THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 35

THE KENNEL.

Br Tebeob.

V.BOleri u^ breeders of dogi «re cordially Jnrlt«d to eo«i tvibuli itemi'o tbU column. " Terror " will endeaToar to make UiAmnWli lutttuOns and up-to-^ate v powlble, but in Srte % dotbUbe nnit hiVe tho 00-ottfaratloii of hi. reade.a, leace £• tra«i tlit» invitaltan will be cheerfully renponded to. Xf there is one more prcnouoced than another of bad managemeni in the upkeep of a dog it is the over-fee Appee ranee. Judicious feeding is not mow important than exeroise, for both are essen tial +o perfect health, but- injudicious feed sng certainly produces more disastrous re suits than doea lack of freedom. Influfn olent food and poor food produces rickets emaciation, and other diseases, and it doei not require a Hugh Dalziel to inform uf tha* it also leads to bad habits, such as fowl-killing, garbage-eating, filohing, an<; stealing, exposing the dog to poison anc other physical dangers, all tanHing. U> ju«

the dog's moral character. On the other i hand the over-fed dog is prone to many diseases which the under-fed dog would < escape, and, in addition, is undoubtedly the more useless of the two. One good meal a day is sufficient for any dog, but that one meal should never be overlooked. As the authority just referred to truly says, however, there should be no hard-and-fast rule in feeding, for age, individual constitution existing state of health and condition, tho demands on the system in exercise and work and, in rhc case of bitches, in giving support to their young, have all to be carefully considered ; and, given common sense and an ordinary knowledge of the qualities of food on the part of the feeder, nothing need be- lost, but everything given to fulfil its purpose. —It is said that the word "collie" was until recent years used in conjunction with the word "dog" to indicate that it was working with a variety of sheep common in Scotland known as ' r colleys," described in the Dictionary of Husbandry, published in ]743, a» "such sheep as have black faces and legs, the wool of these sheep being haro'i with hairs and not so white as other sheep."' A dog working such sheep would be called a "colley dog." or Scotch ooUey dog. Gradually this particular variety of sheep lost its distinctive name, till finally the word obtaired only its present canine significance; so that only by custom and privilege is a collie a dog so far as the name , is concerned. / .1 — There are two principal reasons wny distemper is responsible for so heavy a - mortality amongst dogs; the one is a want of promptitude on the part of dog-owners in dealing ,with the first symptoms, and the other insufficient nursing when a dog is convalescent after an attack of distemper. . So many people, wait until a dog is very ill before treating him, and by that time he is often too far gone to be affected by medicine. Immediate treatment is what s required; a dog should be taken in hand as soon as he shows any signs of a cold. Discharge from- the eyes and nostrils is so often the forerunner of distemper, and if step' aro taken to cure this a bad attack if often prevented. Then as to careful nursing, dogs, like human beings, become very weak after a serious illness, and need to be gradually brought back to their normal state of health. A relapse is always exceedingly dangerous, and a large number of dogs die annually through want of proper nursing at thlß critical period. Do not be 'n too greal a hurry to put a dog on to his usual food, for if this is done before the system is capable of assimilating it more harm will be done than good. Then care should b«? taken that, doga recovering from djatemper do not .contract a chill durinjf convalescence, for that is a very serious matter. Distemper, is so virulent a disease that .it is .necessary to .emphasise mwifc -strongly - the -necessity for prompt action at the <iut9ei and<«areful. nursing during convalescence. .. .. i —During ,'Aetime that a dog ,i«. suffering from distemper it is well to watch carefully for any -symptom of paralysis, which would ' be indicated- by- Witching of the muscles and sometimes 4 by a -fit. ■ There are a great, many i case? ' nowaaays'-*-more than there used to be by far. Perhaps the best preventive .s to give occasional doses of Easton's syrup, | ', and in case a fit should occur bromide of potassium must be resorted to, \ and a' dose of it be given every three or four hour% Vory often when a dog has distemper, diarrhea? is present, and it is not well f o , stop it altogether. It should be checked, j but not- stopped, for it is an effort of Nature to rid the system of all ill humours. In , such -CO.SSI ojb ihese a. <Hose ot castor oil should be given, for that will olear away all foetid matter from the Intestines, and will leave the bowels soothed. During . distemper there is always more or less dis- ■ oharge from the eyes and nostrils, and this j needs to be sponged away with warm water i containing* a small quantity of some anti- j septic. Where skin disease, such as eczema, is present, local remedies will need to be applied to allay the irritation, which ia often yery; great. Skin disease is another of Nature's methods of throwing distemper put of tha system, and it should be regarded as a kind of safety valve, for dogs that suffer . from skin complaint rarely, if ever, develop I paralysis or chorea. ... ' — Many people think that it is impos- 1 sible for "a dog to escape distemper. This is eniirely false, the idea having become prevalent, no doubt, because nearly every dog does suffer from distemper at some time or other. It is, however, possible for him to escape if he never comes in contact with any germs of distemper, for this com- j plaint, like many others, is a contagious i one. and dogs easily contract it. When ' buying a dog it is always usual to inquire if he has had distemper, but as many dog- 1 owners when seeing a dog will a«sure you that he has had it and ajot over it. just so ; that, th^y may get a higher figure for him, j it is just as well to always regard such a new purchase as though he has not had distemper, and to take all precautions, being constantly on the look-out, so that in the event of his showing any symptoms of the disease prompt measures may be resorted to Never take anything for granted when buyinsr a dog, then you will be safe. By \w of further precaution, if you have other dogs, quarantine him for at least a week, and give him a good physicking with a blood mixture, and two or three aperient doses, <»o as to olear his system' before introdacing him to his kennel companions. — Correspondents very frequently complain of ear troubles with their dogs. Irri- j tation of the ear is likely to cause further , and more serious annoyance, and therefore anything connected adversely with that delicate organ should be carefully scrutinised, 1 snd, if possible, located. Dogs often are annojed with grass-seed within the ear. In such cases prompt measures are essential, and frequently it is necessary to call in the aid o? a "vet." to remove the trouble, j If neglected the trouble becomes serious, inflammation is set up, and the dog in con- j sequence is cruelly annoyed. As a preventive to many serious compla-ints a dog should be overhauled occasionally, for a casual eye may overlook a perhaps somewhat obscure ailment. Feet, ears, eyes, mou'ih, and coat are parts that are subject to troubles that are small at first, but, being unobserved, arrow with each day's delay. 1 —The following information, xegardingr ear canker is taken from an English expert paper, and may he recommended to owners of dogs. The extract is as follows: — "Ear. canker seems to originate flrst of all with ' an accumulation of -wax. At the outset syringing two or three times with warm water will usually settle the matter, and there will be no further trouble. Let the aecurrulation remain, however, and it be- , comes a hard mass : irritation is started by | the doc- scratching himself and rubbing his ear on the ground, and very soon the passage ie&dlni into the interior or the ear

