CHAPTER XXVI

=Minor Operations=

DOCKING--SETONING--ENEMAS--FOMENTATIONS--BLISTERING--TUMOURS AND WARTS

DOCKING

Such varieties as Fox, Airedale, Irish Terriers, Spaniels, etc., require to have their tails shortened, and this should be done when the puppies are, say, a couple or three weeks old. An old, but rather revolting custom is that of biting off the requisite portion.

A sharp pair of serrated scissors, or a chisel, will do the work satisfactorily, and nothing should be done to the cut end, beyond allowing the healing to follow its natural course.

SETONING

Setons and rowels are not used in the present day so much as in times gone by, nevertheless, when employed with discretion, are of service.

At one time setons were largely used for insertion into the poll when a dog had fits, especially during distemper. In the author's opinion they are injurious for this purpose, but as a counter-irritant in lung and bronchial complaints, good often results from their employment. Many local swellings can be dispersed through the insertion of either a set-on or a rowel. Tape, horse-hair, tow, or a circular piece of leather wrapped in tow, are the issues used. If a seton, the skin must be snipped at the inlet and outlet; the needle threaded and passed along under the skin (no deeper as a rule) to the point of exit, and the tape fastened off. It is usual to smear the tape with some stimulating substance, such as resin or turpentine ointment, in order to excite a speedy local inflammation. The tape must be moved (not removed) daily, kept clean, and smeared with the ointment twice weekly.

CLYSTERS OR ENEMAS (LAVEMENTS)

These may be either plain, medicated, or nutritive. For the two first-named purposes, either warm or cold water may be used, the amount varying with the effect it is desired to produce.

To empty the lower end of the bowel, from half to three pints will be found sufficient for most sporting dogs.

A little salt, soft soap, and glycerine, will increase the activity of the clyster.

A chronic, torpid condition of the lower end of the bowel is best overcome by injecting about half a teacupful of cold water into it every morning, at the same time allowing plenty of exercise and a soft diet, such as oatmeal, or wet bread and meat.

In diarrhœa, dysentery, etc., good results are often obtained by giving a cold boiled-starch clyster. About four tablespoonfuls will be enough at a time. When it is desirable to administer nourishment by the rectum, it is necessary to wash out the lower end of the bowel with a warm-water clyster, before injecting the nutritive medium.

The yolk of an egg, a dessertspoonful of brandy, and a teaspoonful of sulphuric ether makes a useful, sustaining enema.

Another good injection is a couple of teaspoonfuls of salt, dissolved in half a pint of tepid water, then injected.

Loss of blood, etc., can often be made up by the use of this saline injection.

FOMENTATIONS

For many purposes fomentations are superior to poultices, the chief difficulty being in keeping up the heat to the desirable standard.

A pad of thick flannel should be planned, and this soaked in boiling water, then wrung dry in a roller.

To assist in maintaining the heat, a piece of mackintosh sheeting ought to be put over the pad, and a dry flannel above all.

For difficult breathing, pain in the belly, or local pain, etc., moist warmth is exceedingly beneficial, and quite harmless under any circumstances.

In animals, it is a general custom to bathe the seat of disease with the hot water.

Perseverance is essential to success, and more harm results from hot fomentations applied in a half-hearted manner than where they are not used at all.

BLISTERING

Beyond the application of mustard, turpentine, or hot water, blistering agents are not much employed in the treatment of canine ailments.

As a remedy for external use in diseases of the bronchial tubes and lungs, mustard has not, in the author's opinion, any superior.

It can be used either as a paste applied directly to the skin, or in combination with boiled linseed poultices.

In long-haired dogs it is advisable to clip off some of the hair, so as to facilitate the full counter-irritant properties of the mustard.

It requires very little rubbing in, and it is not advisable to repeat the application, unless specially called for.

TUMOURS AND WARTS

A multiplicity of morbid growths are liable to occur in dogs, some of these growths being of a very simple nature, others of a malignant or recurrent order.

By far the commonest are warty growths upon lips, tongue, and generative organ.

It is remarkable, but these often disappear spontaneously.

Solitary warts, if sufficiently large, can be removed by tying a piece of strong whip-cord around the root of the growth. This remark is equally applicable to other small tumours.

