Uterine Abscess 60 1 



pyometra is present and for several weeks thereafter until 

 the uterus has had an ample rest and has recovered its gen- 

 eral tone. Early copulation usually causes a recurrence of 

 the disease. 



C. Uterine Abscess 



Abscessation of the post-puerperal uterus occurs when 

 there is a virulent purulent infection within its cavity and 

 the cervical canal becomes closed by inflammatory adhe- 

 sions or from other causes. A different type of uterine ab- 

 scess has already been described under "The Infections of 

 the Gravid Uterus", in which the putrefying embryo or fetus 

 is the fundamental cause. 



Post-puerperal uterine abscess usually follows badly 

 handled retention of the fetal membranes or other type of 

 metritis. It is most commonly one of the results of handling 

 retained placenta as a definite disease which is considered 

 as ended when the fetal membranes are supposed to have 

 been removed. The abscessation ordinarily becomes estab- 

 lished three to four weeks after the termination of preg- 

 nancy. 



There are no outstanding clinical symptoms of uterine ab- 

 scess. The cow has usually experienced difficulty in calving 

 or aborting, and her recovery has been slow. Her general 

 condition is quite regularly bad, though a fair appetite may 

 remain and some milk be secreted. The chief clinical symp- 

 toms are not based directly upon the abscess itself, but upon 

 the involvement of other organs. If the abscess presses 

 upon, or points into, the urinary bladder, difficult urination 

 logically ensues. Later, if the abscess ruptures into the 

 bladder, the urine contains large volumes of pus. Most fre- 

 quently the uterine abscess involves the rectum and causes 

 adhesion to and stricture of the intestine, with difficult defe- 

 cation, ending finally with rupture of the abscess into the 

 bowel. The pus is later evacuated with the feces. After- 

 ward the rectal adhesion remains, as shown at 5 in Fig. 187, 

 and is readily recognizable upon palpation. When general 

 pelvic adhesions have not occurred, the diagnosis is ordinari- 



