The mammary or milk glands often require attention, more especially if all, or nearly all, the puppies die. Then the milk, which often accumulates in quantities, becomes, as it were, caseated, the glands are swollen, inflamed and very tender and abscesses may form. The same thing sometimes occurs when the bitch has a large litter, in one or more glands, the puppies seeming to take a dislike to the milk in these parts; or perhaps the parts are tender and the bitch refuses to let the puppies suck there. Many bitches who have never been in pup, or even served by a dog, often have a large accumulation of milk about nine weeks after being in heat, and unless the parts are carefully watched to see the glands do not become swollen and hard, a good deal of trouble may follow, and subsequently gradular tumors form, necessitating an operation.

When the glands become swollen and inflamed, hot water fomentations should be applied three or four times a day, and after each fomentation the glands, especially the hard lumps, should be rubbed with warm camphorated oil, and the milk drawn off. Castor oil should be given also every three or four days. When the bitch affected is rearing uppies, it is necessary to wash the camphorated oil off with warm water and soap before she is allowed to return to the little ones.

. While some bitches have too much milk, others have none at all; the latter conditions may only continue for a day or two. but sometimes it is permanent, and though the mother may be anxious to nurse the puppies, she is unable to do so. In such cases treatment is of little use.; a diet of oatmeal gruel and boiled fish may be tried, and is occasionally successful. In other instances when this has failed, I have found a stimulating diet of lean raw meat of some use.

Bitches of a nervous disposition, especially those of the smaller breeds of dogs, are occasionally subject to convulsions when nursing puppies. It is generally put down to weeakness, but I do not think this is the cause, for I have seen these attacks occur when the mother has been in good condition and when only rearing two or three puppies.

The complaint is called parturient eclampsia, and though the symptoms are very distressing, it is very seldom that death occurs as a result. The only signs are restlessness and excitement, the bitch keeps leaving her puppies and walks about panting. Presently she falls over on her side, the whole body being convulsed, looking very much like an animal which has been poisoned with strychnine. The legs are stretched out and rigid, the tail is often curled tightly over the back and the head is drawn back. The mouth is generally kept wide open, the dog panting violently, but there is no loss of consciousness.

With respect to treatment, it is seldom medicine can be given by the mouth in these cases, but when it is possible, a large dose of bromide of potassium - say one scruple for a bitch the size of a fox terrier, in a table-spoonful of water, should be given. Great care must be used in giving the liquid, or the patient will be choked. The bromide may be repeated in an hour. When it is impossible to give the medicine by the mouth, an enema, containing hydrated chloral should be used. The dose for a dog the size of a fox terrier, in an urgent case like this, should be half a dram dissolved in about four tablespoonfuls of warm water and given when tepid.

Smaller dogs - say spaniels and Yorkshire terriers - may have a scruple of chloral dissolved, of course in less water. When the attack has passed off, to prevent a recurence it is advisable to give a course of bromide - say from three to five grains for dogs the size of toy spaniels and fox terriers in a little water three or four times a day, and feed on. a light diet, as bread and milk, or the latter thickened with Genger's food.

If the convulsions do return the puppies ought to be weaned and means taken to disperse the milk. Trouble sometimes occurs in doing this even when the puppies have been gradually weaned, and such is particularly the case when bitches have milk without having puppies. Aperient medicines should always be given, castor oil being the best. A full dose should be administered about every four days. The glands should be rubbed twice a day with camphorated spirits, or the balsam of Peril ointment. What suits one dog does not always suit another, therefore when the milk does not seem to be dispersing as quickly as it should, other external remedies may be tried, as rubbing the glands with whisky or brandy, or even eau-de-cologne, and I have often had good success by dabbing the glands frequently with the following simple lotion applied cold:

Recipe

Methylated spirits (wood alcohol) one ounce cold water eight ounces.

The milk, unless it is secreted in very large quantities, and is causing pain, or is becoming hard, should not be drawn off, as to do so only stimulates the secretion. Sometimes these cases are extremely obstinate and will last five or six weeks, or even longer. In such instances, iodide of soda is useful in closes from half to two grains, according-' to the size of the bitch, given in a little water, and repeated twice daily; The diet in these cases should be light and of a stimulating character, as bread and milk, dry biscuits, milk pudding, etc."

One never knows when some untoward circumstance will arise in parturition. Pups come the wrong way, are too large,, or something or other happens that nonplusses even the best of us sometimes.

A bitch should be made to come out to empty, herself, if only for a few moments on the first day, or if she whelps at night, then on the next day, as many bitches through strong maternal instinct, love for their puppies, and through fear that some harm may befall her children, .will often "hold in" and damage result from no relief to the kidneys or stomach.

The following is copied from the American Field, and is valuable on this subject:

"Bitches at such times often become a little distressed, when their labor is at hand, and will crawl or creep into any hole or corner in order to seek relief, and will sometimes whelp in the most unsuitable places -on a cold floor, for instance. The bench should be protected on all sides, so that the puppies are not subject to the danger of being thrown "overboard," and the bench should not be too large, for fear of the puppies getting pushed away from their dam and getting cold, before they are properly dry. Dry, clean wheat straw makes the best bedding.

"The latter contingency is one that frequently happens. While the earlier puppies are yet moist they are pushed away from their dam in her efforts to give birth to succeeding puppies, cold strikes into their tender little system, they gradually lose the vigor which Nature has given them to aid them in securing the dam's teats, and drawing from them their natural sustenance, they whine, and gradually pine away and die, to the consternation and dismay of an anxious and expectant owner.

"Some breeders, in order to avert the possibility of what we have just described, take away the puppies as they are born into a kitchen, saddle room or other place, in which there is a fire to dry them, putting them back when the bitch has either finished whelping, or at intervals of rest from her labor.

"A bitch, shortly before she is due to whelp and afterward, should be kept upon sloppy food rather, such as porridge and milk, bread and milk, hound meal soaked in sheep's head broth, etc. While whelping she should simply be given some warm milk. The bitch should be allowed out Tor a short run of a few minutes on the second day, the duration of which may be increased each day.

"The secret of success in rearing puppies is fresh air, pure water, free and unrestrained exercise, good food, given often and a little at a time, access to grass, and a dry, warm bed at night. The fewer puppies are kept in kennels the better, and the more the foregoing table of hygiene can be observed the better will puppies come on."

Especially should the puppy quarters be kept sweet and clean, for a dozen flies will take more out of suckling puppies than a night's rest will put back. Here is where a cool cellar or other darkened building will be found almost imperative when the mercury is trying to do a century. The brooding quarters should be kept cool and in semi-gloom, and more than ordinary attention should be paid to cleanliness of the bedding so as not to attract flies. Next to worms there is nothing more irritating and calculated to retard a puppy's well doing than flies.