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UMBILICAL PHLEBITIS OF NEW-BORN ANIMALS. 399 



It is not necessary for the germs to penetrate at a number of points. 

 The thrombosis progresses until it gains a large trunk beyond the 

 original point of infection. 



Symptoms. Phlebitis of the veins of the pelvis is frequently mis- 

 understood or overlooked, because the practitioner is apt to confine his 

 attention to external signs, the paresis and paraplegia of the hind 

 quarters. 



The symptoms usually appear from five to eight days after normal 

 parturition or parturition in which there is retention of the after-birth 

 followed by metritis. The animals show fever and lose appetite, signs 

 which may be due to metritis, but soon after they experience difficulty 

 in rising, and some days later remain permanently recumbent. 



The circulation is weak, and the entire intra-pelvic region painful ; 

 the large nervous trunks are affected, exertion becomes difficult, and the 

 animals refuse to rise. At this stage they should not be forced to do so. 

 In two to three weeks improvement may occur and lead to recovery 

 but in many instances various complications in the nature of purulent 

 infection or septicemia set in, or the animals are previously slaughtered. 

 Diagnosis. The diagnosis can only be determined after the symp- 

 toms develop. Confirmation might in some cases be obtained by 

 rectal exploration made methodically and gently. 

 Prognosis. The prognosis is grave. 



Treatment. Treatment should be based on disinfection of the uterus 

 by injections of boiled water or warm iodised solutions and drainage by 

 means of strips of iodoform gauze. The animals should be placed on a 

 thick and scrupulously clean bed, and as far as possible be spared any 

 considerable exertion for a fortnight. By changing their position once 

 or twice a day complications ma}^ be avoided. 



UMBILICAL PHLEBITIS OF NEW-BORN ANIMALS. 



One of the most serious conditions met with in practice is that 

 known as umbilical phlebitis of new-born animals. Whilst in fact it is 

 easy to deal with phlebitis of the jugular or mammary vein, surgical or 

 medical assistance becomes extremely difficult in this case, because the 

 inflamed vein is deej^ly situated in the abdomen and passes through one 

 of the most important internal organs, viz., the liver. When it is added 

 that umbilical phlebitis is in 95 per cent, of cases of a suppurative 

 character, the reader may form some idea of its gravity. 



Unless the condition is early diagnosed and measures are at once 

 taken, such complications as infectious hepatitis, purulent infection, 

 and septicaemia cannot be avoided. Death is then inevitable. 



In order clearly to understand this phlebitis, however, it is necessary 