becomes inflamed, and the inflammation may ' work, its way inside, and set up permanent or chronic ear trouble. The best lotion to use for internal ear canker is the leal and opium lotion recommended in the British ' Pharmacopoeia,' a small quantity of which can be used for syringing the ear from time to time. A.ny chemist will be able to supply this lotion of the proper strength, if the purpose for which it is Tequircd is explained to him. Care should be taken to note that it is poison — both lead anci opium are poisons, and the bottle must not be left in the charge of a careless person. In a matter of this kind the owner bhou.'d attend to the treatment himself, rhen he may be sure that it will be done properly. At the same time some internal medicine should be given. A capsule of sulpuur, rhubarb, and Epsom salts make a very good cooling blood medicine, and may be v lven as often as is necessary in order to regulate the system. Also take care that after the interior of the ear has been , pyringed some soothing drops shall be put in, so as to prevent the cuticle from becom- J ing dry and irritable. A mixture of almond oil and glycerine in equal parts makes a. ' very good thing for. the purpose ; as glyce- ' rine and oil, however, do not mix, it will be necessary to shake the connection ud well before putting the drops in. The more frequently the lotion is used the better, , but in any case it should be used at least twice a day, followed by the drops, of \ course, as recommended." • > i — A story of an heroic fox terrier that saved it-" master's life by attacking an enraged and wounded lion comes from Rhodesia, says the Daily Chronicle. Whilst out shooting at Lomagundi a settler named Marsh, accompanied by a fox terrier, encountered a fine male lion. A rifle bullet j rolled the huge brute over, and it lay to all appearances dead. But as Marsh approacheo it the lion leaped upon its assailant, knocked him down, and severely mauled him. The terrier pluckily rushed upon the beast, and worried it so much that the lion was compelled to turn upon its tormentor. This gave the man an opportunity to reload his gun and shoot the lion dead with a bullet through its bram. Marsh was conveyed to hospital in a serious condition