PARALYSIS OF THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES. 529 



and pendulous, in some cases reaching nearly to the 

 ground, and when the animal lies down, the foetus in the 

 womb presents an appearance similar to that of a large 

 mass or body in an ordinary wet sack. Very little can 

 be done for this condition, except to bandage and support 

 the abdominal muscles, administer nerve tonics, allow 

 nutritious food, etc. In pertain cases it becomes an act 

 of mercy to destroy an animal that has become exhausted 

 by pain and long-continued and ineffectual efforts to expel 

 the foetus. So long, however, as the pulsations do not 

 increase in number, or the temperature become elevated, 

 to such an extent as to indicate severe constitutional 

 disturbance, and there is a hope of delivery being 

 effected, no alarm need be felt ; but when it becomes 

 evident from the pulsations increasing to one hundred or 

 one hundred and twenty per minute, the breaking out of 

 cold sweats on various parts of the body, and great swelling 

 of the vulva and vaginal passage, that the vital powers are 

 flagging rapidly, and that the fcetus cannot be delivered in 

 the ordinary wa.y, the most merciful treatment is to kill the 

 animal ; if the Caesarian section be made at once, the young 

 animal may be preserved alive. 



Hcemorrliage. — Immediately after the birth of the young 

 animal there may be considerable lisemorrhage from the 

 umbilical opening. The treatment consists of applying a 

 ligature around the cord, about one inch from the umbilical 

 023ening. 



RETENTION OF THE PLACENTA. 



As previously stated, retention of the placenta beyond a 

 reasonable length of time is of very rare occurrence in the 

 mare ; being of far greater frequency amongst cows. The 

 best evidence of its presence within the uterus, and a 

 symptom that is nearly always present in such cases, is 



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