THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2784, 24 July 1907, Page 35

THE KENNEL.

Br Tusob.

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—At the Irish Kennel CLubs last show (Ireland) the Irish terriers entered numbered 1+1; Irish red setters, 113; bulldogs, 75; fox terriers, 65; Pomeranians, 63; collies, 57, and all other modern fancies were shown in gradually reducing numbers down lo retrievers 6, Dachshunds 2, — a pretty fair indication of the different cegrees of favour in which the various breeds are held in Great Britain at the present day. — Major Richardson, of Carnoustie, Scotland, who recently tcok three ambulance dogs by order of the Sultan to Constantinople, has been created a Commander of the Order of the Medjidieh, of the rank of major-general. The S-ultan witnessed the work of the dogs in his private park at Yildir-Kiosk with his Albanian guards, and expressed his delight. The dogs were submitted to the most exhaustive tests by the Turkish general staff, and stood all the trials excellently. Major Richardson's system has been adopted for the Turkish army, which is a oredit to England, as everything used in Turkey is on the German system. The Sultan sent Major Richardson in his steam yacht to the Black Sea to report on his kennels. Major Richardson has a very high opinion of the Sultan, who possesses a 'keen knowledge of sport and dogs and has^ charming manners. The major was received with the utmost courtesy during his stay in Turkey. —We learn (says Our Dogs) from a local contemporary of a remarkable encounter in the - River Wharfe between a big dog otter and two Bedlington terriers, which adds one more laurel to the reputation of the Tynesider for his ga men ess and tenacity. For the last fortnight two enthusiastic Otley anglers had been watching two otters in the River Wharfe at Otley, and they determined to put their two Bedlington terriers in. Watching at a spot near Messrs Duncan's mill they spotted the male otter about midstream, and slipped their dogs at him. For nearly two hours the war waged, and the female otter helped her mate courageously. When the dogs had had hold several times the two sportsmen got hold of the otter's tail, and lifted him, with the two dogs, clean out of the water, and they then made the "happy despatch." It proved to be a fine male, weighing 261b and measuring 3ft 9in. — Distemper is due to a microbe of the vegetable kingdom, which is termed a coecobacillus, and resembles a dumbbell in form. The word "microbe" means small life (micros, email ; bios, life), and microbe may belong to the animal or vegetable kingdom. The distemper microbe is very small, and is usually found in the blood of the dog suffering from the disease in its earliest stages. It appears to manufacture a poison or toxin that weakens the defensive cells of the body, and allows the ordinary or usual microbes found in the healthy body or in the surroundings of the dog to also prey on the system, and which usually accounts for the troublesome complications of this dreaded disease, especially when the animal is subjected to bad hygienic conditions. The microbes of such malarial diseases as malignant jaundice, malaria, or tsetse fly disease, etc., belong to the animal kingdom. The microbes of distemper, typhus, etc., belong to the vegetable kingdom. ' The smaller the microbe or a-ny other parasitic organism, the severer the disease, and in many instances the greater the mortality. Distemper in its pure form is an eruptive disease, similar to measles in children, and, if treated early and with care, would cause less mortality tha-n is now the case. As it is mosily overlooked in its earliest stage, the dog is allowed to run about in inclement weather, or to eat filth, or he is subjected to baths and chills, especially just before a show. Nothing is noticed until some of the usual symptoms appear, such as running of the -eyes or nose and the husky cough, this latter frequently being the first to attract attention. It ia commonly thought that dog shows are a fruitful source of the dissemination of the disease, and though no doubt this is right, not every dog developing distemper after a show owes his contamination to the show yard. It is a common experience to find dogs showing symptoms of the disease in a very mild form at the time they are on the bench, or a day or two after the show, and though they had not been noticed before, it should not be said that they took the disease at the show. The fact is, the dog had already the microbe of the disease within him before the show, and; maybe the careless washing over night, the train travelling, the excitement of the show weakens the system, and the disease develops too coon to be contracted from the incriminated show. When there are young puppies about, they should be carefully watched day by day for the least sign of indisposition, and when left much to the care of servants i( 43 a wise precaution, no matter how iroublesome, to subject them to a careful feud minute »

examination as often, as opportunity presents, more especially when the owner has not seen them for a few days, or when wet, inclement weather is prevalent. When a dog does not appear to be well, off his appetite, or is mopey and dull, he should at once be isolated, kept quiet, and free from all risk of chill, and by so doing distemper may be detected earlier than would otherwise be the case, and many deaths averted 1 .

— Speaking of distemper, Hugh Dalziel •says : "The dog-owner who has puppies growing up_ shou ! d always be on the lookout for distemper, for in this, as other things, a stitch in time 6&ves nine. In many case 3 a mild emetic of salt and mustard, ipecacuanha wine, or antimonial wine may be given, for theee are often beneficial when judiciously used, although detrimental when abused, as emetics often are. The bowels as well as ihe stomach should be emptied, and for the purpose we must be guided in our choice of drugs by the constitutional strength, age, and general state of the dog. For delicate animals a laxative of ofive oil, linseed oil, or castor oil answers best, and stronger ones may have ca>?tor oil; but I have never, when the dog is strong enough, found anything better than the following pill*: — Compound podophyllin pills: Take podophyllin 6gr, compound extract of oolooynth 30gr, powdered rhubarb 48gr, extract of henbane 36gr ; mix, and divide it into 24 pills. The . dose for a 201b puppy is one pill, and it is advisable to give the dog a warm bottle alter the pill to assist in its action.-- As soon as the bowels have been freely acted on begin with the following mixture, giving a dose of it regularly every four or five hours as long as any feverish or inflammatory symptoms exist : — Distemper mixture : Take chlorate of potash 2dr, Mindererus spirit loz, sweet spirit of nitre 2dr, tincture of henbane 2dr, water 2£oz. Dissolve the potash in the water and add the ingredients. The dose for a 201b puppy of six months old. is «• tablespoonful, and it should be given in some additional water. In case of fits, when the head seems affected, • and there is partial blindness or twitching of the limbs, etc., add the following to the distemper mixture, and do not alter the dose : —Tincture of aconite 18 drops, solution of strychnine (British Pharmacopoeia) 18 drops, and gradually increase the dose of theee o drugs in the mixture until in a week 1 oe times the above dose is given." A very virulent type of distemper ig at present raging amongst the dogs in the PaJmerston district. The Palmerston Times says that five valuable, dogs, the property of a shepherd employed at Shag Valley Station, recently succumbed to the disease, and heavy losses are reported from other parts of the district Mr Kerrigan, Government veterinarian, who was in Palmerston the other day, recommends the following as a simple and efficacious remedy for the disease: — Mix brandy and heated milk in equal Quantities and administer a tahleepoonful to the animal three or four times a day. The dog should be kept warm, and should not be allowed to take any food.