Part 15

Considering the number of young a bitch has, and the variety of size the puppies often are, I think it is wonderful they get through their trouble as well as they do, more especially when it is taken into consideration the artificial life dogs generally live. There are some breeds which are always a source of anxiety to their owners, especially the toys, as spaniels and griffons, which have frequently a habit of throwing back to the size of their ancestors, which were no doubt much larger dogs than the modern specimens. The same remarks refer to Yorkshire terriers as well as to the other small breeds, but the fault very often lies with the owner in trying to breed from very small bitches. Bull-bitches, again, often have difficulty in bringing their puppies into the world, and this is in a great measure due to the modern dogs having such large heads.

In addition to the difficulty mentioned, this breed is no doubt of a naturally weak constitution, and their organs of reproduction are very liable to disease. Of course there are many of what one may call accidental cases, as when a fox-terrier or dachshund has puppies by a dog the size of a collie. I have known many cases of this kind, and, as may be expected, the bitch has trouble in giving birth to such youngsters, though sometimes they are born without any difficulty at all. Then there are other cases of difficult parturition, due to stricture of the vaginal passage, the result of injury to the pelvic bones, as when a bitch has been run over across the hips, or as the result of congenital deformity of these parts. There is nothing to be done in these cases but to have the Cæsarean operation performed, when some of the puppies may be saved and the bitch too, if the operation is done in good time.

There is another form of stricture of the vagina, and it is generally found just inside the vulva. It is due to a strong band of mucous membrane, which refuses to dilate as the surrounding parts do at this time, and in some cases it is so strong that one is not able to dilate it in the ordinary way; therefore, the only thing to do is to cut through it with a blunt-pointed knife (bistoury), which I generally do at the side, and always with good result.

Difficulties arise at parturition in consequence of the unnatural position of the fœtus; a puppy should come with the head first, the nose extended, and the fore legs placed one on either side of the neck. Another easy position for birth is when the hind legs come first, but in these cases, unless the puppy is delivered quickly, it dies from asphyxia.

From some unaccountable reason a fœtus frequently assumes a wrong position, which renders its birth extremely difficult. In such cases it is useless giving ecbolics or medicines to stimulate the labour pains, but means must be taken to place the puppy, if possible, in a proper position, and then a dose of ergotine is useful. Perhaps the most common malposition is when both fore legs are thrown in a backward direction, causing the shoulder to project, thus inducing a mechanical impediment to birth. These are not very troublesome cases, as a rule, for the legs, by means of a blunt-pointed round hook, may be drawn forward; if there is nothing better at hand, a long button-hook will answer the purpose.

This accomplished, the puppy should come away easily; but if the bitch is weak from long straining, it is advisable to remove the puppy entirely, especially if it is thought there are more to come. I may mention here when one has to use instruments of any kind to assist the patient, the puppy is generally in some way injured, so that if it does not die at the time, it usually does very soon after; but after all, this is of little consequence compared with the life of the mother.

In some instances the puppy presents itself at the mouth of the womb with the top of the head foremost, the nose being pressed down against the chest; if it is at all large, birth is very difficult in this position. In such cases, one should try and elevate the nose with the point of the finger; when the bitch is not a large one this is often possible, but when she is, it is necessary to employ a crotchet or crook—as mentioned before, a button-hook with a long handle does very well—and, if possible, it should be fixed in the mouth and the nose drawn up; this is rendered more easy, if one can, by means of the finger of the other hand, press the neck backwards towards the body of the bitch. It is, however, often impossible to raise the head, and the only thing to be done is to seize the neck firmly with a pair of forceps, and by traction at each time of straining, extract the puppy. Care must be taken not to injure the bitch, or inflammation, which may prove fatal, will occur.

In other cases the head may be bent in a backward direction, the front of the neck presenting. These cases, though somewhat more difficult, require similar treatment to the previous kind. When all other means have failed, the neck may be divided and the head removed by forceps; the body will then generally come away by itself.

The fœtus assumes numerous other positions besides those mentioned—as, for instance, lying transversely, the puppy’s side presenting to the mouth of the womb, and when the labour pains are strong, no amount of manipulation will put the body in a normal position. Rather than let the bitch waste her strength uselessly, the puppy should be divided or broken up by means of a sharp-cutting hook, and removed by means of forceps.

When a fore and a hind leg are presented into the vagina, the former should be pushed back into the womb, and the hind leg seized with forceps and made fast with a piece of tape. (It is easy to distinguish one leg from the other by feeling for the hock-joint in the hind limb.) When this is done, the other back leg should now be felt for, and when its position is ascertained, it should, if possible, by means of a small pair of forceps (ordinary dressing forceps answer very well for this purpose) or crotchet, be drawn into the vagina, or made fast with tape like its fellow, and then by gentle traction on both limbs the puppy is delivered.

