DISEASES OF THE EWE. 139 



2. Abortion. 



Three types are recognized, the first one being 

 the most common : 



Sporadic or accidental, due to some injury or 

 the ingestion of mouldy food. Upon a careful ex- 

 amination of the food for evidences of mould, 

 ergot, pitch or other toxic ingredients, the cause 

 will usually be found. The treatment is removal 

 of the exciting cause. Large doses of intestinal 

 antiseptics or viburnum prunifolium are indicated 

 in those threatened with abortion, together with 

 clean, laxative food and absolute quiet. 



Enzootic abortion, due to some infectious dis- 

 ease, such as blackleg, scab, pneumonia or rabies. 



Contagious abortion. This is so rare among 

 sheep as to merit but little attention. When this 

 does occur, quarantine measures constitute the 

 only successful means of prevention known. The 

 symptoms are similar to those of contagious 

 abortion in the bovine. 



3. Dystocia. 

 Difficult lambing; difficult parturition. 



Usually seen in young ewes lambing for the first 

 time, and is due in the majority of cases to a pair 

 of lambs entering the pelvic channel at the same 

 time. They become tangled up in such a way that 

 the most painstaking skill is required to "un- 

 ravel" them. 



First, restrain the ewe in such a manner that 

 she will be powerless to strain. This may be 

 accomplished by two assistants elevating the ani- 



