326 



parturition. Treatment.— Irrigate the passage with sanitas and 

 water, or phenyle and water, and give fever medicine as recommended 

 for metritis (par. 799), but should there be a great amount of swelling 

 externally, and extensive swelling and inflammation internally, the 

 hand must not be introduced, as it does much more harm than good. 



799. Metritis, or Simple Inflammation of the Womb, is rarely 



seen except after difficult parturition, when it may result from too long 

 retention of the foetus after the labour pains have set m, or from extreme 

 force having been exercised in extraction of the young one. The 

 inflammation, as a rule, commences in the lining membrane of the 

 womb, but soon extends to the walls of that organ. It generally makes 

 Itself manifest within a few hours after parturition, and is usually 

 of a very fatal character. The Symptoms in the Mare are at first 

 slight cohcky pains, the animal walking round the box, and sniffing 

 the ground. Finally, the patient stands quiet, with hanging head, 

 dilated nostrils, quick breathing, and in high fever— the temperature 

 going up to 106° and 107° F., accompanied by a quick and small 

 pulse, loss of appetite, great depression, and the secretion of milk is 

 totally suspended, while a foetid chocolate coloured fluid is discharged 

 from the womb. Occasionally the inflammation leaves the womb- 

 metastasis— and goes to the feet, producing laminitis or founder 

 (par. 201). Treatment.— Inject into the womb, once a day, four 

 to six quarts of water that has been boiled and allowed to cool down 

 to 90° F., and to which has been added a teacupful of Condy's fluid or 

 sanitas. Give also one to two ounce doses of hyposulphite of soda 

 night and morning. For further Treatment see pav. 800. 



800. Septic Metritis in the Mare occasionally occurs, and may 

 be due to some septic matter having gained admission into the system 

 from impure water or food, but more often by inoculation, arising from 

 some peculiarity of the stalhon, in whose system the septic material 

 seems to hang about for months, or even years, without being 

 perceptible, yet is transmitted at time of service to the mare, in whom 

 it remains latent, only to make itself manifest at the time of parturition. 

 As a rule the mare shows no signs of illness until a few hours after 



