The Abdomen 273 



In addition to this, percussion fails to originate the wave character- 

 istic of ascites. It is easily differentiated from coprostasis, where 

 the mass is hard and unyielding and the outlines of the bowel can 

 be distinguished. It is hardly to be confounded with pregnancy or 

 obesity. 



Puerperal Septic Metritis. This condition results from the re- 

 tention of septic matter (fetal membranes, etc.,) in the uterus in 

 connection with abnormal fetations or fetal deliveries. It com- 

 monly occurs in those cases where intrauterine death and non-de- 

 livery of fetuses takes place. Bacteria gain entrance from the 

 vagina and induce putrefactive changes. The latter are of ichorous 

 character. The inflammatory process extends and involves all the 

 coats of the organ and focal ulcerative degenerations occur and 

 lead to perforation. This results in general purulent peritonitis if 

 the animal has not already succumbed to toxemia. 



There, are, however, rare instances recorded where retention 

 of fetuses has not led to extension of inflammation beyond the 

 uterus. Welch reported operating on an animal for the purpose of 

 removing the ovaries and finding a bony skeleton within the uterus, 

 the remainder of the fetal tissues having disappeared by decomposi- 

 tion. At the previous whelping period the animal had shown 

 symptoms of toxemia. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. There is a discharge of foul, green- 

 ish, or sanguineous, purulent matter. There is rarely any rise in 

 temperature, but the latter frequently falls below normal. The 

 animal ignores the offspring, and is listless, and total collapse rapidly 

 supervenes. The appearance of vomiting is to be regarded as 

 a grave symptom. As in intestinal obstruction, it marks the advent 

 of that phase in the struggle between bacteria and the organism 

 where the latter commences to succumb to septic infection. 



Proliferative or Fibroid Endometritis. This condition is char- 

 acterized by chronic proliferative overgrowth of the submucosal 

 layer. This leads to great thickening of the mucosa, which acquires 

 a mammilliform appearance. Here and there may be seen minute 

 cysts. These represent generalised dilations of the mucosal 

 glands which have resulted from stricture of their mouths by the 

 fibroid growth. The entire organ may be much shrunken. As in 

 pyometra, estruation and the attendant uterine discharges no longer 

 occur. The disease is peculiar to aged animals, and produces little 



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