DISEASES OF HORSES 333 



FRACTURED HIP BONES. 



More commonly the obstruction comes from distortion and 

 narrowing of the pelvis as the result of fractures. Fractures at any 

 point of the lateral wall or floor of the pelvis are repaired with the 

 formation of an extensive bony deposit oulging into the passage of 

 the pelvis. The displacement of the ends of the broken bone is 

 another cause of constriction, and between the two conditions the 

 passage of the fetus may be rendered impossible without embry- 

 otomy. Fracture of the sacrum (the continuation of the backbone 

 forming the croup) leads to the depression of the posterior part of 

 that bone in the roof of the pelvis and the narrowing of the passage 

 from above downward by a bony ridge presenting its sharp edge 

 forward. In all cases in which there has been injury to the bones 

 of the pelvis the obvious precaution is to withhold the mare from 

 breeding and to use her for work only. 



If a mare with a pelvis thus narrowed has got in foal inad- 

 vertently, abortion may be induced in the early months of gestation 

 by slowly introducing the oiled finger through the neck of the 

 womb and following this by the other fingers until the whole hand 

 has been introduced. Then the water bags may be broken, and 

 with the escape of the liquid the womb will contract on the solid 

 fetus and labor pains will ensue. The fetus being small will pass 

 easily. 



SPASM OF THE NECK OF THE WOMB. 



This occurs in the mare of specially excitable temperament, or 

 under particular causes of irritation, local or general. Labor pains, 

 though continuing for some time, produce no dilatation of the neck 

 of the womb, which will be found firmly closed so as to admit but 

 one or two fingers, and this, although the projection at the mouth 

 of the womb may have been entirely effaced, so that a simple round 

 opening is left, with rigid margins. 



Treatment. The simplest treatment consists in smearing this 

 part with solid extract of belladonna, and after an interval insert- 

 ing the hand with fingers and thumb drawn into the form of a 

 cone, rupturing the membranes and bringing the fetus into posi- 

 tion for extraction, as advised under "Prolonged Retention of the 

 Fetus." Another mode is to insert through the neck of the womb 

 an ovoid caoutchouc bag, empty, and furnished with an elastic tube 

 12 feet long. Carry the free end of this tube upward to a height of 

 8, 10, or 12 feet, insert a filler into it, and proceed to distend the 

 bag with tepid or warm water. 



FIBROUS CONSTRICTION OF VAGINA OR VULVA. 



This is probably always the result of direct mechanical injury 

 and the formation of rigid cicatrices which fail to dilate with the 

 remainder of the passages at the approach of parturition. The pre- 

 sentation of the fetus in the natural way and the occurrence of suc- 

 cessive and active labor pains without any favorable result will 

 direct attention to the rigid and unyielding cicatrices which may be 

 incised at one, two, or more points to a depth of half an inch or 

 more, after which the natural expulsive efforts will usually prove 



