OBSTETRICS 219 



cutaneous injection of ergot in had been found to check the growth of 

 myofibroma and in some cases to remove it. 



Obstetrics. 



As a rule, the Intch has her pups without any difficulty. The period 

 of pregnancy varies from fifty-eight to sixty-two days (Dun kept a 

 record of 189 bitches and found the average period Avas 03.28 days, the 

 maximum being seventy-one days and the minimum being fifty-three 

 days) when she generally seeks a cjuiet place and drops from one to eight 

 (sometimes more) blind pups, which open their eyes in from ten to twelve 

 days, the period of whelping being from one to six hours (quite frequently 

 lasts ten to twelve hours), in rare eases eighteen to twenty-four hours. 

 The labor pains generally appear from three to ten hours before birth, and 

 are indicated by the bitch being very restless, going into dark corners, or 

 scratching as if to make a bed, she whimpers, moans, groans, assumes the 

 position as if urinating or defecating, and frequently passes small amounts 

 of urine, and on putting the hand on the abdominal walls, the foetuses are 

 found to be showing considerable movement. The retention of the whole 

 or a portion of the placenta is very rare in the bitch, and when it does occur 

 it is indicated by the following symptoms: — great depression; no milk in 

 the mammse; the bitch pays no attention to the pups; frequent contraction 

 of the uterus similar to labor pains; entire loss of appetite; pain on pres- 

 sure of the abdomen. The temperature was normal at first, l;)ut gradually 

 increased; the pulse was c^uick and hard, and a fcetid discharge from the 

 vulva. 



The short but strong umbilical cord is torn during labor or bitten off by 

 the bitch immediately after birth, and the entire mass of placenta and 

 amnion is eaten by the mother. After the birth of the pups there is slight 

 lochial discharge, bloody in the onset and finally purulent; this discharge 

 lasts for several days. 



The normal course of birth may be changed by the following condi- 

 tions: 1. The labor pains may not be strong enovigh. 2. There may be a 

 narrow, contracted pelvis. 3. The vagina may be lessened in diameter 

 ])y cicatricial contractions, tumors, etc. 4. The foetus may be very 

 large, a monstrosity. 5. Foetus may be presented in an irregular posi- 

 tion. 6. Torsion of the horn; this is extremely rare. As a rule, the 

 bitch does not require the assistance of the veterinarian, although very 

 small animals and the higher bred animals may need some assistance, 

 Init it is best to leave the bitch as quiet as possible and not to interfere 

 with her in any way. Small bitches sometimes have very large pups, 

 the size of the male has also an effect on a litter. When the labor pains 

 are weak or entirely absent, an examination of the uterus is made by 