Dressing with some caustic agent such as lunar caustic, strong acetic acid, blue-stone, etc., may be effected in some cases, and others (when on tongue), dusted with dry calcined magnesia.

Tumours about the belly, etc., demand professional skill.

Polypi, or stalked tumours, are commonly found growing from the mucous membrane of the ears, nose, and female generative passage.

They can be removed by ligature.

APPENDIX

=White West Highland Terrier=

STANDARD OF POINTS AS AGREED UPON AT THE MEETING OF THE CLUB REPORTED UNDER "CLUB NOTICES."

1. The General Appearance of the White West Highland Terrier is that of a small, game, hardy-looking Terrier, possessed with no small amount of self-esteem, with a varminty appearance, strongly built, deep in chest and back ribs, straight back and powerful quarters, on muscular legs, and exhibiting in a marked degree a great combination of strength and activity. The Coat should be about 2½ in. long, white in colour, hard, with plenty of soft under coat, and no tendency to wave or curl. The Tail should be as straight as possible, and carried gaily, and covered with hard hair, but not bushy. The Skull should not be too narrow, being in proportion to the terribly powerful jaw, but must be narrow between the ears. The Ears should be as small and sharp-pointed as possible, and carried tightly up, but must be either erect or semi-erect, and both ears must be exactly alike. The Eyes of moderate size, dark hazel in colour, widely placed, rather sunk or deep-set, with a sharp, bright, intelligent expression. The Muzzle should be proportionately long and powerful, gradually tapering towards the nose. The Nose, Roof of Mouth, and Pads of Feet distinctly black in colour.

2. _Colour._--White.

3. _Coat._--Very important and seldom seen to perfection: must be double-coated. The outer coat consists of hard hair, about 2½ ins. long, and free from any curl. The under coat, which resembles fur, is short, soft, and close. Open coats are objectionable.

4. _Size._--Dogs to weigh from 14 lbs. to 18 lbs., and bitches from 12 lbs. to 16 lbs., and measure from 8 ins. to 12 ins. at the shoulder.

5. _Skull._--Should not be too narrow, being in proportion to his powerful jaw, proportionally long, slightly domed, and gradually tapering to the eyes, between which there should be a slight indentation or stop. Eyebrows heavy. The hair on the skull to be from ¾ in. to 1 in. long, fairly hard.

6. _Eyes._--Widely set apart, medium size, dark hazel in colour, slightly sunk in the head, sharp and intelligent, which, looking from under the heavy eyebrows, give a piercing look. Full eyes and also light-coloured eyes are very objectionable.

7. _Muzzle._--Should be powerful. The jaws level and powerful, and teeth square or evenly met, well set, and large for the size of the dog.

8. _Ears._--Small, carried erect or semi-erect, but never drop, and should be carried tightly up. The semi-erect ear should drop nicely over at the tips, the break being about three-quarters up the ear, and both forms of ears should terminate in a sharp point. The hair on them should be short, smooth (velvety), and they should not be cut. The ears should be free from any fringe at the top. Round-pointed, broad, and large ears are objectionable, also ears too heavily covered with hair.

9. _Neck._--Muscular, and nicely set on sloping shoulders.

10. _Chest._--Very deep, with breadth in comparison to the size of the dog.

11. _Body._--Compact, straight back, ribs deep and well arched in the upper half of rib, presenting a flattish side appearance. Loins broad and strong. Hind-quarters strong, muscular, and wide across the top.

12. _Legs and Feet._--Both fore-and hind-legs should be short and muscular. The shoulder-blades should be comparatively broad, and well sloped backwards. The points of the shoulder-blades should be closely knit into the backbone, so that very little movement of them should be noticeable when the dog is walking. The elbow should be close in to the body, both when moving or standing, thus causing the fore-leg to be well placed in under the shoulder. The fore-legs should be straight and thickly covered with short, hard hair. The hind-legs should be short and sinewy. The thighs very muscular, and not too wide apart. The hocks bent and well set in under the body, so as to be fairly close to each other, either when standing, walking, or running (trotting), and, when standing, the hind-legs, from the point of the hock down to the fetlock joint, should be straight or perpendicular, and not far apart. The fore feet are larger than the hind ones, are round, proportionate in size, strong, thickly padded, and covered with short, hard hair. The foot must point straight forward. The hind feet are smaller, not quite as round as fore feet, and thickly padded. The under surface of the pads of feet, and all the nails, should be distinctly black in colour. Hocks too much bent (cow hocks) detracts from the general appearance. Straight hocks are weak: both kinds are undesirable, and should be guarded against.

