be possessed of equal knowledge, it reduces its amount to a much lower level if double or treble the number of individuals are required, since we all know that the managers of our shows have not a very large circle from which the choice can be made. The question is, however, now fairly submitted to the test of experience, and we need not, therefore, discuss it more at length.
"But now we have to examine the most vexed of the five questions before us, and yet it seems to us so clear as to be incapable of two opinions about it. In examining it, we must remember that the judicial bench is not composed of the same individuals at the various shows, and that many of them are known to have proclivities as regards types, &c., which render it possible for a clever exhibitor to ' place ' successfully under different judges, the various members of his kennel, all of which could scarcely have a chance of a prize under any one judge possessed of reasonable consistency and fairness. It is quite true that it is impossible entirely to avoid this, and that, even with all the much- vaunted integrity of the judges in our higher courts of law, well deserved as it no doubt is, suitors and their solicitors are very apt to have a preference founded upon well-known proclivities. But without statute laws, .and precedents equally binding in our common law, our courts would resemble a lottery office still more than they now do, and we think no one but a madman would desire to wash out the written and unwritten code which guides us in all our transactions. Why, then, should we leave our canine judges to a ' rule of thumb,' when in our more important relations of life we adopt a different plan ? To this question we know no answer, and we confess that this judicial blindness of the world of 'doggy ' men is beyond our comprehension. The only explanation we can give is that it allows each exhibitor to use his powers of ' placing ' with a reasonable hope of success, and that he thinks in that way he can cover the defects in his dogs by his own cleverness. The special clubs have, however, in most cases abandoned this plan, and have each drawn up a code of points, not only describing most minutely the dog they combine to glorify and improve, but appending a numerical value to each point ; and in setting this example they have, no doubt, done good service in the cause to support which they have been called into being. It may therefore be concluded that the days of judging by ' rule of thumb ' are numbered.
" Having thus reached a stage when it may be laid down as decided that the judges of our shows are to be guided by a written code of laws, it may reasonably be deduced that they shall carry out this code in a practical manner. To show the fallacy of depending on a code theoretically, we may instance the judging of Mr. Bassett at the recent show of fox terriers at Lillie Bridge — under the club specially formed to supervise that fashionable breed of dogs.
52 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
Prior to the show the club had drawn up and published a code of points describing each minutely, and allotting to them the following numerical value : —
POINTS OF THE Fox TERRIEE.
Yalue.
Head and ears 15
Neck 5
Shoulders aiid chest. . . 15
35
Yalue.
Back and loin 10
Hindquarters 5
Stern .. 5
20 Grand Total 100.
Value.
Legs and feet 20
Coat 10
Symmetry and cha- racter 15
45
" Now, by almost general consent, the above-named gentlemen is admitted to have an excellent knowledge of the fox terrier, and, on the whole, his decisions were accepted ; but the curious feature attending them is that, with a class of dogs so near together as to take him almost two hours to select the prize winner, no attempt was made to reduce the theory of points into practice with the aid of pencil and paper. At the end of an hour and twenty minutes Mr. Bassett had drawn six from the sixty-seven dogs of which the class was composed, five of them being compact and strong-bodied animals, with slight variations in other points, but all very near together, while the sixth is a dog with a beautiful head, but possessing a body of almost greyhound-like proportion. Now, surely with such opposite types, and with a code of points at his disposal, drawn up by a club who had appointed him, any reasonable man would aid his memory by jotting down in pencil the numerical value of the points in each of the competitors according to the above code. Of what use is such a code, if not thus applied? we ask of all men possessed of common sense. How otherwise can the beautiful head of the winner (Brockenhurst Joe), coupled with his light body, be compared with the inferior head, but wonder- fully good body and legs, of the second dog (Moslem) ? That it was a near thing between them, as admitted by all, only makes this numerical comparison the more needful; and, though we do not by any means impugn the decision, we think it highly probable that if Mr. Bassett had taken out his pencil he would have come to a different conclusion: at all events, he would have given his estimate of the points exhibited by the six dogs formerly selected by him, which would have been of great interest to breeders of the fox terrier, in which every point in detail is now weighed and considered with great care by thousands of both sexes throughout the land. But, much as we think the paper and pencil were wanted in this class, they were still more needed by him in his judging of the rough bitch class. In this small lot of six, Bramble, bred by Mr. Wootton, exhibited as beautiful a head as that of Brockenhurst Joe, coupled with a light body, but not nearly so light as that of Mr. Gibson's dog — though looking more so than usual from the effects of a recent sea voyage — and in addition very good legs and feet. Minx, who was placed first by Mr. Bassett, was also bred by Mr. Wootton, but was by no means equal to Moslem in body; and between her and Bramble, if judged numerically according to the above standard, the decision would, as we think, have been
JUDGING AT SHOWS. 53
deservedly in favour of the latter, who only took the third prize. In any case, however, these decisions are not consistent, and indicate that even an acknowledged good judge should assist his memory with paper and pencil ; and at the same time add to the knowledge of his supporters by giving them the benefit of his opinions, not only as to the prize winners as a whole, but of their respective points when dissected and analysed by him. In practice it has been sometimes found that this use of the pencil has led to a great expenditure of time, and at the show of bulldogs held under the auspices of the club devoted to that breed, the judge retired for some hours, in order to cast up his accounts. Such a proceeding, however, is wholly unnecessary, unless the judge is unable to do a sum of simple addition ; for surely it is easier to estimate the proportionate value of any individual head or back, as compared with fifteen or ten, in the dog's presence than in his absence; and, if so, what is the use of retiring ? We contend, from practical experience, that, in judging five or six selected dogs near together in merit, it is the simplest and quickest plan to judge numerically by points, and we have not the slightest doubt that before long no other will be used.
