448 Veterinary Obstetrics 



on the part of incompetent persons while attempting to overcome 

 difficult labor. 



When labor has been completed, ruptures of the uterus may still occur 

 through incompetent handling of retained placenta or as a consequence of 

 prolapse of the uterus. 



Since these various ruptures are sufficiently considered in their 

 proper places, it is desirable that we should here confine ourselves 

 to the comparatively rare instances of rupture of the gravid uterus 

 not included in the other classes of cases mentioned. We wish, 

 consequently, to draw attention here to those cases of rupture of 

 the gravid uterus not due to torsion or to diseases of the fetus, 

 uterus or fetal membranes and occurring independently of dystocia 

 or attempts at delivery. Saint Cyr terms these longitudinal 

 or oblique ruptures. 



The causes are variable. Generally, so far as known, such 

 ruptures are the result of impacts of blunt bodies against the 

 abdominal floor, such as the kick of a horse, the impact of a 

 wagon pole, falling upon projecting stones, etc. 



The symptoms are not at all uniform but dependent upon the 

 extent of the rupture and other conditions. 



The rupture may be incomplete, the mechanical insult or other 

 cause serving merely to induce a more or less serious strain or par- 

 tial rupture of the muscular walls of the organ. Such a lesion 

 may result in appearances of ill-health, possibly slight colic or 

 other symptoms leading to the belief that some digestive disturb- 

 ance exists. 



Later the weakened uterine walls may give way either as a re- 

 sult of the weight of the fetus or the greatly augmented intra- 

 uterine tension owing to uterine contractions. Then follow 

 rapidly symptoms of great depression, weak pulse, accelerated 

 breathing, cold body surface with probably cold sweats, followed 

 in a few hours by death. 



If the fetus, fetal membranes, and liquids are aseptic, the 

 symptoms induced are chiefly those of shock and internal hemor- 

 rhage. If the uterine contents are infected, and these contents 

 suddenly escape into the peritoneal cavity, there follows promptly 

 the very grave depression of acute peritonitis. 



External manipulation of the abdomen may reveal the fetus 

 free within the abdomen and the fetal riuids outside the uterus 

 presenting the appearances of ascites. 



