THE UROGENITAL SYSTEiVI 



109 



finind that one of the two fetuses is consideral.)ly more developed 

 than tlie other. When born alive they are quite small and nearly 

 always fail to thri\'e. 



Normal parturition is (he aet of tiiivins hirth to the f(>tus (now 

 called the foal). It is often announced a week or more in advance 

 hy the following signs of parturition: A straw-coloreil fluid is seen 

 to ooze from the teats of the swollen udder, where it dries and 

 iorms a, wax-lik(> mass over the orifices of the teat. Aliout twenty- 

 four hours l)(>fore the foal is liorn the secretion of the udder takes 

 on the appearance of normal milk. The mouth of the womb di- 



l^ii;;. 35. — Position ol tin Ictus at ]);u'turition. Tiie normal, anterior 

 presentation with tlie fore feet and head entering the genital canal. (Flem- 

 ing.) 



lates; the mare becomes uneasy and nervous as a result of the onset 

 of labor-pains; the "water bag" or amnion filled with a clear fluid 

 appears. 



The foal should normallj' come with the fore feet first ami 

 the nose between the knees (Fis. 3i5), or may have the hind feet 

 presented first. In cither case it is wise to let nature take her 

 course and not interfere, even if the process seems to be unusually 

 slow. AVhen mares are kept at li<;ht wmk, or have been given 

 daily exercis(> throughout i)regnanc3', they generally have less diffi- 

 culty at parturition than if standing idle for some weeks previous. 