13. _Tail._--6 ins. or 7 ins. long, covered with hard hair (no feather), as straight as possible, carried gaily, but not curled over back. A long tail is objectionable.

14. _Movement._--Should be free, straight, and easy all round. In front, the leg should be freely extended forward by the shoulder. The hind movement should be free, strong, and close. The hocks should be freely flexed and drawn close in under the body, so that, when moving off the foot, the body is thrown or pushed forward with some force. Stiff, stilty movement behind is very objectionable.

FAULTS.

1. _Coat._--Any silkiness, wave, or tendency to curl is a serious blemish, as is also an open coat.

2. _Size._--Any specimens under the minimum weight, or above the maximum weight, are objectionable.

3. _Eyes._--Full or light-coloured.

4. _Ears._--Round-pointed, drop, broad, and large ears, also ears too heavily covered with hair.

5. _Muzzle._--Either under, or overshot and defective teeth.

SCALE OF POINTS.

General Appearance 5 Colour 5 Coat 10 Size 7½ Skull 7½ Eyes 5 Muzzle 5 Ears 5 Neck 10 Chest 10 Body 10 Legs and Feet 7½ Tail 5 Movement 7½ ____ Total 100

INDEX

A

Afghan Greyhound, 333

---- neck, 334

---- colour, 334

---- height at shoulders, 334

Airedale Terrier, 293

---- Standard of Points, 298

---- Club, 298

Antimony poisoning, 414

Appendix, 443

Arsenic, 413

Association of Bloodhound Breeders, 146

B

Bareness round margin of eyes, 432

Basset-hounds, 206

---- colour, 208

---- coat, 208

---- head, 208

---- fore-quarters, 225

---- chest, 225

---- Club, 226

---- Club rules, 226

---- (Smooth), points, 233

---- (Rough) points, 235

Beagle, 181

---- Club (English), description of points, 187

---- (American), points, etc., 190

Bedlington Terrier, 274

---- height, 277

---- weight, 277

---- colour, 277

---- nose, 277

---- coat, 277

---- skull, 277

---- body, 277

---- tail, 277

---- limbs, 278

---- quarters, 278

---- Club, 278

Black-and-tan Setter (Gordon Setter), 29

Blindness, 429

Blistering, 441

Bloodhounds, 141

---- head, 142

---- legs and feet, 145

---- chest and shoulders, 145

---- neck, ribs, back and loins, 145

---- hind-quarters and limbs, 146

---- tail, coat and colour, 146

---- height, 146

---- Club, 146

Blood poisoning, 381

Boils, 387

Borzois or Russian Wolfhound, 179

---- chest, neck, 180

---- fore-limbs, 180

---- colour, 180

---- coat, height, 181

---- faults, 181

---- Club, 181

C

Canker of ear, 423

Clumber Spaniel, 71

Clysters or Enemas, 439

Cocker Spaniel, 84

---- head, ears, 87

---- coat, colour, 87

---- Club, 88

---- prices, 88

---- faults, 88

Conditioning Dogs, 366

Constitutional Rules of the Retriever Society, 59

D

Dachshund, 194

---- head, 194

---- chest, shoulders, 205

---- hind-quarters, 205

Dandie-Dinmont Terrier, 310

---- head, 313

---- neck, tail, 314

---- fore and hind-limbs, 314

---- colour, 314

---- Society, 315

---- Standard of Points, 315

Deafness, 426

Deerhound, 128

---- head, ears, 129

---- neck, shoulders, stern, 130

---- legs, feet, 135

---- faults, 135

---- colour, 136

---- coat, 136

---- height and weight, 137

Diarrhœa, 403

Docking, 438

Dropsy of the ear-flaps, 422

Dysentery, 405

Dyspepsia, 408

E

Eczema, 384

English Setter, 18

---- points, etc., 23

---- faults, 24

English Water Spaniel, 92

Everted eyelids, 430

F

Feeding Sporting Dogs, 363