It occasionally happens, in cases of head presentation, that the hind legs are bent forward on the body, which renders the delivery difficult, and unless the passage is large, and the pains are very strong, the bitch cannot bring forth the pup without assistance. This is best rendered by grasping the puppy across the hips with a small pair of thin-bladed parturition forceps, and gently pulling the puppy during each throe.

It frequently occurs that though a puppy may lie in a normal position, the mother is unable to give birth to it in consequence of its being too large. The nose may be just inside the vagina, and there become fixed in spite of the bitch’s straining for hours. I have seen hundreds of such cases. It is a mistake to leave the bitch in this condition too long, thinking matters will come all right, as it is wasting time and the mother’s strength; and if there are other puppies to come, she probably will not have strength either to expel them herself or help anyone who may try to assist her. In this instance, the head is so firmly fixed in the mouth of the womb that it is impossible to take hold of it with forceps, however small or thin the blades may be, but the hook of the crotchet may generally be passed into the mouth of the puppy, and by fixing it well into the palate a good hold is obtained, and the puppy drawn through the passage by main force. If care be taken, it is astonishing what amount of force may be used in promoting delivery without at all injuring the bitch, but it is best not to pull on the puppy except during the labour pains, if there are any.

It is the custom of some veterinary surgeons to give the bitch, during labour, a hot bath if the parts are not considered sufficiently relaxed, or if the pains are dull; at the proper time the tissues always become sufficiently dilated, providing the parts are in a normal state—that is, bar a stricture in the vagina, or something of the kind—and if there is any abnormal condition, a warm or hot bath, in my opinion, does more harm than good by often checking the pains.

Sometimes when the ergot fails to induce or stimulate the throes, I have applied with advantage to the abdomen an ice-bag; but what I find the best of all, when one or two subcutaneous injections of ergotine have not worked satisfactorily, is to put the bitch in some vehicle and give her a drive, and if nothing else will induce the labour pains this shaking up will do so in most cases.

The worst of all, are those cases when the bitch is due to pup, the parts are relaxed, and there are no labour pains to expel the fœta. Examined per vaginum, no puppy can be felt, and no amount of excitement of the parts by passing a cold instrument into the passage, or injections of ergot, causes contraction of the womb. If the patient seems all right, it is best to wait some hours, during which time everything should be done to try and excite contraction of the parts. If the means taken do not succeed, then there is nothing to be done except the Cæsarean operation, as it is not safe to attempt delivery with forceps or the crotchet when the puppies cannot be felt with the finger.

The best forceps for using, in my opinion, in cases of parturition, are those made by Messrs. Krohne & Sesemann, of Duke Street, Manchester Square, London. They are made after the pattern of Will’s ovariotomy forceps, of very fine hard steel; the blades are extremely thin and small, and deeply serrated, so that when a puppy is taken hold of they do not easily slip off. My crotchet was also made by the same firm, and, if care is used when working with it, it is a most valuable little instrument. When from causes due to mechanical impediment either on the part of the bitch or puppies, or from want of proper labour pains, it is impossible to obtain the birth of the puppies through the proper channel, the abdomen should be opened. If the operation is done in good time (that is, before the bitch has become weak), and proper antiseptic precautions taken, there is a chance, though the operation is a dangerous one, of saving the mother’s life. At any rate, some of the puppies can be almost certainly brought forth alive; whilst if the operation is not undertaken in these circumstances, one knows that not only the bitch but all the puppies are sure to die.

Prolapsus, or inversion of the womb or uterus, into the vagina, sometimes, but very rarely, occurs during parturition, due to very severe straining, or as the result of too much force being used to remove a puppy with forceps, or by other artificial means. Care must be taken in these cases not to mistake protrusion of the uterus for prolapsus of the vagina or a polypus. The latter may be recognised as a solid, pear-shaped body with a narrow neck, whilst a prolapsed vagina is generally a large, solid, oval body, which almost fills the vaginal canal, if it does not protrude externally. It has a broad base, and rises at the back part of the passage, just in front of the meatus or opening to the bladder. The uterus is soft, reducible, and rough, and tubular in shape, besides showing dark-coloured patches where the placenta has been attached.

After the womb has been cleansed by being sponged with a weak, tepid solution of permanganate of potash, it should, if possible, be returned by gentle pressure on the fundus of the uterus with a piece of whalebone, with the point covered with a sponge. The returning is assisted if the hind legs are raised—in fact, by the bitch being held upside down. Care must be taken not to use undue force, or the uterus may be ruptured. After the return, it is a good plan to inject a quantity of cold water into the vagina to act as an astringent.

