Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-09
DOCTORING DOGS.
The Hydr0phObia Scare and It's 1ssalts
In this City.

D0CT0RING DOGS.
The Hydrophobia Scare and It's 1ssalss
I'm this City.
MALAD1Es OF DOGS THAT ARE MISTAKEN FOR
RABrEs-How DOGS SHOULD BE FED AND
HousrD-TALx WITH MAN WHO MAxEs O
sPEc1ALTT OF TREATING CANINE DrsRAsRa
Mr. George Woodbridge, who for the pas,
eighteen years has made speciality of treating
the diseases OF dogs and performing when re-
ouired necessary surgical operations upon
them, now finds that in consequence of the by.
drophobia scare his practice is daily increasing.
After observing Mr.. Woodbridge dress a gentle
mans finger, q few evenings ago, o STAR re-
porter Inquired when the gentleman had gone,
az to what was the matter, Mr. Woodbridge Re.
piled: "He was bitten by dog little while
ago and has fears Of the hydrophobia, having
read 80 much of it Of late'
'You do not think his fears are we'll foundede'
"No. SIR" replied Mr.. Woodbridge: "but there
has been 50 much printed recently that it makes
people fearful; We see it stated that there is an
rence here there have been but few cases of
hydrophobia. and doubt If the number In the
have been hundreds of cases Of supposed hydro
phobia. II dog has a fit or shows any signs OF
the cry is and tbs
phobia the animal Is inorose, sulks in corner
and his eyes are bloodshoi. Hydrophobia is, in
my opinion, caused by confinement--dogs kept
constantly chained are more apt to be affected
than those that have plenty OF air and exercise
and are properly housed and fed. Ifa dog has
been bitten my opinion is that If he has been
symptoms Of the disease in thirty or forty days.
and this Is the opinion Of the profession. Some,
however, are Of the opinion that 1t may be
years before the symptoms Will appear"
PASTEI-R RS TRE TMENT
"What do you think Of Pasteur's treatment?''
asked the reporter.
az have no doubt it is good" said Mr.. Wool
bridge, sand if IL turns out successfully there
should be some doctor in every city Of consider
able size to make speciality of such treat
ment.'
"Then you have treated no cases of rabies?'
inquired the reporter.
'tNo genuine cases." responded Mr.. Wool
nave stomach trouble, be teething or have
like the rabies. then off people start with the
cry OF Mad dog say, Give the poor dog II
chance Don't kin him when there is no
cause, but find out what is tho matter, unless,
indeed, it be mo account dog. OFTEN sickness
is caused in dogs by a clear violation of the
| laws OF nature. Sometimes the sickness Of a
dog comes from feeding him on sweets, candies,
cakes and sugar. All such should be avoided,
for they are as bad for the dog as they are for
children. The ordinary effect OF such iOod Is to
produce partial paralysis affecting the hind
quarters). Some think ii they have a pet they
OF aSns
for the dog is meat in small quantities. with
vegetables-something he will relish, thrive
and grow GA. When young feed frequently
three or four times per day-and when grown
once per day is sufficient. 1t is necessary that
the dog should have nice, clean place to rest.
better than straw, and he should have access
to clean, fresh water As to the effect OF exer-
sary is to point to those dogs who are pampered
up IN the houses, for they are short-lived.''
CANINE SURGERY.
Il have heard said the reporter, "that you
| have performed operations in canine surgery
Eyes, do not confine my attention to admin
isterihg drugs said Mr.. Woodbridge, "but have
used the knife and forceps on dogs. A friend
residing up town had a rather old dog and
| found that some of his teeth were decayed.
believe the sweet meats with which he had
| been ted had ruined his teeth, as they do those
OF the human family. took out two and di-
rected change of diet and he is now eating
dogs food, sleeping weil, and is really a nice
cid dog. The longevity of dogs is put down in
the books as from 90 TO % years, but a dog
| 16 years old is regarded as an Old dog here. AS
long
| "Oh, yes! / have taken out number of tu-
inors," said Mr.. Woodbridge, land they seem to
sathersd Breasts or
| Recently prominent gentleman brought me a
! dog having Il tumor on the breast SO large that
| d
| tic, which l did In the shape of ether. / then
took out the tulnor, which weighed 3'a pounds.
He Here i. is" said Mr. Wooaridgs, prolueing
The dog is now doing we'll, and often see him.
Here" he said, exhibiting piece Of bone with
five teeth, ais piece OF the lower jaw OF a ter
rier Another dog had bitten him 80 as to frac-
ture the jawbone, and took out the piece. New
bone has taken its place, but no new teeth have
| come
DOG WITH GLASS EYE.
"Did you ever sec q dog with glass eye "
continued Mr.. Woodbridge. "Well a man came
in here one day with q dog who had lost the
sight OF one Of his eyes in fight, and took IL
the remaining eye would be affected, but there
| was no sympathetic action. He travels around,
| but can go only one eye on any one" Here
Mr.. Woodbridge showed u small tumOr in vial
| remarking that it was a small one, but came
from small dog; and continuing, he said, "a
dg when od had All Jumped or fallen upon POI an iron
brought In one day, and the wound was care
fully dressed and sewed up and he is to-day as
good as any dog. Just now there ere many
| suffering with the canker in the ear, for alter
| the hunting season this malady is common, the
cause being foreign substances which get into
DOGS WITH BROKEN LEGS.
You have set limbs, OF course?' said the re.
porter.
"oh, yes! and many Of them; and, by the
| way, broken legs are frequent. Have you never
| seen dog with his leg in splints? They look
| sight There is one advantage that dogs have
from eight to fifteen days often being as long
as splintS are necessary"
chow does the business pay?"
"Wcll," answered MIR. Wooldridge "business
| Is improving. There are many people here
| who have dogs they highly prize and they will
| do anything reasonable for them. Some own
ers will not, IT dog appears sick, accede to the
hue and cry and Kill the dog, but will make an
examination or have one made, and unless the
| case is hopeless will have the dog attended to.
| Generally little medicine is what the dog
wants, and II the sickness is attended to In time
| is Of very short duration. Indeed, with most of
| my dog patients q day or two's illness is all
they have for their diseases yield promptly to
| HOW DOGS SUBMIT TO TREATMENT.
| "Are you ever Injured while doctoring the
| dogs" aked the reporter.
"Oh, no; not in my whole experience have
| they offered to bite. They often seem to re-
| alize that what am about to do is for their
good, and quietly submit, looking wisttully at
me when performing an operation. Indeed,
| sometimes am led 10 wonder If they have not
| in sickness as much sense as human beings"
"How many dogs are there in the District"
asked the reporter.
"Tbat I do not know" said Mr.. Woodbridge,
"but IL you know the number of tags issued
| the whole number can be approximated for
| only about one-thir1 OF them pay license
There are many worthless dogs here but most
| Of those who wear tags can be said to be OF
some use, have been thinking that it would