100 SPECIAL CATTLE THERAPY 



reach such a weakened condition that they remain 

 recumbent, dying from decubitus before many days. 



Pyo-metra. — In another class of cases resulting from 

 the same cause we see violent, acute symptoms of pus 

 absorption after varied intervals. In these cases the 

 contents of the uterus have no doubt been transformed 

 into a sea of pus. We have repeatedly seen this dem- 

 onstrated post-mortem. 



For several weeks the cow has been exhibiting signs 

 of a partial retention of the after-birth ; there has been 

 some discharge from the uterus of a muco-purulent 

 character and the cow has not been thriving. Now she 

 shows unmistakable signs of serious illness; a rigor, 

 with a temperature of perhaps 105 to 106 degrees Fah- 

 renheit. The respirations are shallow and quite irregu- 

 lar; probably ten or twelve rapid respiratory move- 

 ments are seen, and then a few are performed more 

 slowly, and so on. The appetite is lacking and the cow 

 moans at intervals. She stands somewhat ''humped 

 up," and does not care to move about much. The 

 lower commissure of the vulva and the tail over the 

 vulva are soiled with discharges and matted filth. A 

 quite characteristic odor prevails, and when the ani- 

 mal lies down, purulent fluid escapes from the vulva. 

 Death may occur in from one to three or four days, 

 or the cow may survive the attack, becoming a ''liv- 

 ing skeleton" at the end of several weeks. 



Aside from irrigating the uterus when it can be 

 done, the treatment is w^holly symptomatic. 



Sterility. — Pathological conditions caused by a par- 

 tial retention of the after-birth very frequently ter- 

 minate in barenness. Even in very mild catarrhal 

 forms of such conditions it is frequently a very difficult 

 matter to get the cow in calf again; usually several 

 services are required and the animal does not con- 