When the protruding uterus shows signs of having been injured, or is much congested, or decomposition has set in, amputation is advisable. This is best done by drawing the part gently out and applying a strong silk ligature as high up as possible, and cutting off the free portion.

The bitch, when she has finished pupping, requires little attention beyond a change of bed and a fair supply of nutritive food. She does best when least noticed; but it is well to see that she takes sufficient exercise. On the following day she should be taken out two or three times for a few minutes to relieve herself, and every day after that she ought to be about pretty much as before. Some bitches, however, are such devoted mothers as to sacrifice health, and occasionally life itself, to enjoy the pleasure of being with their young ones. This excess of affection must be controlled, for, if not checked, it will seriously injure both parent and offspring. All animals, however, are not thus distinguished. Some bitches cannot be induced to suckle the pups they have given birth to; and others, though less frequently, will eat their progeny. The disposition to desert or destroy their young seems to prevail among the parentage of this world. In the female of the dog the maternal instinct is most powerful, but under certain conditions of the animal’s body the natural impulse seems to be perverted, and she takes the life she would else have perished to preserve.

Some persons entertain a notion that the bitch which has once devoured her litter will ever after retain the disposition. This is a false idea. On the next occasion, if properly treated—that is, if not persecuted, chastised, alarmed, and annoyed, but properly dieted—she may prove, and most likely will prove, an excellent mother, the very excitability which, when over-stimulated, induced her unnatural impulse, making her, when tranquil, the more alive to the instincts of her nature.

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

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

A strong bitch may be able to bring up five or six young ones, though I have known some instances where a bitch has reared successfully as many as ten; but the animals of the smaller or choice breeds are seldom possessed of such capabilities. The very diminutive will not generally rear two pups without suffering; and four are a very heavy drag upon the majority of the animals kept as pets, even though they be in no way remarkable on account of size.

If anything happens to the bitch, and she is unable to rear her puppies, either a foster-parent must be found (and a cat will rear a small pup very tenderly), or the litter must in part be brought up by hand.

This last is more troublesome than difficult to do. The pups want to be fed early and late, consequently they must be taken into the bedroom; and when the feeding-time arrives, the soundest sleeper will be reminded of his duty. A bottle, such as is used for infants of the human kind, must have a sort of nipple made of wash-leather fitted to it. The leather is to be pricked all over with a fine needle, and within it is to be placed a small piece of sponge to give substance and form to it. There is need to do that, because the pup, when it sucks, wraps the tongue round the teat, and unless the body it thus grasps has bulk, it cannot extract the liquid. This, therefore, being attended to, the little creatures very soon learn their lesson, and all that is subsequently to be done will be to hold them to the bottle and the bottle to them. Each pup occupies from ten to fifteen minutes at a meal; and they may be allowed to decide the quantity that will do them good, unless one should obviously be morbidly gluttonous, when the indulgence of its appetite should be restrained.

The best food for such young puppies is to give artificially prepared bitches’ milk, made by adding cream, etc., to cows’ milk. (_See_ article on MILK.)

There is only one circumstance needed to be pointed out when pups are brought up by hand. The sponge and leather of the false nipple are apt to become sour; and therefore, after they have been used, they should be kept in water rendered slightly alkaline with the carbonate of soda.

If the puppies are strong, one may commence to wean them when between five and six weeks old; but when they are weakly or delicate, it is best to wait another week before commencing to take them away from their mother; and under any circumstance it must be done gradually for the mother’s sake. For the first three days separate the bitch from the puppies all day except for half an hour, middle day; then keep her away entirely during the day, only allowing her to be with them at night; and then, after a few days later, only allow her to visit her puppies for a short time night and morning. This must continue so long as the bitch has any desire to go to the little ones, or so long as she has any milk.

As to feeding the puppies, _see_ the article on FEEDING in the Appendix.

=Purgative Medicine=:

A dose of purgative medicine, judiciously administered, is a good remedy for many minor complaints, and often makes what looks like being a very sick dog into a healthy one.

Castor oil is a good household remedy, but causes constipation afterwards; but in cases of diarrhœa, when it is necessary to clear the bowel of any irritating matter, there is nothing better than castor oil. The dose varies from half a teaspoonful to two tablespoonfuls.[1] When the dog is showing signs of abdominal pain, from three[1] to fifteen drops of laudanum may be added to the dose.

The following is a mild aperient mixture, and does not bind afterwards:—

_Recipe_:

Castor Oil, } Equal parts. Syrup of Buckthorn, } Salad Oil, }

Well mixed.