" Lastly, we have to consider the best method of election, the choice lying between that by the votes of the subscribers, that by the committee of management made at the last moment, and that by the committee announced at the time of publishing the programme. All these plans have been tried, and experience has shown that there are drawbacks to each, to which it is very difficult to assign an exact value. For this reason, we shall not therefore venture to give a decided opinion on the present occasion."
In addition to the cases mentioned above, numerous instances have occurred in which the advantages of judging by points, had it been acted upon, would have been made manifest; and in the present absence of all written law in many breeds I do not see how it is possible to prevent the recurrence of such cases. A well-known instance of the difficulties connected with judging by rule of thumb occurred some few years ago in the large pointer bitch class at Birmingham. One of the bitches, which we will call A., had a bad head and very light ears, combined with a strong useful middle, but spoilt by short shoulders. In addition, she had good legs and feet, an elegant stern, well carried, and an absence of quality, her age being eighteen months, when a small bitch is fully developed. Another, B., showed a better head, but inferior legs and feet, a coarse stern, and a heavy, lumbering middle. A third, C., exhibited a magnificent head, beautiful ears, capital legs and feet, fine stern, good shoulders, with great liberty of action; but these fine points were counterbalanced by a deficient girth of chest, for which, being only twelve months old, some considerable allowance should be made, the judges having a statement of the age of each animal on their books for this special purpose. Here, then, -was a case of some difficulty, and though I do not agree with the award, I by no means assert that it was decidedly wrong. But, supposing, for the sake of argument, the pointer were said to have five properties, viz., 1, head and neck; 2, legs and feet;
THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
3, body ; 4, stern ; 5, quality and coat ; and that to each of these were allotted the following proportion of points, viz., head and neck, 30; legs and feet, 24; body 20; stern, 16; quality and coat, 10— total, 100; the judge (being provided with books for the purpose, with the number and age of the entries duly written in) would only have to insert under each property such a number as would mark the degree of approximation to perfection — this being represented by the maximum figure given at the head of each column.
CLASS 27.
|
No. |
Age. |
Head and Neck. Maximum. 30. |
Legs and Feet. Maximum. 24. |
Body. Maximum. 20. |
Stern. Maximum. 16. |
Quality and Coat. Maximum. 10. |
Total. Maximum. 100. |
|
1 2 3 4 5 |
1 yr. 6 mo. 9 mo. 3 years 4 years 1 year |
5 10 rejected rejected 28 |
20 16 20 |
12 8 6 |
14 6 14 |
4 3 8 |
55 43 76 |
Had such a plan been adopted — and I can conceive nothing more simple or easy to carry out — the dogs A., B., and C. would have been placed in the order 5, 1, and 2, whereas the awards were given in the order the dogs stand on the lists. At present the judges make their notes opposite each entry, but they are so indefinite that afterwards it is necessary that all the animals likely to take a prize shall be compared together at the same time — a far more tedious operation than that which requires them to be carefully examined only once. I do not for a moment assume that the numbers I have attached to each property are correctly apportioned, or that I should have carried them out in practice exactly in the manner I have indicated for the three pointers; I only contend that, supposing the judges to be each furnished with a book containing definitions of a similar nature for their guidance, they would have far less difficulty in deciding than at present, while the public would be able to ascertain the reasons which guided them, and would know what to expect in sending their animals to a show. It will no doubt take some time to settle finally the relative value of the head as compared with the locomotive organs, in the several breeds of dogs, for they vary in almost all. Thus the pointer, however well formed in his back, chest, and shoulders, is perfectly useless unless he has a head which will not only contain a good brain, but also sensitive olfactory organs. So, also, with the feet and legs ; unless these are capable of sustaining work equally with the back, chest, and shoulders, the latter, however good, are thrown away. The National Dog Club, however, in 1869, made the attempt, which, though it was somewhat hastily and carelessly carried out, has served as a very useful foundation for subsequent labours in the same field. Unfortunately, only a portion of the judges at their Islington show carried out their code of points into practice, great difficulties being thrown in their way by the paucity of attendants, and the distance between the benches and the field in which
JUDGING AT SHOWS.
