CHAPTER XVIII. 



PARTURITION. 



I. NATURAL PARTURITION. II. DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS. III. ATTENTION TO 



THE MOTHER. IV. ATTENTION TO THE FOAL. V. DIFFICULT PARTURITION IN THE 



MARE AND COW COMPARED. VI. DIFFICULTIES DUE TO THE MOTHER. VII. DIF- 

 FICULTIES DUE TO THE FOAL. VIII. OBSTETRIC INSTRUMENTS. IX. WHEN THE 



FOAL IS BORN DEAD, OR THE AFTER-BIRTH RETAINED. X. THE UMBILICAL CORD OF 



FOAL. XI. VARIOUS PRESENTATIONS ILLUSTRATED. XII. VARIOUS POSITIONS OF 



THE FO.\L. XIII. DORSO-LUMBAR PRESENTATION. XIV. STERiNO-ABDOMINAL PRE- 

 SENTATION. XV. MECHANISM OF PARTURITION. XVI. MECHANISM OF PARTURI- 

 TION IN THE ANTERIOR VERTEBRO-SACRAL POSITION. XVII. MECHANISM OF PAR- 

 TURITION IN THE ANTERIOR VERTEBRO-PUBIC POSITION. XVIII. MECHANISM OF 



PARTURITION IN THE ANTERIOR VERTEBRO-ILIAL POSITIONS. XIX. MECHANISM OF 



PARTURITION IN THE POSTERIOR LUMBO-SACRAL POSITION. XX. NECESSARY AID IN 



NORMAL PARTURITION. XXI. SPAYING, OR CASTRATION OF THE MARE. 



I. Natural Parturition. 



This branch of onr subject needs but little consideration, the various 

 phases of labor being so well known to all breeders. However, a brief 

 outline of the different stages ot labor will not be out of place. 



Preliminary Stage. — This is announced by several well-marked fea- 

 tures. The milk glands of the mare, which are naturally small, become 

 large, tense and painful; in many instances the swelling extends to the 

 thighs up to the vulva, and along the belly to the breast bone. The vulva 

 beoomes enlarged, soft, and its inner lining of a bright red color. There 

 is also a discharge of sticky mucus which lubricates the passage, and when 

 in large quantity soils the hock and tail. The abdomen sinks near the 

 critical period, giving the croup a sunken appearance. 



Fleming, in his justly celebrated work on veterinary obstetrics, says : 

 "As parturition draws nearer, these phenomena are more marked. The 

 animal also begins to be restless, and continually agitated; if feeding, it 

 stops for some moments, as if listening to some sound only audible to itself, 

 or, as if experiencing some strange internal sensation for the first time, 

 and which may be the commencing or preparatory contractions of the 

 uterus. Not infrequently the animal lies down and gets up again, as if 

 suffering from colic. Some are quite mute, though anxious and uneasy; 

 while others, in addition to exhibiting restlessness and distress, utter a half- 

 stifled cry of pain, and violently whisk the tail. ' ' 



The position taken during labor in the mare and cow is usually the 

 standing one, but the recumbent position, here illustrated, is not infre- 

 quent ; the mare, resting on the breast bone, strains and raises up somewhat 

 on the hind legs at the same time. 



Dilatation of the Neck of the Womb.— This commences towards 

 the latter part of the former stage. It is marked by increased signs of 

 pain. It is a gradual ijrocess, the pain at first lasting for a few seconds; 



483 