Field Spaniels, 82

Fleas, 389

Follicular Mange, 393

Fomentations, 440

Foreign bodies in the eyes, 431

Foxhound, the, 113

Foxhound, Stud Book, 114

Fox Terriers, 239

---- Club, 247

---- Standard of Points, 247

---- (Rough), 265

---- points of, 265

---- Disqualifying Points, 266

Fractures, 435

G

Gamekeepers' Kennel Association, 351

---- Rules, 352

Greyhounds, 157

---- head, eyes, 158

---- ears, neck, 158

---- fore and hind-quarters, 158

---- coat and colour, etc., 167

Gullet, disease of, 394

H

Hæmorrhage, 406

Hæmorrhoids, 407

Harriers, 122

---- loins, back, ribs, 125

---- chest, fore-limbs, 125

---- coat, 125

Herpes, 387

I

Inflammation of stomach, 395

---- of bowels, 396

---- of bladder, 420

---- of ear, 423

International Gundog League, 32

Inverted eyelids, 430

Irish Setter, 25

---- coat, etc., 26

Irish Terrier, 287

---- coat, colour, etc., 288

---- weight, 293

---- Club, 293

---- prices, 293

Irish Water Spaniel, 88

---- colour, coat, height, 91

---- general appearance, 91

---- faults, 92

---- Club, 92

Irish Wolfhound, 155

---- points, etc., 156

J

Jaundice, 410

K

Kidneys, disease of, 418

L

Labradors, 56

Lead poisoning, 417

Lurcher, 337

M

Mange, Follicular, 393

Mange, Sarcoptic, 391

Mercury, 417

Morbid growths in the ear passage, 427

N

Nettle-rash, 388

Night-dogs, the Training, Use, and Abuse of, 337

O

Ophthalmia, 428

Otterhound, 126

---- colour, 126

---- skull, neck, 127

---- height, 127

Overgrown claws, 435

P

Pediculi or lice, 390

Phosphorus poisoning, 416

Pointer and Setter Society, 32

Pointer, the, 3

Poisons, 413

Ptomaine poisoning, 418

R

Rabies, 379

Retrievers, 41

---- head, 47

---- ears, back limbs, 48

Retrievers (Flat-coated), 41

---- (Curly-coated), 55

Rheumatism, 382

Ringworm, 391

Rules adopted at the Retriever Society, 63

Ruptures, 411

S

Sarcoptic Mange, 389

Scottish Terrier, 278

---- coat, weight, colour, 283

---- neck, chest, etc., 284

---- head, muzzle, 284

---- height, 287

---- Clubs, 287

Setoning, 438

Skye Terrier, 269

---- head, 273

---- weight, 273

---- faults, 273

---- Club, 273

---- prices, 273

Spaniels, 66

---- colour of, 68

---- Sussex, 76

Specific ailments, 369

Split margin, 425

Stone in the bladder, 419

Stricture, 421

Strychnine poisoning, 415

T

Torn eyelids, 431

Training Spaniels, 102

Tumours and warts, 441

Twist of the bowels, 395

V

Vomiting, 398

W

Welsh Terrier, 308

---- head, neck, 308

---- arms, and forearms, 309

---- back, loins, tail, and feet, 309

---- Club, 309

Whippet, 167

---- coat, 168

---- constitution, 168

---- fore-limbs, 168

---- hind-quarters, 171

---- tail and feet, 171

---- General appearances, 171

White West Highland Terrier, 305, 307 (see Appendix, p. 443)

Worms, 399

Wounds, 433

THE END

_Colston & Coy. Limited, Printers, Edinburgh_

FOOTNOTES

[1] Liver-coloured flat and wavy coated specimens are not at all uncommon, though not generally preferred.

[2] A moderate degree of development of the Membrana Nictitans (so called Haw) is not only typical of the Clumber, but advantageous. To remove this useful Membrane (unless for surgical reasons) is a cruel and useless procedure, deserving severe condemnation.

[3] The heights of the Crickhowell Harriers are as follows:--Dogs, 17½ to 18½ inches; bitches, 17 to 18 inches.

* * * * * *

Transcriber's note:

--Obvious errors were corrected.