55
all the dogs were led out. On the whole, however, this first attempt on the large scale to combine public judging with the aid of a scale of points was eminently successful, but, nevertheless, it has not been followed to the full extent at any other exhibition. The Birmingham council, in spite of the strenuous efforts of Mr. Murchison, have steadily opposed these innovations, and their only concession has been to guarantee that every dog shall be seen by the judges off the bench to which he is chained. In the series of articles now published I have introduced the points adopted by the several special clubs, with short alterations where I think them needed, as in the case of the bulldog, but still they must have the authority of some generally recognised body before they can be made imperative on judges.
In 1869, a great improvement on the then existing mode of judging by points was suggested — by a correspondent in the Field, who was a noted breeder of mastiffs, and as his letter contains the whole of the argument, stated in a clear and convincing manner, I reproduce it at length.
" gIBj — Although I believe it to be most desirable that the judges at our dog shows should be guided in their awards by a settled standard of points and marks, it will, I believe, be found in practice very difficult, if even possible, to give satisfaction by this method, unless some such plan as I venture to suggest be followed.
" In order to have a claim to be classed as a prize dog, it seems to me that an animal ought to be fairly good in every point, and the plan of judgment I would suggest, which is adopted from the method often followed in scholastic examinations, is this : Presupposing that every point in the animal ought to be fairly good, the positive marks scored in the dog's favour would represent degrees of excellence. Should, however, the animal under judgment be notably deficient in any particular point, I consider that not only should no positive marks be allotted for this particular point, but negative marks should be given to it in proportion as the point in question fell below fairly good.
" Possibly the system may be already followed, but if not, I think it would be found to work fairly and well. The book put into the hands of the judges would run thus :
|
Bull Terrier. |
Positive Marks. |
Negative Marks. |
|
|
Head |
... 25 |
||
|
Chest |
.... 10 |
||
|
Neck |
.... 10 |
||
|
Shoulders |
.... 10 |
||
|
Feet and Legs |
.... 10 |
||
|
Loin |
.... 10 |
||
|
Colour |
.... 10 |
||
|
Temper |
.... 10 |
||
|
Tail |
.... 5 |
||
|
Total |
.... 100 |
||
56 THE DOOS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
" It might in practice be found advisable that the negative marks should never exceed the possible positive marks in number; or, again, that an animal notably deficient in any one special characteristic of his breed would be considered disqualified.
" These are, however, minor points ; but I hope and think that the principle I suggest, unless it has already been thought of, may be found practical and useful. " MASTIFF."
" April 3, 1869.
This suggestion removed the only objection in my mind to the plan of judging by points, and with its aid every animal shown, whether horse, dog, poultry, bird, or pigeon, should, I think, be judged. I have endeavoured to persuade the managers of the various shows to adopt this amended system, but hitherto without success. Still, as it is never too late to mend, and as I am convinced that, sooner or later, it must come into use, I give a specimen table of an open class of large pointers, with the points filled up of half a dozen selected specimens, between which it is obvious to the judges the three prizes given must rest. Of course it would be an enormous sacrifice of time to set down the points of the whole of the above class, but an experienced judge can readily point out four, five, or six, as the case may be, all of which may be carefully "pointed," as is shown in the following table, which is supposed to be a copy of a page of the judge's book filled up. In this way I believe that time may be saved rather than wasted, as I have found that the fixing on the numerical value of the several points is much easier than the judging two nearly equal dogs on their general merits.
There is a very general impression in the minds of judges that the method here advocated would be a great waste of time ; and on one occasion, at the recent show of bull dogs by the club specially formed for their improvement, the judge thought it necessary to retire for several hours in order to fill up his book. Now, this proceeding was simply absurd, because the only thing which could possibly be done in the absence of the dog was to cast up the score made when examining them, and that process could not occupy more than a few minutes. The fact, I have no doubt, was that he was nervous at having to define his opinions on the several points; but a really well informed judge ought surely to have no such feeling. Having myself tried the experiment several times, I find that I can easily set down the points of six dogs, previously selected, in half an hour, exercising the greatest care, whilst in most cases I can do it in half that time; and I am quite sure that in all important classes fully half an hour is occupied by the usual rule of thumb process.
The following tabular form is suggested as the most convenient. The figures in italics are those supposed to be filled in by the judge.
TABLE OF POINTS.
