A dastardly act is to poison a dog, and no punishment is too severe to inflict on the cowardly cur who does it. If I could have my way about it, the cur that poisons a dog would hang by the neck till he was dead, a proper punishment, properly fitting the crime. If you are so unfortunate as to have your dog poisoned, keep your eye open on your neighbors - who perhaps are unfortunately such degenerates that they do not like dogs. Bide your time, but never give up trying to land the cur who poisoned your clog, and then, if you can not have positive proof enough to punish him or her legally, try some other plan quietly, and never give up until you have in some way punished the one who killed your dog.

I am devoting considerable space to this subject, as it is important, and advise that you study this article well, so that if you are so unfortunate as to ever have a dog poisoned, you may know what to do promptly, and perhaps save your dog.

It may be of service to some readers to briefly refer to a few of the commoner and More popularly known poisons from which are dogs are most likely to suffer; and I think the following will cover the majority of cases: Arsenic, cantharides, carbolic acid, corrosive sublimate, phosphorous and strychnine.

As. a general rule for distinguishing between the evidence of poisoning and the symptoms of disease, the suddenness of the attack must weigh largely; while by tracing where the dog has been, and what he has or is likely to have picked up, a pretty accurate conclusion may be arrived at.

The first step to be taken in most cases is to freely empty the stomach by means of emetics such as tartar emetic, sulphate of zinc, ipecacuanha wine, one of the most useful and least dangerous to use. The dose is from 3 drams to 8 drams in a little warm water. If none of these are at hand, by drenching with lukewarm water, and afterwards giving the antidotes indicated if procurable.

If the dog suffer much pain, a dose of opium or laudanum every three or four hours. Where great depression and weakness follow, stimulants, as ether, wine, or brandy, should be given in small quantities at frequent intervals.

Arsenic is used to poison rats, mice and other vermin; in this way it is frequently met with in and about country houses.

Symptoms: Great heat and evident pain in the stomach and bowels, sometimes accompanied with swelling - the belly being very tender to the touch - great thirst, frequent vomiting and retching, more or less discharge of a frothy saliva, and frequent evacuations of fluid, dark colored matter, often marked with blood. The animal soon loses muscular power to a great extent, showing an indisposition to move; the tongue, lips, etc., are red and swollen, and the breathing is more and more labored and painful.

Antidotes: Ferrugo or hydrated sesquioxide of iron, 12 parts of which combine with 1 part of arsenic, froming an insoluble compound; also light magnesia, which will remove 1-25th its weight of arsenic from its solution in water.

Phosphorous

Antidoes: Calcined magnesia, with diluents and demulcents given in quantity.