132 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



There lies before the veterinarian an interesting, and as 

 yet wholly undeveloped field of usefulness in watching preg- 

 nant animals and guarding them against important perils. 



9. Palpation of the Fetus per Vaginam 



Palpation of the fetus per vaginam generally succeeds 

 only during the last months of pregnancy. At this time, in 

 many cases, some portions of the fetal body, usually the 

 head and two anterior feet, rest upon the vagina posterior 

 to the os uteri externum, occasionally giving the inexperi- 

 enced examiner the impression of extra-uterine pregnancy. 



10. Abdominal Ballottement 



After the sixth month of pregnancy, in the cow, the but- 

 tocks or other portions of the fetus usually lie in close con- 

 tact with the abdominal floor of the lower right flank re- 

 gion. If the hand is placed firmly against the abdominal 

 wall, a somewhat vigorous thrust made upward, and then 

 suddenly the force released, but the hand kept in contact 

 with the parts, the adjacent portion of the fetus is pushed 

 upward in its fluids, floats for a moment, and then drops 

 back against the examiner's hand with a recognizable im- 

 pact. This is a good sign of pregnancy, but not always re- 

 liable. Sometimes no portion of the fetus chances to lie in 

 sufficiently close contact with the abdominal wall to render 

 the test efficient. On the other hand, a tumor or a very 

 large and heavy intestinal calculus might mislead the ex- 

 aminer when the animal is actually sterile. 



11. Auscultation of the Fetal Heart 



In the advanced stages of pregnancy it is frequently possi- 

 ble, by careful auscultation of the abdominal walls over the 

 region of the fetus, to detect the beat of the fetal heart, 

 which is usually at least twice as rapid as the beat of the 

 maternal heart. 



The abdominal ballottement and the auscultation of the 

 fetal heart are of minor value to the skilled veterinarian, be- 

 cause when these can be successfully applied the other signs 