57
R
p
CD
a
Qo
PH
Pn
fe
i
PH
EH i>
PH
Qo
06
E| t> £ O
};
9
p™
58
Qo
05
Ob
<*>
eso^j
en
I
111
O
58 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
By inserting the points given at the end of each article in the following chapter, instead of those of the pointer, a series of scales may easily be compiled for the use of judges.
DISQUALIFICATIONS.
In consequence of the uncertainty prevailing as to what shall be considered a proper ground of disqualification, the Kennel Club have recently (1881) appointed a committee to report to them on the subject. Their report has been accepted, but up to the time of this sheet going to press, it has not been embodied in any definite code of rules. I may, however, state that the old practice of disqualifying for dyeing or faking is to be continued, and that the removing of the tips of retrievers' tails, and the use of blacking or flour are in future not to be allowed.
CHAPTER II. ON JUDGING AT FIELD TRIALS.
HE judging at Field Trials has for some years been conducted on the above principles at Stafford and Shrewsbury, without any negative points, which were, however, introduced at Vaynol, in September, 1871, and gave great satisfaction.
The following is the scale adopted at the Stafford and Shrewsbury trials, which prevailed up to that time. Under it, a dog, which we will call Pilot, refusing to back, but reasonably good in other points, would score 52, but under the negative scale 10 would be deducted from his totals, and very properly so, that being the amount of the allowance for backing, which is not only not to be calculated in his favour, but is absolutely to be deducted from his total score. Now, as the dog refusing to back does mischief to the sport so far as often to spoil it altogether, it is quite right that he should be severely punished for his offence, and on that account I think the principle is quite sound. It was at first considered that backing is merely the result of breaking, and therefore is no test of the utility or otherwise of a stud dog. Hence, nose, point, pace, and range were made the chief tests, omitting all notice of- backing, dropping to shot, &c. This
ON JUDGING AT FIELD TEIALS.
59
was, I think, a mistake as regards backing, which is as inherent in some breeds as the point, and quite as difficult to impart by education.
ME. BRAILSFORD'S SCALE OF POINTS AS USED AT STAFFORD AND
SHREWSBURY.
|
20 |
20 |
15 |
20 |
15 |
10 |
100 |
|||
|
g |
General |
||||||||
|
o p |
p be |
bb |
be |
bb .1 |
jf |
3 |
V rt 05 |
Remarks. |
|
|
.3 |
i |
g |
^3 /- |
1 |
§ |
> -*^ 0 |
|||
|
<D |
*& |
.2 |
w |
43 |
0 PH |
IB PQ |
H |
^o |
|
|
i |
1 |
1> |
.9 |
§2 |
g |
.a |
•Q pfl |
'o |
|
|
fc |
O |
r2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
o |
||
|
£ |
02 |
-*i 02 |
s |
||||||
|
Pilot |
,- |
•fO |
10 |
/7 |
/a |
n |
«•« |
? |
|
|
"I O |
/ t/ |
1 C/ |
c/ |
7 %• |
u |
t?<* |
tx |
The scale used at Bedford and Bala was somewhat different ; but still it did not introduce the negative points. I insert it as filled up at Bala by " The Prior " in the case of the celebrated Hamlet :
"IDSTONE'S" SCALE, AS USED AT BEDFORD AND BALA.
|
& p «H O <s * |
40 |
30 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
<D t |
100 |
a 0 m .s» Qj c3 ^^ |
|
9 'I |
6 \ m <^s 1 1 |
Temperament. |
Staunchness. |
I | |
||||
|
1 P5 |
Behind. |
|||||||
|
Hamlet ") |
30 |
W |
5 |
10 |
10 |
Indifferent. |
75 |
* |
|
First hour j |
||||||||
|
Ditto 7 |
4-0 |
25 |
5 |
10 |
10 |
Good. |
90 |
3 |
|
Second hour j |
||||||||
|
Ditto 7 |
4-0 |
25 |
10 |
10 |
10 |
Good. |
95 |
3 |
|
Third hour ) |
Now, supposing Hamlet had refused to back, he would only be mulcted 10 points from the above totals ; whereas, according to my ideas, he ought to lose 20. Moreover, there is no calculation made for " dropping to wing and shot," two most important items in the utility of a pointer or setter. Taking these considerations into view, I proposed for adoption at the Vaynol trials the following modifications of the Bedford and Bala scale, which was originally intended only to test dogs used for stud purposes. This, when filled up for a dog of average merits, would be as follows :
60
THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS.
