A DICTIONARY OF VETERINAEY SCIENCE. 



Abdomen. — That part of the animal 

 usually denominated the belly. This cavity 

 contains the intestines, or bowels, liver, 

 spleen, pancreas, kidneys, etc., and is sepa- 

 rated from the thorax, or chest, by the 

 diaphragm. 



Abortion. — Our attention was called, a 

 short time ago, to a mare, about eight years 

 old, said to be laboring under colic. She 

 had been driven very fast during the early 

 part of the day ; and about noon, when we 

 saw her in the stable, she seemed to mani- 

 fest considerable uneasiness. The surface 

 of the body was cold, pulse small and in- 

 termittent. The genitals were considerably 

 swollen, and a slight discharge from the 

 vagina was observed. She had occasional 

 uterine pains, which, however, were very 

 feeble. 



We immediately gave the following dif- 

 fusible stimulant : 



Powdered grains of paradise, 1 drachm. 



" bethroot {trillium purpureum) i di-achm. 

 Hot water, 1 quart. 



This was administered from a bottle. In 

 a few minutes, the parturient process com- 

 menced, and she shortly gave birth to a 

 dead foetus. The mare was in her fifth 

 parturient month. She was put on a gen- 

 erous diet, and rapidly convalesced without 

 any after treatment. 



Remarks. — Great care and gentleness 

 should be exercised toward mares during 

 pregnancy. Hard work in harness, over 

 bad roads, is likely to produce abortion ; 

 and mares that have once aborted are liable 

 to a recurrence of the same. Light work 

 and moderate exercise, however, are essen- 

 tial to their general health. 



When the period of foaling draws nigh, 

 the mare should be separated from her com- 

 panions. Having foaled, she should be 



turned into a pasture, where there is a barn. 

 The foal may. be weaned at six months ; if 

 it should die, or be taken from the dam, 

 humanity would suggest the propriety of a 

 few weeks' rest, to enable the mother to re- 

 cover from the effects of parturition. 



Miscarriage, slipping, or slinking foal or 

 calf, ivarping. — In mares, miscarriage is 

 very generally caused by over-exertion dur- 

 ing the latter period of gestation. It is not 

 unfrequently brought about by accidents at 

 grass, such as falling in a ditch or hole, and, 

 struggling violently to extricate themselves. 

 Kicks on the belly are by no means an un- 

 common cause of miscarriage ; for which 

 reason, a mare, when near her time, should 

 be kept by herself: after foaling she will 

 reqiiire a few weeks' rest, in order to re- 

 cover from the effects of parturition ; and, 

 when first brought into work again, the 

 services required of her should be very 

 slight. Exposure to wet and cold will oc- 

 casion miscarriage ; also, high feeding and 

 want of proper exercise. Abortion is of 

 more frequent occurrence in sheep than in 

 mares, and is caused by fright, overdriving, 

 and being worried by dogs, and by being 

 kept in cold, damp situations, and on im- 

 proper food. 



Cows are particularly liable to the ac- 

 cident of warping, or slinldng the calf. 

 The common cause of abortion is improper 

 feeding. The filthy, stagnant water they 

 are often compelled to drink is likewise a 

 serious cause, not only of abortion, but 

 also of general derange^ment of the animal 

 functions. Dr. White states that " a farm 

 in Gloucestershire had been given up three 

 successive times in consequence of the loss 

 the owners sustained by abortion in their 

 cattle : at length the fourth proprietor, after 

 suffering considerably in his live stock for 



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