Pyometra 597 



and the contents may be pressed from the one into the other 

 horn. The contents are clearly less fluid than lymph or 

 mucus and are not at all like the fetal fluids. The uterus is 

 wholly wanting in the tone of pregnancy, no cotyledons are 

 present, and the uterine arteries are not materially in- 

 creased in volume. 



The accuracy of the physical examination is greatly in- 

 creased by the application of traction through forceps fixed 

 upon the vaginal portion of the cervix. This brings the 



Fig. i 86 — Pyometra. 



/, Vagina ; 2, cervix ; 3, cornual cavity filled with pus ; 4, central corpus 



luteum of pyometra; 5 (insert) corpus luteutn of pregnancy. 



flabby uterus into or near to the pelvis and tenses it in a 

 manner which facilitates proper palpation. 



The diagnosis is to be completed finally by douching the 

 uterus. If the case is exceedingly complex or the examiner 

 unfamiliar with the disease, he should be on the alert re- 

 garding the presence of a uterine seal. If this appears to 

 be present, he should study the case more in detail by rectal 

 exploration. He must not accept the history given by the 

 owner that the animal has not been bred since the termina- 

 tion of a prior stated pregnancy. Owners, however care- 

 ful, do not always know. The veterinarian must accept the 

 history given by the owner so long as it aids, but must not 

 be led into error. A false uterine seal occurs in cervicitis, 