SCALE OF POINTS.
|
Name and Age of Dog. |
Vahie of Points when perfect. |
General Remarks. |
||||||
|
30 |
20 |
20 |
15 |
10 |
5 |
100 |
||
|
bb |
,4 Sf |
|||||||
|
.9 |
5*1 |
d |
•8 |
|||||
|
fe S |
Q |
0 |
||||||
|
g |
w |
PJ 0 |
Q A |
«r |
Q |
1 |
||
|
8_ |
.5- |
^^rS |
be |
Jbb |
5 |
1 |
||
|
^* |
<s |
5 ^ ^ |
^ 9 |
^ |
d |
^2 |
||
|
^? |
CO O |
vj r1^ |
-+3 -g |
S |
g^ |
P" |
tA ^ |
|
|
-g |
to |
CQ |
8|9 |
-gg |
§ |
^ |
1 |
|
|
•3 |
•^ |
bij^ ^ |
83 |
•P |
^ |
J-l |
||
|
PH |
i |
^~hc'^ |
r2 |
i |
11 |
|||
|
m d O |
_^* |
^» |
||||||
|
• |
K •*•'•*' |
CQ |
O r^H |
|||||
|
PH |
cq |
^^ |
||||||
|
Positive |
$f) |
//9 |
ki |
J,K |
1 ^ |
|||
|
" |
1" |
|||||||
|
Deduct Negative . . . |
/<5r |
/^ |
^ |
30 |
||||
|
Net Total of Point |
s |
15 |
o |
|||||
This scale worked admirably at Vaynol for two years in succession, and not only did the judges experience no difficulty in carrying it out, but the spectators were satisfied with the results, to a degree which I have never seen equalled elsewhere.
In the third year, however, one of the subscribers and his confederate, having been previously spoiled by a long series of successes, objected to the decisions, alleging that the dogs were not worked out in pairs, as in coursing ; and since then an attempt has been made under the instigation of Mr. Lowe, the Secretary of the Kennel Club, to establish a code of points founded upon the number of times each dog has found game or backed his competitor, without reference to style, pace, &c. Again and again attempts have been made to carry this plan out, but it has uniformly failed, as might be expected, and when put to the vote of the subscribers to a stake, it has always been negatived. During the present season, 1877, and prior to the trials at Horseheath of the Kennel Club Derby dogs, Mr. Brewis, the liberal owner of the estate on which they take place, has attempted to combine the two plans ; but as the combination is still in a state of development, no opinion can fairly be given of its merits.
The following article was published by myself recently in the Field, being a comparison between the two plans adopted this year at Shrewsbury and Horseheath. It may, I think, be studied with advantage by those who either dislike judging by points, or desire to carry out the system of pairing all the dogs entered, as in coursing, forgetting altogether the difference between that sport and shooting.
"At the risk of incurring the charge of publishing vain repetitions of our opinions on the above subject, we are tempted once more to return to it, in
ON JUDGING AT FIELD TRIALS. 61
consequence of recent very remarkable events, which tend to show that we have not been without a good foundation for those so often expressed in these columns.
" In regard to the trials, we think that two positions have been established by the late meetings at Shrewsbury and Horseheath. First, that the absolute winner should never be selected until the latest possible time; and, secondly, that the same absence of haste should be displayed in finally rejecting each competitor — that is to say, the system of running the dogs in pairs, adopted in coursing, should not be followed in field trials. The great drawback to those trials is the necessarily short time which can be devoted to the several pairs; and, as a conseqxiencet it is desirable to arrange them, so that, if possible, a dog should be estimated according to his whole performance, if tried more than once, rather than by that in any separate run. In coursing it is impossible to carry out such a scheme, because the relative amount of work done by the two dogs previously to any particular course after the first round influences their respective powers very considerably, and, therefore, it would be very difficult for a judge to select any two at his discretion for trial; and the result of long experience is, that the only resource is to draw the whole entry out in pairs by lot, and afterwards try the several winners in the successive rounds together, according to their first position on the card. But in pointer and setter trials no such difficulty exists. The amount of work done by each dog is only sufficient to steady him, and the judges can fairly pair any two whenever they like, as has been done at all meetings but those of late years held under the auspices of the Kennel Club. At Shrewsbury the covert has generally been so bad, and game so scarce, that the trials have been only of the nature of a farce ; but this year the ground was nearly equally good with that at Horseheath, and it is therefore fair to compare the results of the two meetings conducted as they are on wholly different plans.
"At Shrewsbury a scale of points originally drawn up by Mr. Brailsford is adopted, in which a certain value is attached to the several qualities demanded in the setter and pointer in the abstract, calculating the whole, when perfectly displayed, at 100. This scale is printed, and furnished to the judges, with the addition of the names of the competitors in each stake, and is made up as follows — namely, for pace and range, 20; obedience, 20; style in hunting, 15; game finding abilities, 20 ; style in pointing, 15 ; merit in backing, 10 — total 100. After trying a brace of dogs, the judges have only to go through the scale with each, and set down under the above heads the comparative degree of merit shown by them. Thus, under 'pace and range,' if a dog is only of average merit, they put down 10; if three-quarters, 15; or if perfect, 20. Proceeding next to ' obedience,' they estimate his merits in the same way as compared with perfection, putting down 10 if an average display has been made, and 20 if perfect; and so on through the whole scale, calculating the figures according to the amount of merit.
