Excess of Volume of the Fetus 731 



pass through, we meet with a more or less serious obstacle to 

 parturition. 



Prognosis. The prognosis in case of excessive volume of the 

 fetus must depend largely upon the degree of excess, and still 

 more upon the duration of the dj^stokia. 



In the mare the outlook for the foal is always bad, because the 

 delivery cannot be greatly hurried with safety to the mother and 

 cannot be delayed with safety to the fetus. In fact, as already 

 repeatedly stated, the foal is usually dead when the obstetrist is 

 called. The prospects for the mare may be said to be usually 

 good, but it should be remarked that dystokia in the mare, refer- 

 able to excess in the volume of a living fetus, is exceedingly 

 rare and does not constitute a formidable question. 



In the cow the outlook is usually good for the mother, and if 

 the excess of volume of the fetus is not too great to permit of 

 delivery by forced extraction the prognosis for the calf is also 

 favorable. Unfortunately, however, we have met with cases in 

 the cow where embryotomy was necessary because of the excess 

 of volume. 



The comparative excess in volume of the fetus in multiparous 

 animals where embryotomy is possible, is in many respects more 

 serious than in the larger species. In a large proportion of 

 these the head of the fetus does not enter the pelvis, and conse- 

 quently traction cannot be applied because the head cannot be 

 secured. As a result, the veterinarian is forced to resort to Cae- 

 sarian section in order to bring about delivery, and this operation, 

 while not necessarily fatal to either mother or fetus, must con- 

 stantly be considered as grave. 



Handling, i. Forced extraction of the fetus should be car- 

 ried out in all those cases where, in the judgment of the veterin- 

 arian, it can be accomplished with reasonable safety to the mother. 

 Prior to its application, it should be determined that the fetus is 

 in a correct position, after which the genital canal should be 

 thoroughly lubricated with warm lysol solution or fat, and the 

 traction then applied. In the mare and cow, and to a less extent 

 in the ewe and goat, the traction may be exerted by means of 

 cords applied to the presenting parts, as described on page 586. 



In the sow, bitch and cat, traction is usually best applied by 

 means of forceps such as Fig. 93 on page 585, or the obstetric 

 noose such as f and g, Fig. 91, page 578. Very largely, forced 



