202 SWINE PRACTICE 



effect, but occasionally they provide an avenue of entrance for infec- 

 tion of the peritoneum and may result in fatal peritonitis. 



HEMORRHAGE 



Uterine hemorrhage in the sow is not of the same gravity as it is 

 in the larger animals; however, its control is more difficult in the 

 sow than in larger animals because of the small size of the uterus. 



METRITIS 



Metritis has not occurred as commonly in the sow as in the cow 

 until the recent appearance of an apparent infectious abortion which 

 is frequently associated with inflammatory disturbances of the uterus. 

 From the intensity of the process and the accompanying lesions it 

 appears justifiable to pathologically classify porcine metritis as catar- 

 rhal, purulent and septic. Catarrhal metritis may be either acute 

 or chronic. In many instances the lesions appear to be confined to 

 the uterine mucosa, and the proper designation would, therefore, be 

 endometritis. Clinically the different types of inflammation of the 

 uterine structures cannot be identified and the dfferent forms of 

 metritis are all considered as differing only in degree or gravity. 



Etiology. — IMetritis is due to infection and is usually a sequel of 

 abortion or difficult parturition, although an occasional case is ob- 

 served in which parturition has been apparently normal. There 

 is apparently no one specific microbian agent that is responsible 

 for metritis. Pyogenic micrococci, B. abortus Bang, and various 

 representatives of the colon typhoid group are the principal micro- 

 organisms that have been isolated from cases of metritis, although 

 B. pyoeyaneus, B. suipestifer, B. suisepticus and some other micro- 

 bian agents have been found in these cases. Whether any of the 

 foregoing bacteria are the primary cause of the condition or whether 

 they are secondary invaders remains to be demonstrated. It seems 

 probable that the causative factor of abortion in sows will also be 

 found to be the primary cause of metritis. 



Lesions. — The uterine horns will be relaxed and dilated, owing 

 to paralysis or failure of contraction after expulsion of the fetuses. 

 The uterine cavity will contain variable quantities of a fluid, the 

 character of which will depend upon the type of inflammation. There 

 are usually fragments or large portions of the placenta within the 

 cavity of the uterine horns or such may be found adhering to the 