"After thus estimating A., the next thing is to proceed in the same way with B., and whichever has the higher figure of merit is declared the winner;
62 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
or, if equal, a further trial is necessary. On concluding the first round or series of pairs, the judges have only to select the dogs with the highest figure of merit, and place them first, second, and third accordingly, unless the figures of two or more are very near together, when it has been customary to give these animals a further trial ; and at the last Shrewsbury meeting it was very properly, as we think, decided that in all cases the highest two should have this. Under both the Shrewsbury and Kennel Club plans, it often happens that the two best dogs come together in the first or second round ; but in the former plan they may be ultimately placed first and second; whereas in the latter this is. impossible, as the inferior of the two in any particular trial is at once hors de combat. As an illustration of this statement, we may instance the fact that in the first two pointer stakes at Shrewsbury this actually occurred in the second round; whilst in the third and most important it took place in the first, Bang and Dick meeting in that position, and being ultimately declared the first and second prize holders. No doubt a mistake was here committed, which the Kennel Club plan would have prevented ; but this was manifestly a fault in the practice of the judges, and was not incidental to the plan itself, as proved by the general opinion of the spectators declared at the time, and embodied in our report. It occurred in this way. After a long and very tiring day, the first round of the Combermere Stakes had been completed at seven o'clock, and the judges, overlooking the new rule to which we have adverted above, and considering Bang to be undoubtedly the best in the stake, at once declared him the winner, and ordered three dogs, including Dick, beaten by him, to compete next day for second and third prizes. In this decision they overlooked, most probably from inadvertence, Mr. Whitehouse's Eapid, who had just defeated " Rector (the winner there for the last two years) in a short trial, confined to one field, in which Eapid made only the pardonable mistake of flushing a brace of birds the moment he was cast off, and with an undeniably bad scent — a mistake also partially condoned by a subsequent good find. Now, if the judges had at once cast up the ' points ' made by Eapid and Bang, they must, according to the Shrewsbury scale, have made them at least equal, and thus insured a second trial, since ' the pace, range, and style ' of Eapid are very superior to those of Bang ; and these qualities are estimated at the high relative value of thirty-five out of one hundred, whereas ' game-finding,' the only quality in which the former could be considered to be excelled by the latter, is valued at twenty. As before remarked, the Kennel Club plan would have prevented this; but in rescuing Eapid from Scylla it would have drawn Dick into Charybdis, since his defeat by Bang would have prevented his getting even the third prize, except under the special provision made by the competitors them- selves in the case of the Horseheath ' Derby,' which, though an improvement on the 'heats' method, renders it still more complicated and tedious. Curiously enough, Eapid endorsed this opinion formed by the spectators at Shrewsbury, by defeating Bang at Horseheath, though, as we all know the variation of these animals on different days, it does not prove that he would have done the same
01ST JUDGING AT FIELD TEIALS. 63
at Shrewsbury if they had come together. Passing from the pointers to the setters, we find at Shrewsbury Brave Boy, to whom the third prize was allotted, defeated by Nora (the winner) in the first round, which would have stopped his career under the Kennel Club plan. On the other hand, in the 'Derby' at Horseheath, according to the opinion of our reporter, the two best performers came together in the first round, when Danger, who was ultimately placed fourth, beat Norna (the winner at Shrewsbury), and the latter was consequently not allowed another trial. These two -were first and second at Shrewsbury without dispute, but in a reverse position to that at Horseheath ; and with Die behind them both, she being beaten by Norna in the second round, and not tried a third time. At Horseheath, Die, the winner of the first prize, behaved shame- fully in her first two trials, and, if estimated on her average performance throughout the Derby, would have come out badly ; but, happening to meet in the first two rounds animals worse than herself, she luckily reached the third round, when, being paired with Danger, who did not do so well as in her previous trials, she just managed to score a win, though, according to our re- porter, Danger, on the whole, showed herself to be evidently ' the better setter of the two;' and this opinion, coming from a supporter of the 'heats' plan, is not likely to be prejudiced in favour of Danger.
"Now, if the object of these trials is to reward the owner of the best dog in each stake with the first prize, we think the evidence afforded by the pro- ceedings at these two meetings is strongly in favour of the system of judging by points, without necessarily running in 'heats.' With the same time at their disposal, worse ground, and, we will assume, equal knowledge of their task, the Shrewsbury judges in two days settled the pretensions of eighty-five dogs, against thirty-one at Horseheath; and in no instance was such an animal as Norna put out without a second opportunity of showing his or her powers, except in the single case of Rapid, which, as above shown, was clearly a mis- take, caused by hurriedly coming to a decision without any necessity for it, and therefore not in any way implicating the system adopted ; and, when it is con- sidered that the numbers judged at Shrewsbury in two days were nearly three times as great as those judged at Horseheath in the same time, the balance in favour of the plan adopted at the former is at once apparent.
