THE COW IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 143 



Disease of the ovaries, tubes, uterus and vagina 

 and cysts or tumors in any of these organs. 

 But by far the most common cause of this con- 

 dition is contagious abortion. 



Contagious abortion produces sterility by 

 causing a diseased condition of the uterus or 

 some of the other genital organs. This is closely 

 associated by an inflammation of the vagina, 

 which is easily transmitted from the cow's con- 

 tact with infected stables and bedding and also 

 by the bull during the act of coition. The only 

 way this condition can be remedied is by disin- 

 fecting the stables and local treatment of the 

 vagina of the cow and the prepuce of the bull. 



Diseases of the Ovaries. 



While it requires a qualified veterinarian to 

 intelligently diagnose the diseases of the cow's 

 ovaries, yet there is a train of symptoms that are 

 usually indicative of a diseased condition of the 

 ovaries, and they are the absence of the heat 

 periods, irregular heat periods, or the animals 

 are continuously in heat. There is also in the 

 majority of cases a relaxing of the sacro-sciatic 

 ligaments, which are just to the side and a little 

 forward from the base of the tail and this gives 

 the backbone a humped up appearance. The 

 vulva may also be relaxed and flabby and appear 

 larger than normal. 



Occasionally only one ovary will be diseased, 

 but usually both. These diseases are brought 

 about by the infection traveling up from the 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



