FANCIERS' COLUMN. THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2695, 8 November 1905, Page 31

FANCIERS ' COLUMN. THE KENNEL.

Br Tekbob.

[Fuciera an^l breeders ..ofSdoss are cordially invited to cantribute items to this column. " Terror " trill endeavour to make bis department as interesting and'up-to date as possible, but in order to do this be must have the co-onerition of Ms readers deuce he trusts thU invitation will be cheerfully responded to.

1 —Mr E. Webster's- 'Glendon Mist has wKelped (October 26) , five " pups to . Double First, . Mr Hamilton's imported stud dog. Three dogs and two sluts make a desirable litter, and I understand the lot are nominated for the New Zealand Fox-terrier Produce Stakes, 1906.

— Chingford Nipper, Mr Webster's wirehair, has added further laurels to his season's work by taking first at Palmerston North in puppy and open classes. The judge, Mr Johnstone, commenting upon the class, pronounced it good. — Mr J. Thompson, well known as a good sport, has imported from Mr W. Hamilton, of Sydney, Linden Loo, by Double First, out of a Jack Frost bitch. Linden Loo is to be served by oh. Glendon Major before leaving Australia, and as sh© has taken first in Novice- at the late N.S.W. KenneL Club Show she should be a great acquisition to the fancy, and warrants' the expectation that Mr Thomson will be in the list of prize-winners at next season's shows. ■ — Mr W. L. Eae, writing from London, says: — "Mr G. Hopton, a well-known bulldog enthusiast, is on on eof his periodical trips to England from America, and has purchased the noted winner, Master Merlin. This dog, from its shape and colour, was once dubbed 'The Glorified Pug,' a name thjt has stuck to him, and consequently given a falsa impression of his real value as a typical specimen of the breed. The London sales of sporting dogs have now closed, the record price for the season being_ 205 guineas for the wavy-coated retriever Drayton Truthful. This bitch was bred by Mr W. L. Nicholson, of Market Dxayton, and sold by him at last "year's sale for 24 guineas, so that the purchaser on that ocoasion made a very good bargain. In the interim Truthful bred a splendid litter to -Champion, Hofton Rector, one of which, Madam, is likely to make history. Bulldogs at Liverpool had 98 dogs in eight classes, something like an entry. Mr Deacon judged well, and when Brodlea Squire and Maston Michael came in the ring for the premier award the excitement was great. However, Squire won rightly enough, and a grand dog he is." I — Is 21 a Tecord for a litter of puppies? | Mr A. Thorpe, of Northwold, who sends the London Graphic a photograph of his St. Bernard, Lady Millard, and her family of 21, claims that this was the largest litter | ever known. The puppies' father, by name Young York, is also owned by Mr Thorpe. Unfortunately all the puppies died. A representative of the paper inquired at the Kennel Club whether 21 was the record -litter, but the club was unable to decide. Two well-known veterinary surgeons and canine specialists said that they had never known a litter of 21, bu£ a greyhound 1 of their acqupaintance once gave birth to 19. The average number of puppies in a litter — when all breeds are considered — is estimated to be five. The question as to what is the record litter opens up another question. Why are some breeds more prolific than other!? Collies, St. Bernards, and greyhounds, for instance, have large litters; terriers have average litters, but bulldogs and some of the smaller breeds usually have smaller litters than the average.

— The subject of mango in clogs is one that is continually cropping up, and which yet is frequently misunderstood, even by experienced dog owners. By custom various skin affections and irritations are classed as mange, yet the true mange is one of the Least common complaints to which dogflesh is heir to. Genuine mange is associated with dirt and neglect, and when it breaks out in well-kept kennels it is a safe conclusion that the disease is caused by accidental infection, such as contact with an affected animal, or with something that carries with