"We are by no means pledging ourselves to the opinion that the scale of points adopted at Shrewsbury is incapable of improvement, and we prefer that used at Vaynol and Bala; but we contend that its principle is correct for the following reasons :
"1st. It is admitted that the great drawback to these trials is the want of time to test the merits of the competing dogs fully and fairly. 2nd. The Shrewsbury plan economises time by devoting as much as possible to the best dogs in each stake, without wasting it on a second, third, or fourth trial of inferior animals. 3rd. The Kennel Club method of heats often leads to the entire defeat of one of the best dogs in a stake in the first or second round, by meeting either the best or the second best in it, which contretemps does 'not
64 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
occur in the Shrewsbury plan. 4th. At Shrewsbury the average performance of each (dog is estimated by the judges, whether he is down once, twice, or thrice ; whereas under the Kennel Club plan a dog may, on. the average, perform badly, and yet, from happening to be in luck or in good temper in the third or fourth trial may be hailed the winner of the stake, as really happened at Horseheath, even after such a shamefully bad performance as that of Die. We beg most distinctly to state that in the above observations we cast no reflections on this fine bitch, which we greatly admired at Shrewsbury ; and we have reason to believe that she will ultimately turn out to be as good as any setter puppy we have seen this year. What we mean to imply is that every dog should be judged by the average merit displayed by him or her, and not by the results of single trials. In short, our object is that, as far as possible, the luck con- nected with meeting bad or good competitors, or with bad or good ground, should be eliminated from these trials, which, though not attended by any number of spectators, are regarded with great interest by a large body of gentlemen possessed of moors or manors.
"We have not alluded to the exploded plan of judging according to the number of times each dog finds game during a certain fixed period, because experience has shown its fallacy, and it has been abandoned after fair trial. The choice now lies between the two methods which have this year been fairly tried on nearly equally good ground, with judges of similar powers, and with almost exactly the same dogs competing, but with the great disadvantage at Shrewsbury of having the merits of eighty-five dogs to decide, instead of thirty- one at Horseheath, in the two days devoted to the principal stakes. Under these conditions that the former should have come out equal with the latter is a strong argument in favour of the plan adopted there, especially when it is recollected that, but for the error in judgment alluded to above, which is not inherent in the plan, its superiority at all points would have been displayed. In this comparison we have not alluded to the subject of byes, which have no unfair tendency at Shrewsbury, but are of necessity an evil in the Kennel Club plan."
During the early part of this year (1882) a movement has been commenced by Mr. Brewis in the Kennel Club to dispense with the heats plan, and a majority have voted against it, but up to the time of this chapter going to press, no final decision has been arrived at except that a new plan of some kind is to be adopted.
PART II.
IDOO-S.
BOOK I. DOGS USED WITH THE GUN.
CHAPTER I. SETTERS.
GENERAL EEMARKS — THE ENGLISH SETTER — THE BLACK AND TAN OR GORDON SETTER — THE IRISH SETTER.
GENEEAL EEMAEKS.
H E four divisions of the United Kingdom may be said to have each a breed of setters peculiar to itself, though of late years many of each variety have been distributed beyond the limits of their respective districts. The English setter may be taken as the true type of the breed, next to which comes the Irish setter, while the old Llanidloes, or Welsh breed, retain more of the spaniel character. Their curly waterproof coats are, however, admirably suited to the wet climate of their native hills. It is said, and I think probably with truth, that the Scotch or Gordon setter is crossed with the bloodhound, which gives the comparatively heavy head and long folding ears often shown by him, and at the same time accounts for the delicacy of his nose and for the coarseness of his coat. At all events, his appearance is not so typical as' that of the English and Irish breeds. The Gordons are now usually described as black and tans, to avoid the disputes as to the breeding of the several entries, for while there is no doubt that many black -tans are not true Gordons, it is also indisputable that many true Gordons are black, white, and tan. Similar remarks may apply to the Irish setter, but he has not been treated in the same way, though, no doubt, a red setter of English breed, without any Irish blood, if exhibiting the desired points in perfection, would win in an Irish class. I must, however, take things as I find them, and describe the setter according to the definition given
66 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS.
in our prize lists, omitting the Welsh setter, which is not of sufficient importance to interest any but the few possessors of him who remain.
