246 Veterinary Obstetrics 



8. Systemic and Painful Diseases. 



Severe systemic affections and painful diseases, which depress 

 the general vitality of the patient, tend constantly to prohibit 

 ovulation and fertility. It is very rare that the evidences of 

 ovulation and estruni occur during the existence of febrile dis- 

 orders of any character. Chronic diseases — especially those of a 

 systemic character, like rachitis, osteoporosis, and such severe 

 bone diseases as are frequent in horses in many regions, and are 

 expressed largely by the appearance of multiple spavins, ring- 

 bones, navicular disease, lumbar anchylosis, spontaneous frac- 

 tures, etc. — tend constantly to induce sterility, due apparently to 

 non-ovulation during the active course of the disease, which may 

 continue for 2-3 years or more. 



The remedy in these cases evidently lies in the direction of 

 overcoming the constitutional malady itself, which is usually 

 followed by a restoration of the normal reproductive powers. 



