8i6 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



that a large proportion of the cases is caused by post-natal 

 infection through the umbilicus {omphalo phlebitis, pyo- 

 septicemia) , owing to the longer and thicker umbilic cord 

 which breaks with a longer stump. An important part is 

 played by the long stump by inviting imprudent ligation, so 

 that the umbilic stump is ligated more frequently in the foal 

 than in all other new-born animals combined. Umbilic in- 

 fection is so evidently the cause of many cases of pyemic 

 arthritis that until quite recently the navel was considered 

 the sole avenue of invasion. Lately Schofield^ has shown 

 satisfactorily that arthritis is frequently due to intra-uter- 

 ine infection and that in etiology it conforms to the basic 

 principles of pyemic arthritis in calves and may be either 

 ante-natal or post-natal in origin. Like arthritis in calves, 

 the arthritis of foals is prominently associated with intense 

 intra-uterine infection in mares with abundant sterility and 

 abortion. Bacteriologically there are recognized, in the in- 

 fected joints or other pyemic centers, streptococci, staphy- 

 locci, the B. ahortivo-equinus, etc. In other words, there 

 may be present in the diseased joints any bacteria which 

 may exist (a) in the uterine cavity of the pregnant mare 

 and may be swallowed by the fetus, (b) in the milk of the 

 dam and be swallowed by the foal when the alimentary 

 epithelium has been damaged or destroyed, or (c) externally 

 and invade the foal through the umbilicus. 



The symptoms consist chiefly of the sudden development 

 of an intense arthritis in one or more articulations, most 

 commonly the tarsus, carpus and stifle. When the invasion 

 occurs through the umbilicus, the event is usually recorded 

 locally by slight swelling of the umbilicus, followed pres- 

 ently by a discharge from the umbilic veins of a thin, wa- 

 tery pus often associated with a re-opening of the urachus 

 with flow of urine. 



Prior to the definite appearance of arthritis, there is pres- 

 ent a marked elevation of temperature which, as in the calf, 

 presages the approach of a storm. When the foal is one to 

 several days old, there develop suddenly centers of pyemic 



iScliofield, F. W. Investigatious into Joint-Ill in Foals. Dept. Agr. 

 Toronto, 1916. 



