A Detailed Explanation of Processing Techniques and Utilization Methods for Dog By-products
The processed dog skin has good cold-resistant and moisture-proof performance and an attractive fur color, and can be made into vests, mattresses, and so on, and is very effective for the waist soreness and cold legs of elderly people and rheumatism patients.
1. Processing
During processing, first clean the meat, greasy matter, feces, dirt, and blood off the dog skin, lay it flat on a wooden board, and rub it with coarse sandcloth or a brick until the coarse hair roots are slightly visible. Then use 500 g of alum, add 5000 ml of water, boil, pour into a basin, and after it cools, fully immerse the dog skin, take it out after about 24 hours, place it hair-side down on a wooden board, stretch it tight, fix it with iron nails, and repeatedly and evenly coat the leather board with 50°C saltpeter water (250 g of saltpeter, 250 ml of water, boiled down to 150 ml of water), and after it dries the dog skin will blister. If individual places do not blister, coat again until they blister. After the dog skin is thoroughly dry, carefully smooth it with fine sandcloth. At this point, gather the dog skin into a ball with your hands; after releasing it, it should slowly unfold. The salt-curing method or the freezing method can also be used.
2. Utilization
The dried penis and testes of a male dog are pale yellow with red tendons. Those that are long, large, thick, and bear testes are preferred. They contain male hormones, protein, fat, and so on. Their nature is very hot; they can warm the kidneys and strengthen yang, benefit essence, and can treat impotence, premature ejaculation, and other declines in male function. Use 10 g each time, decoct and take.
3. Dog bezoar
The Compendium of Materia Medica records: "Dog bezoar grows in the belly of a mangy dog, as strong as white stone, and is also a rare thing." In fact, dog bezoar is a stone in the stomach of a sick dog; white with a slight bluish tint, fine and smooth, leaving a mark when scratched with a fingernail, and with layered striations on the cut surface are all considered good. Dog bezoar contains calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, magnesium phosphate, and so on, and is a precious medicinal material that can be ranked alongside cow bezoar. Its nature and flavor are sweet and salty, neutral; it can relieve stagnation and direct qi downward. It mainly treats dysphagia, regurgitation, and abdominal distension. For medicinal use, grind it into a fine powder; take 1-2 g each time.
4. Dog bone has the effects of dispelling wind and removing dampness, activating blood and relieving pain, and can treat rheumatic arthritis, rheumatic pain, weakness of the waist and legs, and numbness of the limbs. Clinically, dog leg bones are mostly steeped in medicinal liquor and taken; some make dog bone into injections and use them to treat the above conditions, and some make dog bone into medicinal ointment. Even some fine broken miscellaneous bones can also be made into bone oil, bone glue, and bone meal.
5. Dog trotters: Dog trotters are rich in protein and collagen and have the functions of promoting lactation and smoothing the skin; stewed plainly or braised, they are especially effective for women who have no milk after childbirth.