162 BUKEAU OF AIsIMAL llxDUSTEY. 



prolific causes. Bleeding the prooruant marc, a painful surgical opera- 

 tion, and the throwing and constraint resorted to for an operation are 

 other causes. Traveling on heavy, muddy roads, slips and falls on 

 ice, and jumping must be added. The stimulation of the a))dominal 

 organs by a full drink of iced water maj^ precipitate a miscarriage, as 

 may exposure to a cold rainstorm or a ver}^ cold night after a warm 

 day. Irritant poisons that act on the urinarj'^ or generative organs, 

 such as Spanish flies, rue, savin, tans3% cottou-root bark, ergot of rye 

 or other grasses, the smut of maize and other grain, and various fungi 

 in musty fodder are additional causes. Frosted food, indigestible 

 food, and, above all, green succulent vegetables in a frozen state, have 

 proved effective factors, and filthj^, stagnant water is dangerous. 

 Low condition in the dam and plethora have in opposite ways caused 

 abortion, and hot, relaxing stables and lack of exercise strongly con- 

 duce to it. The exhaustion of the sire by too frequent service, entail- 

 ing debilit}" of the offspring and disease of the fetus or of its envelopes, 

 must be recognized as a further cause. 



The symptoms vary mainly according as the abortion is early or late 

 in pregnancy. In the first month or two of pregnancy the mare may 

 miscarry without observable symptoms, and the fact only appears by 

 her coming in heat. If more close!}' observed a small clot of blood 

 may be found behind her, in ^vhich a careful search reveals the rudi- 

 ments of the foal. If the occurrence is somewhat later in gestation, 

 there will be some general disturbance, inappetence, neighing, and 

 straining, and the small bod}' of the fetus is expelled, enveloped in 

 its membranes. Abortions during the later stages of pregnancy are 

 attended v^^ith greater constitutional disturbance, and the process 

 resembles normal parturition, with the aggravation that more effort 

 and straining is requisite to force the fetus through the comparatively 

 undilatable mouth of the womb; There is the swelling of the vulva, 

 with mucus or even bloody discharge; the abdomen droops, the flanks 

 fall in, the udder fills, the mare looks at her flanks, paws with the fore 

 feet and kicks with the hind, switches the tail, moves around uneasily, 

 lies down and rises, strains, and, as in natural foaling, expels first 

 fuucus and blood, then the waters, and finally the fetus. This may 

 occupy an hour or two, or it may be prolonged for a day or more, the 

 sj'mptoms subsiding for a time, onl}' to reappear with renewed energy. 

 If there is malpresentation of the fetus it will hinder progress until 

 rectified, as in difficult parturition. Abortion may also be followed 

 by the same accidents, as flooding, retention of the placenta, and 

 leucorrhea. 



The most important object in an impending abortion is to recognize 

 it at as earlj' a stage as possible, so that it may, if possible, be cut 

 short and prevented. Any general indefinable illness in a pregnant 

 mare should lead to a close examination of the vulva as regards swell- 



