Vaginitis 8 1 1 



suffering from endometritis. Both uterus and cervix be- 

 come flaccid and atonic. In the cow the uterus becomes 

 flaccid while the cervix indurates. 



The prognosis is good and the handling is to be based 

 upon the general principles detailed for the cow. The uterus 

 is to be so handled that it will not be discharging muco-pus 

 over the cervical mucosa, and the cervix itself is to be dis- 

 infected the same as in the cow, especially by swabbing the 

 cervical mucosa with Lugol's solution, silver nitrate, zinc or 

 copper sulphate. 



5. Vaginitis 



The specific vaginitis of genital horse pox has already 

 been described. The organ is sensitive to irritants. Vagini- 

 tis may be aroused in endless ways. However, mares ap- 

 parently escape the virtually omnipresent lesions of the nod- 

 ular venereal disease of ruminants and swine which serve in 

 them as a foundation for vaginitis which may be aroused by 

 slight insult. 



Parturient contusions and abrasions are the commonest 

 causes of severe vaginitis. Doubtless imprudent vaginal 

 douching sometimes causes vaginitis in mares as well as in 

 cows. In one instance a mare was brought to me suffering 

 intensely with prolapse of the vaginal floor and the urinary 

 bladder (vesico-vaginocele) following coitus. She had se- 

 vere vaginal atresia from prior disease. Since she had 

 changed ownership (probably because of the unseen dis- 

 ease) the history leading up to the atresia was not available. 

 It was not improbably due to imprudent vaginal douching. 

 I was compelled to produce profound choral narcosis for 

 several hours in order to control the prolapse. 



Vaginitis varies greatly in severity and duration. When 

 not too severe, it usually tends to recover spontaneously; 

 when severe, it may tend to persist permanently and cause 

 either vaginal atresia, as in the instance related, or severe, 

 intractable pyo-vaginitis which may ruin the value of the 

 patient. The infection may extend forward to involve the 

 cervix and uterus, or pus flowing backward over the urethra 

 may traverse that canal and set up a very serious pyo-cysti- 

 tis. 