_Doses_: From half a teaspoonful[1] to two tablespoonfuls, fasting, in the morning.

For little dogs suffering from constipation, salad oil mixed daily with the food answers well. Give from a half[1] to a teaspoonful once or twice a day.

Some dogs refuse to take their food with oil in it. In these cases, fluid magnesia is a nice mild laxative; and one,[1] two, or three teaspoonfuls may be given with a little milk at breakfast-time. A little gingerbread cake, given at night, keeps a small dog’s bowels very regular; besides, it is appreciated.

For a purge for small dogs, one or two of the following pills may be given:—

_Recipe_:

Extract Colocynth, 12 grains. Extract Jalap, 6 ” Septandrin, 3 ” Extract Gentian, 6 ” Podophyllum, 3 ” Gingerine, 1½ ”

Mix.

Divide into 12 pills.

Sometimes it is difficult to give a dog a pill. In these cases, a powder may be administered, as jalapin. Two grains is the dose for a very small dog, and twelve grains for a big one like a great Dane or St. Bernard. It may be just shaken dry on the tongue or mixed with a little thick gruel.

The following is a good cathartic pill for dogs varying in size from a fox-terrier to the biggest kind:—

_Recipe_:

Barbadoes Aloes, 24 grains. Gamboge, 12 ” Jalap, 24 ” Colocynth, 12 ” Powdered Soap, 12 ” Calomel, 12 ” Gingerine, 3 ” Excip. sufficient.

Mix.

Divide into 12 pills—one, two, three, or four[1] to be give on an empty stomach.

In cases of skin disease, when purgative medicine is necessary, Epsom salts is the best. The dose varies from fifteen grains to one ounce,[1] given in some sweetened milk.

=Purpura=:

_Symptoms_: Extravasation of blood into the skin in very small pin-like spots, or may be in large patches. They are first bright red, then turn darker, and afterwards become brown in colour. The same symptoms may occur on the tongue, also the cheek, and on the white parts of the eye, and they occur also on the internal organs.

_Treatment_: When the spots are very small and few in number, no notice need be taken of them; but when there are large patches of extravasated blood, give from half a grain[1] to two grains of ergotine with double the quantity of reduced iron, made into a pill, two or three times a day. After a few days, commence a course of arsenic, give from one[1] to six drops of liquor arsenic (P.B.) three times a day in water after food.

In these cases, avoid giving much meat.

=Pyæmia=:

_Symptoms_: This is an uncommon disease in dogs, but when it does occur it usually runs a rapid course, death often taking place in a few days. It generally results from some severe internal operation, though it may not come on until some months after the operation has taken place, then a large abscess forms in the liver. The attack commences, as a rule, by severe shivering, the temperature rises 3 or 4 or more degs. above normal; the pulse is very quick, often going up to 150. The dog refuses all food, is very thirsty, frequently vomits, and loses condition quickly. If the abscess bursts in the abdomen, peritonitis follows, and death soon takes place; but if it dries up (becomes caseated), then the dog gets better for a time, but other abscesses are almost sure to form, if not in the liver, kidneys, or lymphatic glands, they may in the lungs, when there is a recurrence of all the symptoms previously described.

_Treatment_: There is little to be done in these cases; a large dose of salicylate of quinine, say from two to ten grains,[1] should be given, and repeated once in six hours. If no improvement takes place by the following day, it is worth while to see what a surgical operation will do, though the chances of a cure by this mode of treatment are never very bright.

The dog’s strength should be maintained with good strong beef-tea, also Plasmon with milk, and nutritive suppositories and enemas. Brandy, too, should be freely given.

=Pyrosis=:

_Symptoms_: The rejection from the stomach of a quantity of watery fluid. This is generally preceded by discomfort and restlessness, and rumbling in the stomach.

_Treatment_: Put dog on a milk diet for a few days; it may be given with Benger’s food, Plasmon, or Spratt’s invalid food, or toast; also three or four times a day, about a quarter of an hour before food, give from two[1] to ten grains of subnitrate of bismuth. Do not give any meat.

=Rabies=:

_Symptoms_: As in all illnesses, this one commences with a loss of appetite, and a rise of temperature from 2 to 3 degs. above normal. The dog may be constantly licking himself at one particular spot, which is probably the place where he was bitten and inoculated.

The dog’s disposition entirely changes, the cheerful one becomes morose and sullen, the quiet one is restless, and the good-tempered dog quarrelsome, and there is an inclination to hide in dark corners, though when called by his owner he comes forward and is very affectionate, licking the hand and even the person’s face if allowed.