is the parasite or its eggs. The true mange is caused by the presence of the mange acarus, or mange mite, and this parasite attacks all parts of the dog. Its progress is very rapid, and in a month the disease will spread over the entire animal. A veterinarian article in the Field gives the following particulars, of the disease : — At the commencement there will be observed numerous red points, very much like fleabites; these red points are soon replaced by distinct papules, the size of a lentil, and some of them will assume the character of -vesicles, which soon burst and show moist patches in different parts. The vesicles are very soon converted into pustules, in the centre of which a dark point may be seen, which indicates the entrance to the gallery formed by the insect. Sometimes the disease 'throughout is not associated with exudation, but is characterised by the formation of dry scales and loss of hair. During the whole progress of the disease the itching is intense, indicated by animal constantly biting and scratching all parts which it can reach. It is not, however, to be expected that the amateur will be able to critically examine the condition of a dog's skin in such a way _ as to be able to differentiate the eruption which occurs in the earlier stages of mange from surfeit or various forms of eczema, all of which are indicated by the animal biting and scratching. Treatment of mange is by no means easy, as its success depends On the remedy reaching the acari in their habitats under the cuticle into the fibrous -structure of the true skin, and in advanced farms of the disorder it is necessary to prepare the skin for the remedy by thoroughly washing with warm water and soft soap, and the careful removal of all hard scabs. Numerous forms of dressing are recommended by different experts, but 'it is generally allowed that the selection of the dressing is not of so much moment as the method of its application. One thorough dressing is likely to do more good that a dozen of a perfunctory kind. A. very favourite dressing for a . horse affected with mange was composed of equal parts of oil or tar, train oil, and turpentine, but the mixture was so iinpleasant in its appearance and smell that its use was mainly confined to the coarser breed in large working establishments, and it was not considered to be safe for dogs, owing to the extreme susceptibility of the animal's skin to the action of turpentine. It was only by chance that it was ascertained that the preparation might be safely used for dogs; notwithstanding its bad reputation, a wellknown veterinary surgeon many year 3 ago was in the: habit of using it, and affirmed in public that he never found the least injury, but on ' the contrary the greatest benefit from its use in skin disease of a serious kind in the dog, and sarcoptio mange among them. The offensive qualities of the mixture would certainly render its Use impossible in a house, but in any case of mange of so severe a character the obvious course would be to send the animals to the veterinary infirmary. Probably in the early stage of the disease there is no better dressing than a mixture of 'flour. ofsulphur with sweet oil, to form a creamy fluid, - which may be applied without any risk to the, animal; which will probably lick it. In very bad cases it is advised ijhat long-haired dogs should be completely shorn, so that' the- remedy, whatever ,'i,t may be, may have a chance of penetrating; into t the galleries which ,the parasites have made. Gerlach recommends as a remedy a preparation which would commend "itself to the owners of pet dogs, on account of the odour of vanilla which it exhales. It is simply a solution of the balsam of Peru in spirit, which will be applied to all the diseased parts of the skin. Among the remedies which may be looked upon as domestic applications is carbonic soap, the strength of which may vary from 1 to 20 per cent, of the carbolic acid, according 1 to the severity of the disease. The affected parts may be- moistened in the first place, and the soap rubbed on before the animal is placed in the bath, , in .which the soap must be thoroughly washed off. It must be understood that the strongest admixture, from 10 per cent, and above, if allowed to remain on the dog, may do serious mischief."

— I have culled -the following from the gcs«s column of the London Evening News, and think it will interest my readers, as it did me. Lord John Hay has attained his seventy-eighth birthday, and is seemingly good' for another 10'y«ars. For many years his name has been well known in doggy circles in connection with the now fashionable Pekinese. From China he brought home the first spaniel of this variety -seen in this country. She in time presented him with three puppies. For some reason the strange creature . took a dislike to her progeny, and fled the home. A cat happened lo be nursing kittens. These were taken from her, placed in a warm basket, and the puppies given to the cat. She mothered them fondly. Presently the little foreigner crept apologetically back, gave a glance at the puppies, taking in the situation, went demurely over to the kittens, and then and there, adopted them. Slie became a most affectionate foster mother, whilst puss brought up the puppies. — Der Hund publishes the followingsymptoms of and advice on the scurvy of the mouth in dogs: — "The scurvy of the mouth in doge is a very strong inflammation of the pituitary membrane of the mouth, which is followed by the formation of abscesses. The inflammation is usually the result of bad teeth. The symptoms are : the gums are swollen, slack, red, and bleed easily. There appear freen-grey abscesses, which spread in tetters. The teeth get loose and fall ou*. There is a bad smell from the mouth, and a viscous phlegm flows therefrom in threads. The ■appetite fails, and fever often sets in. The treatment consists in giving the dog soft food, always clean water, removal of diseased teeth, and syringing out of the mouth with 2 ocr cent, of permanganate of potassium." — I mentioned (says a writer to the Stockkeeper) some time ago that Professor Tizzoni was* making: use of radium rays in the treatment of rabies. Our confrere, the Rivisita Cinegetica, writes as follows on the subject: — "Professor Guido Tizzoni and the medical student Bongiovanni held at the University of Bologna,, Italy, two lectures. In these they proved by experiments: that they have succeeded in completely curing animals which have be^n inoculated with vi?-ns rabico fisso. When rabbits have been inoculated by the above substance they have bo«n subjected periodically to the act'^i 1 r "adium rays. The inoculated, but subicW 10 the above rays, animals were periVcilv cured, whereas others, equally inoculated, but not subjected to the radium rays, di-pfl of rabies after six days. Such an astonishing result has never been obtained, either by the Past pur system or by the serothei'anv, and Professor Tizzoni is going to try the radiotherapy on persons down with hydrophobia "