GENERATIVE ORGANS.—FEMALE.
The ignorant are always inclined to be officious where procreation is concerned. The knowledge they pretend to, concerning such matters, however, consists of mingled indecency and mystery; and, when exposed, only commands contempt. The poor dog, nevertheless, suffers cruelly through the practices which such persons subject it to; and great as may be the ignorance of the parties who go about the country under various assumed denominations, to torture the canine race, surely, they who pay such fellows, or allow their animals to be abused by these pretenders, display a want of sense even more deplorable? Still this is done every day. The nobility continue to be the profitable dupes of a host of confident impostors; and strangely seem to be infatuated with the belief that the man who sells a dog can likewise administer to the diseases of the creatures in which he trades.
The bitch is most unfortunate in the variety of severities she is compelled to undergo. Some foolish persons have imagined they can at will induce the periodical desire for offspring in the animal. To do this, violent stimulants are employed; being often given by the mouth, but more frequently injected up the passage. I have no proof that such means are ever successful; and were they capable of doing all they are employed to accomplish, I would certainly refuse to make use of them. Nature cannot be coerced to man's profit; and any interference with her laws is always dangerous. The consequences may not be so immediate that in every instance the effect is traced to the cause; but the major portion of the affections of which the female generative organs of the dog are too commonly the seat, may be attributed to the carelessness, or cruelty of the owner, or of those by whom he is surrounded.
Various morbid growths are apt to appear upon or within the parts when old age advances. These have been generally produced by violence endured at a period long prior to the development of the disease. Potent injections may have been employed to bring on the condition called "heat;" or undue force may have been exerted to drag away the pups when the bitch was in labor; or brutality may have been resorted to, to tear apart the animals during the performance of the act of impregnation. Other sources of accident and injury may likewise operate in disposing the delicate membrane of the vagina to exhibit disease; for boys, and others also, are cruelly inquisitive, and the dumb creature cannot complain.
The growths that appear upon the parts are not peculiar to its locality. They are only such as may be present on similar structures. They assume one of three forms, viz. either that of tumor, fungus, or polypus.
The tumor may be of any shape or size; and it may be very hard or comparatively soft. Its consistence and dimension will depend upon its character; and this is seldom in two cases exactly alike. Mostly it is confined to the more external parts of the passage; but so deep-rooted is it that it cannot be conveniently dissected away. It may have a broad base or widely spreading attachment; and those I have examined after death most frequently were mixed up with the structures on which they seemed to repose.
When such is the case, nothing can be done beyond attending to the general health; as by supporting the constitution, the tendency to disease is likely to be checked. To the part no local application should be used; and every care is required to prevent the animal from injuring it.
When more externally situated, a careful examination must be made, to decide whether there is a fair hope of the growth being successfully excised. If it is hard and circumscribed, an operation is justifiable; but the skin should be healthy. All the integument must be preserved, and the entire bulk of the morbid body cleanly taken away. The parts are not so sensitive as to render the operation exceedingly severe; however large the wound may be, it generally heals rapidly. After the operation no dressing will be required, unless some untoward circumstance should arise, when, of course, the remedies needed to counteract it must be resorted to.
Fungus is invariably preceded by a purulent discharge, which, when the growth is developed, is mingled with blood. The system is feverish, and the parts are hot, irritable, and painful. The animal is continually licking itself, and is disinclined for motion or food.