EXCESS IX VOLUME Of THE EO-JTCS. 377 



manner of feeding or kind of food has much influence on pregnant 

 animals, so far as excessive volume of the fa3tus, and consequent difli- 

 cult parturition, is concerned. 



Cox' says: "The size of the fo-tus depends considerably upon the 

 condition of the parent and the kind of food given to it. Fat animals, 

 and those emaciated from the continuous use of food of a ])oor nature 

 or insutVicient in quantity, bring forth a small foetus. Where the de- 

 bility is the result of pregnancy, and food has been given of a nutritious 

 character and in suthciency during that period, the fcEtus will be dis- 

 proportionately large, the extra nutriment having been diverted to its 

 growth. Green food, or ' depasturing,' causes the foetus to grow rapidly 

 and attain a gi-eat size ; but Nature compensates for this by giving with 

 such diet greater relaxation of the tissues of the dam, and an increase 

 of the placental fluids to lubricate and assist at delivery." 



Diagnosis. 



The diagnosis of excessive volume of the foetus is difficult, and can 

 only be established, as a rule, at parturition ; for we do not possess 

 any certain means of appreciating the dimensions of the fa'tus in iitcro 

 before its enveloping membranes have ruptured and the os is dilated. 

 An unusual size of the maternal abdomen towards the termination of 

 pregnancy, is an uncertain and very often a deceptive sign. 



Nasse, a German veterinarian, imagined that this excess in develop- 

 ment might be ascertained by weighing the animal during pregnancy. 

 With regard to the Bitch, he thought there was danger when the 

 weight was increased by two-lifths dui'ing this period, the normal in- 

 crease being only one-third. But it is evident that an inordinate in- 

 crease in weight may be due to other causes than the foetus or fa}tuse3 

 — such as an unusual number of these, an excess of amniotic or allan- 

 toic fluid, gi-eater obesity of the Bitch, etc. Otherwise, if this test 

 could be applied to the 13itch with practical results, the conclusions 

 derived from it could not be made applicable to the other animals. 



The only circumstance which might give rise to suspicion, is the pro- 

 longation of pregnancy beyond its ordinary period; though this suspicion, 

 as we have seen, will not always, nor yet very often, be confirmed. 



It is only, then, at partm-ition that this obstacle on the part of the 

 foetus can be ascertained. If at this time, in spite of energetic and 

 sustained uterine contractions", labour is protracted and does not 

 advance, and if on exploration the pelvis and genital organs are found 

 to be well formed and normal, the os dilated, the foetus in a favourable 

 position and not malformed, it may be suspected that the obstacle to 

 birth is dependent on the large size of the latter. A closer examination 

 will probably confirm this suspicion. 



With the Bitch, the principal obstacle, as has been already said, is 

 generally the head of the Puppy, which, when it is large, is lodged at 

 the entrance to the pelvic inlet, where it can be touched j^cf vaginani. 



The common-bred Bitch, with muzzle more or less elongated, when 

 fecundated by a male of the same size and conformation, and bringing 

 forth from five to eight young, has usually no difficulty in pupping. 

 The tapering or conical form of the muzzle of the Puppies allows it to 

 enter the passage and pass easily through, under the influence of the 

 uterine and abdominal contractions. But when the Bitch is of small 

 size, and has been impregnated by a larger and young vigorous Dog, 

 ' Vft'^rinary Journal vol. i. , p. 265. 



