256 NORMAL PARTURITION. 



attention bestowed on woman and infant, even when birth has been 

 easy ; yet, from the nature of this act and the unfavourable conse- 

 quences which are sometimes noted, certain precautions should be 

 observed by the owner of the animals at this period, and especially if 

 these should happen to be valuable and very artificially kept. These 

 attentions and precautions should be entrusted for their carrying out 

 to competent persons selected by the owner ; as it is seldom that the 

 veterinarian is called in unless something serious has occurred. The 

 mother as well as the offspring require watching, and more or less 

 nursing. 



SECTION I.— ATTENTION TO THE MOTHER. 



"With the smaller animals, except, perhaps, the Bitch, little pre- 

 paration is needed, and the act of parturition is accomplished with- 

 out any trouble. But with the larger and more valuable creatures — 

 such as the Mare and Cow, and even the Sheep — certain precautions 

 should be adopted. With the Mare and Cow particularly, this function 

 is accompanied by pain, restlessness, and a certain amount of excite- 

 ment, which necessitate attention. For instance, an animal tied up in 

 a stall among other animals of the same or different species, is more 

 exposed to accidents than one which is in a place by itself, or which' is 

 .at liberty in a pasture or meadow. Therefore, the Tvlare about to foal 

 should be allowed a roomy loose-box, well supplied with soft litter ; 

 and the Cow should, if possible, be similarly provided. If either 

 animal must be kept tied, then the fastening should be of such a kind 

 that it can readily be undone when required. The Sow should have a 

 separate sty, and even the Sheep may need a separate allotment. If 

 kept in a dwelling, the temperature should be comfortable and the 

 ventilation good. 



A. DuEiNG Labour. — When parturition commences, it is rare indeed 

 that anything requires to be done during at least the two first stages — 

 those of preparation and dilatation of the os. Therefore, the animal 

 should be allowed perfect quietude ; and if the light in the stable is too 

 bright, it may be partially excluded. A trustworthy person may re- 

 main with it, in order to avert accidents ; but he should keep himself 

 out of sight, and meddle with the animal as little as possible. Some 

 ■creatures, and particularly primiparas, are rendered peevish and fidgety 

 if they see anyone present during parturition. 



Unless something irregular or abnormal occurs during this act, all 

 should be left to nature. In the case of the Mare, however, it has been 

 recommended to empty the rectum either manually or by means of oily 

 enemas, if the faeces are hard, in order to avert rupture of the intestine. 

 The irregularities are few in number, the principal being hurried and 

 jji'otracted parturition, they being only modifications of natural labour ; 

 the difficult cases coming under the head of dystokia will be treated of 

 in another division of this volume. 



Whether called in to a case of irregular or abnormal parturition, the 

 first care of the veterinary surgeon will be to assure himself as to the 

 state of the animal and the progress made in the act. In this direction, 

 it must be remembered that for the accomplishment of this function in 

 a physiological manner — i.e., by the forces of nature only^ — and without 

 prejudice to the mother or offspring, there is required a definite action 

 — proportionate to the constitution of the former — -of the forces destined 



