394 Veterinary Obstetrics 



Tumors of the ovaries, whether cystic or solid, rarely attain 

 sufficient size to be mistaken for pregnancy, though in one 

 case we observed in a sow an ovarian tumor weighing 28 

 pounds. These tumors are to be differentiated from pregnancy, 

 or at least from normal uterine pregnancy, by the fact that the 

 uterus itself is normal, empty and in its proper location, except 

 as it may be displaced by the weight of the tumor. 



Hydronephrosis, or cystic kidney, is occasionally observed in 

 our domestic animals, usually in the sow, and may simulate 

 pregnancy to the extent of causing a very great increase in the 

 size of the abdomen. In one case which we observed in a sow 

 which would normally weigh about 300 pounds, there was a 

 cyst of the kidney which occupied almost the entire abdominal 

 cavity and caused a very great enlargement of it. The weight 

 of the cyst finally became so great that the animal could not 

 rise when down. The cyst contained about 80 pounds of fluid. 

 In an animal of this size, it is not easy, for a time, to differentiate 

 between this condition and pregnancy. In the cystic kidney, 

 however, the cyst augments continually and more or less rapidly, 

 giving the body a general fullness, which is not at all confined 

 to the lower flank region, as in pregnancy. The abdomen be- 

 comes very tense and, moreover, there is likely to be increased 

 thirst, along with some depression and greater difficulty in mov- 

 ing than if the animal were pregnant. Moreover, there is 

 usually some history of the date of breeding and the enlargement 

 of the abdomen soon shows a want of harmony between it and 

 the period of possible impregnation. If the normal duration of 

 pregnancy has been exceeded and the distension is very great, 

 these facts become highly diagnostic ; or, if great distension of 

 the abdomen occurs prior to the time at which pregnancy 

 should normally cause enlargement, it becomes obvious that 

 this is due to some other cause. 



Ascites, or dropsy of the abdomen, may also become confused 

 with pregnancy, especially in the bitch, where it is comparatively 

 common. Here again our differentiation would depend largely 

 upon the same considerations as in cystic kidney, between which 

 two conditions there is little difference in the symptoms in the 

 living animal. 



