356 MATERNAL DYSTOKIA. 



Diagnosis. 



From the symptoms enumerated, there should not be much doubt or 

 delay in diagnosing this cause of dystokia. As in so many other 

 instances, however, the necessity for a correct diagnosis is imperative, 

 as on its accuracy will depend the success of treatment. 



If the exploration has been carefully made, the state of the cervix 

 will at once explain the delay in birth. Perhaps the only other condi- 

 tion of the cervix with which it might be confounded is " induration "; 

 but in spasm this part is hot, tense, and painful, and neither hard, 

 lumpy, nor deformed, as in the latter. 



Prognosis. 



Simple rigidity or spasm of the cervix uteri, provided there is no 

 alteration in its texture, is not in itself of very much consequence. In 

 many cases Nature overcomes the obstacle, and in the course of twenty- 

 four, forty-eight, or seventy-two hours of more or less severe and ex- 

 hausting labour, delivery is effected spontaneously, and the animal and 

 its progeny are none the worse after a short time. This delay has been 

 most frequently observed in the Cow and Goat ; in the Mare it is rarely 

 so prolonged. 



But, as a rule, it is not advisable to allow so much time to elapse 

 after labour has commenced, without at least ascertaining the nature 

 of the obstacle which delays birth ; as during the longer intervals 

 especially, complications may arise which might lead to serious results. 

 The foetus may die, or it may assume a wrong position in the uterus, 

 which may afterwards prove troublesome to the obstetrist ; the mother 

 may become exhausted and the uterus paralysed, so that the foetus 

 cannot be expelled when the os is dilated ; or, still more serious, the 

 energetic contractions of the uterus may produce rupture of the organ. 



So that a prognosis must be based on these considerations ; and both 

 the owner of the animal and the veterinarian must bear in mind the 

 fact, that while premature and too active intervention in such a case is 

 to be deprecated, too long delay in affording assistance is to be equally 

 guarded against. 



Treatment. 



As this condition of the cervix uteri is, at the commencement, of no 

 great importance, and merely retards natural delivery, active inter- 

 ference is forbidden for some time. 



When the first signs of parturition do not extend beyond some hours 

 — one or two for the Mare, five or six for the Cow, according to Saint- 

 Cyr ; when the obstetrist, by vaginal exploration, has assured himself 

 that the genital organs, as well as the pelvis, are not in any way 

 deformed or altered ; that the animal is all right otherwise ; and that 

 rigidity of the cervix is alone the cause of delay in birth ; then he ought 

 to wait, while being prepared at the same time for any emergency. 

 The glutinous matter which has been mentioned as occupying the vagina 

 and OS, and covering the cervix, should be removed as much and as 

 gently as possible from these parts, so as to permit dilatation to take 

 place when the spasmodic constriction begins to yield. 



If, however, labour appears to be unduly prolonged without any 

 progress being made in parturition, and if the " pains " are energetic, 

 while the animal's condition is not so satisfactory, then intervention 

 may be counselled. But this intervention should be of the simplest 



