874 Veterinary Obstetrics 



tiou. When the organ undergoes normal involution and contracts 

 vigorously, that vigor in itself acts largely to prevent or over- 

 come infection. 



Exposure to cold or wet has also been claimed to act as a causa- 

 tive agent in metritis. It no doubt occupies an important, though 

 indirect place. Any sudden chill, or disturbance of the body in 

 general, weakens and depresses the highly sensitive genital tract, 

 and renders infection far more probable than though the animal 

 were kept under more favorable conditions. 



For convenience the various types of metritis ma}- be con- 

 sidered separately. 



a. Acute Endometritis in the Mare. 



Inflammation of the mucosa of the uterus may develop in the 

 mare very promptly after giving birth to a foal. Should the 

 foal perish and be retained in the uterus to undergo rapid putrid 

 decomposition, there may be present within 24 hours a well- 

 marked endometritis, which .seriously complicates the handling 

 of the dystokia. 



Many cases of endometritis in the mare, do not follow dys- 

 tokia, but result from the retention of a fragment of the fetal 

 placenta in the non-gravid horn, as already described on page 

 810. In such cases infection quickly takes place, and, within 

 24 to 48 hours or .slightly longer after the expulsion of the 

 fetus and of the principal volume of the fetal membranes, 

 there appears first of all a well-marked stiffness in the gait of 

 the animal, with some disinclination to move and ver}' marked 

 tenderness of the abdomen upon pressure. The pul.se may be 

 normal or somewhat quickened ; the temperature is slightly 

 elevated ; and the respiration is somewhat impeded because of 

 the abdominal tenderness. The mare may a.ssume the recum- 

 bent position much of the time, or she may persistently stand. 

 The appetite is variable, and .sometimes remains fairly good, but 

 is usually depres.sed. 



The lips of the vulva are usually swollen, and from the genital 

 tract there issues a somewhat thin, reddish-gray, dirty, floccu- 

 lent discharge, which may be more or le.ss fetid. If the lips of 

 the vulva are parted, the mucous membrane is seen to be in- 

 jected and irritated. If the obstetrist will introduce his hand 

 into the uterine cavity, he will usually find it filled with a dirty, 



