/'A'AV/.vj.V'-)'. 145 



xiterus is very ditferent when tlie distention is caused by fluid, Hatus, 

 etc. The uterine tumour is firm, liard, elastic, and defined, preserving 

 its form in all positions of the body ; whereas in ascites the swelling 

 is not defined, there is no repercussion on compression at the flank 

 of the Cow, the fluid obeys the laws of gravitation, and the abdomen 

 has not the same firm, elastic feel. Percussion will aid in distinguish- 

 ing between pregnancy and tympanitis. In certain diseased conditions 

 of the uterus, however, a diagnosis is very difficult, and the next means 

 of exploration will have, in some of these embarrassing cases, to be 

 adopted. 



Rectal exploration, as well as that by the vagina, can only be success- 

 fully carried out in the larger animals, because of the small dimensions 

 of these ))assages in such creatures as the Bitch and Cat. The risks 

 attending this mode of examination liave been at times much exag- 

 gerated, and there is really but little danger to the animal so long as 

 reasonable precautions are taken not to produce injury ; the foetus has 

 even been pushed gently about in the uterus without any accident to it 

 or the parent. After the third month it will afi'ord an indication of 

 pregnancy. 



To examine an animal per rectum it should be standing, and, if 

 dangerous or irritable, the twitch may be applied to the nose, or for 

 safety to the operator the hind limbs must be secured ; with the Cow, 

 the nose seized by one hand of an assistant and a horn by his other 

 hand, will be sufficient. The bowel should be emptied of the fccces it 

 may contain, so as to allow the oiled hand and arm of the explorer to 

 be introduced and freely moved about. When the abdomen is large 

 and pendulous, it is useful to place the animal hi^^her before than behind, 

 and to have the lower part of the belly raised by assistants on each 

 side, by means of a sheet or sack, or even their hands joined beneath, 

 so as to throw the uterus backwards and upwards ; though in the 

 majority of cases these measures are not necessary. The hand being 

 passed into the rectum to beyond the brim of the pubis, it is opened 

 iind the palm placed on the lower surface of the intestine and gently 

 ])ressed downward, towards the floor of the abdomen ; when there will 

 lae felt, if the animal is pregnant, a hard irregular mass, more or less 

 voluminous according to the stage of gestation, and capable of being 

 <]isplaced to a certain extent — even partially brought into the pelvis, if 

 parturition is near. In this case, the head or other parts of the foetus 

 can be distinguished through its envelopes and the uterine and rectal 

 walls. But if pregnancy is not so advanced — ^say only at the sixth 

 month, the fcetus cannot be so readily felt, and it may happen that at 

 this period it is situated low down in the abdomen, or well forward in 

 one of the horns of the uterus, and lying to one side of the mesial line 

 (nearly always to the right in the Cow) ; so that an inexperienced or 

 careless examiner might miss it altogether at the first exjiloration. 

 This error can be avoided by carefully moving the introduced hand to 

 the right and left as far as the intestine will permit, with the animal's 

 l)ody inclined backwards and the belly raised by assistants, as just 

 <lescribed. The ftt'tus should be excited to move, if possible, so as to 

 guarantee its presence. 



The difficulties are greater if it is desired to know whether the fcetus 

 is alive or dead. Sometimes we may at once perceive the movements 

 of the young creature in the uterus ; but at other times it is motionless, 

 and cannot be made to exert itself except by moving and pushing it 



10 



