392 Veterinary Obstetrics 



that in some the heart-beat cannot be perceived, but that, when 

 present, it is thoroughly reliable. As a general rule, the rate of 

 the heart-beat is about twice that of the mother. The heart- 

 beat is detected best in the standing animal along the floor of the 

 abdomen or low down in the flank, though the exact point for 

 best hearing it must be determined separately for each case. In 

 our experience we have found it very easy in most cases to de- 

 tect the heart-beat in the mare, cow and ewe, either directly or 

 with the aid of the stethoscope. 



Under some conditions, when the intestines are very active, 

 their sounds may mask or obliterate those of the heart, render- 

 ing the examination very difficult and possibly destroying its 

 efficiency. 



The movements of the fetus constitute clear evidence of preg- 

 nancy and of the fact that it is alive. We have no reliable and 

 safe methods for inducing movements of the young and, con- 

 sequently, "this evidence of motion is procurable only by chance 

 or at considerable risk. Fleming remarks that some ignorant 

 persons pour water into the ears of the pregnant animal, in order 

 to cause it to make violent efforts to get rid of the fluid, and 

 claim that, if the animal is pregnant, it will only shake the head 

 and ears. Others give a drink of cold water to an animal which 

 is warm and very thirsty and thus induce movements of the fetus, 

 owing to the shock from the close proximity of the cold water 

 when it enters the stomach or rumen, to the fetus. This is a 

 dangerous procedure, liable at all times to cause abortion. 



The only safe method of determining pregnancy by the 

 presence of fetal movements is by long and repeated observations, 

 until the fetus makes more or less distinct movements, in a volun- 

 tary way, which can be seen through the abdominal walls. 

 These occur in most, if not all, pregnant animals, but are most 

 readily observable in the mare and cow, where the size and 

 strength of the fetus suffice to bring about very vigorous move- 

 ments. They are noted chiefly at the same point in the abdomen 

 as that designated for ballottement, that is, in the lower flank 

 region. 



In all these methods for diagnosing pregnancy, it will be ob- 

 served that none of them are applicable or reliable in the earlier 

 stages, so that at this period reliance must be placed upon the 