The setter is, without doubt, either descended from the spaniel, or both are offshoots from the same parent stock. Originally — that is before the improvements in the gun introduced the practice of " shooting flying," — it is believed that he was merely a spaniel taught to " stop " or " set " as soon as he came upon the scent of the partridge, when a net was drawn over the covey by two men. Hence he was made to drop close to the ground, an attitude which is now unnecessary ; though it is taught by some breakers, and notably to very fast dogs, who could not otherwise stop themselves quickly enough to avoid flushing. Manifestly, a dog prone on the ground allowed the net to be drawn over him better than if he was standing up ; and hence the former attitude was preferred, an additional reason for its adoption being probably that it was more easily taught to a dog like the spaniel, which has not the natural cataleptic attitude of the pointer. But when "shooting flying" came into vogue, breakers made the attempt to assimilate the attitude of the setting spaniel, or "setter" as he was now called, to that of the pointer ; and in process of time, and possibly also by crossing with that dog, they succeeded, though, even after the lapse of more than a century, the cataleptic condition is not so fully displayed by the setter as by the pointer. In the present day, as a rule, the standing position is preferred, though some well known breakers, and notably G-eorge Thomas, Mr. Statter's keeper, have preferred the "drop," which certainly enables a fast dog to stop himself more quickly than he could do by standing up. It is, however, attended with the disadvantage that in heather or clover a " dropped " dog cannot be seen nearly so far as if he was standing, and on one occasion, at the Bala Trials of 1873, the celebrated Eanger was lost for many minutes, having " dropped " on game in a slight hollow, surrounded by heather. As a rule, therefore, the standing position is the better one, but in such fast dogs as Eanger and Drake, "dropping" may be excused. At the above meeting, however, after a long and evenly-balanced trial between Mr. Macdona's Eanger and Mr. E. J. LI. Price's Belle, the latter only won by her superior attitude on the point, and Eanger was again penalised for dropping at Ipswich in 1873.
With regard to the low carriage of the setter's flag when at work, and his spaniel-like lashing of it ; I think they indicate his spaniel descent, and are to be considered from that point of view. This "tail action" is now out of fashion with many good sportsmen, who allege that grouse as well as partridge do not lie so well to a dog exhibiting it fully as they do to a quiet trail. In theory this sounds well, but, as far as I know, it was never propounded until it was required to excuse the fox-like trail of Drake and Eanger in particular, and generally of the Laverack setters ; and I confess that in practice I never noticed it in a long experience with both kinds of flag carriage. My bias in favour of "tail action" was founded upon the close observation of three successive litters, which I bred from a wonderfully good bitch about thirty years ago. Lucy was extremely handsome, fast, and untiring, which qualities, coupled with a good nose, gave her
GENERAL REMARKS ON SETTERS. 67
a considerable local reputation; and I think I may quote the opinion of that excellent sportsman, the present Rector of Wadhurst, who repeatedly shot over her in my company, that no better single-handed setter was ever seen. She had merry " tail action " without being overdone, which indeed her great pace forbade ; and I was anxious to breed from her, for which purpose I put her for three successive years to the late Mr. John Clifton's Bacchus, of great renown in Worcestershire, nineteen puppies altogether being reared. Of these about half had the "tail action" of the mother, while the remainder were without it ; and in every case, without a single exception, the " trailers " had no nose whatever, or a very bad one, while the "lively" ones possessed excellent scenting powers, and were indeed nearly all first class dogs. This drew my attention to the two kinds of flag carriage, and since then I have almost always seen the quiet trail accompanied by a nose of equal dulness. In the pointer I have not found the same remark apply, having both seen and myself possessed dogs of that breed with good noses unaccompanied by " tail action" in a proportion fully equal to one-half, if not more, and I have consequently abandoned all idea of connecting the one with the other in the pointer. In the setter, however, I have still thought, from careful observation, that my original fancy held good, and when I saw Sir R. Garth's Grouse and May, produced at Stafford as pure Laveracks, on trial for the first time in public, the absence of all "tail action" and their low carriage of the head prejudiced me against the breed, which their subsequent bad performance confirmed. Even the brilliant pace and style of Countess and Nellie did not entirely dissipate this original bias ; for, though I am not induced to believe that this strain is, on the average, possessed of absolutely bad noses, yet I should not say that they come up to the level of the best old English setter strains, or to the Gordons or Irish. Indeed, I consider this their weak point. Countess, Nellie, and Daisy could find game well enough with a good scent, but they were comparatively useless with a bad one. In addition to Ranger, whose nose in undeniably good, Dash II., a three-quarter Laverack, who has recently won all before him at Horseheath, may be adduced as a notable exception to the above conclusion ; but beyond these I cannot recollect any setter who has appeared in public without tail action possessed of an unexceptionably good nose. Hence rightly or wrongly, I have still regarded these two features as of considerable importance ; and, knowing' them to be strongly