492 Veterinary Obstetrics 



The exterior of the mare which has aborted should also be 

 thoroughly disinfected. Special attention should be given to 

 the tail, perineum, buttocks and posterior limbs. These parts at 

 least should be thoroughly scrubbed with soap and hot water, to 

 which has been added 2 or 3% of lysol or carbolic acid. Cor- 

 rosive sublimate is inefficient here, as it is precipitated by mo.st 

 soaps and does not penetrate the hairy coats of the animal in an 

 efficient manner. 



Generally speaking, we regard the somewhat opposite plan of 

 removing the pregnant mares from the infected stable as ill 

 advised. When infectious abortion has occurred in a stable 

 where other pregnant mares are kept, it is fair to assume that 

 some of them have become infected. If removed to another 

 stable, they too will abort and the other stable will also become 

 infected. If the disinfection is complete, the stable in which the 

 abortion has occurred is as safe as any. 



3. Remove all bedding from the stall where the mare has 

 aborted, btrrn it or otherwi.se render it safe, and thoroughly dis- 

 infect the stall. The general rules of the preceding paragraph, 

 relative to the disposal of the fetus and its membranes, should 

 also be ■ applied to the bedding and manure from the infected 

 stall. It must, on no account, be dribbled here and there, to 

 scatter the infection ; the undisinfected vehicle used for carrying 

 it must not be placed where pregnant mares may come about it. 

 If it is decided to preserve the value of the manure, it must be 

 placed where pregnant mares cannot come in contact with it for 

 two or three months. 



The disinfection of the stall should be complete. The straw, 

 chaff or bedding should not be swept out in a manner to cause 

 dust to fly in every direction, but any dusty material should first 

 be moistened, preferably with a disinfectant or with boiling 

 water, then removed carefully, and the stall floor, manger, feed 

 box and adjacent walls, thoroughly scrubbed with hot water, to 

 which a reliable disinfectant in sufficient amount has been added. 



When infectious abortion breaks out among mares at pasture, 

 they should be promptly removed from the field and placed in a 

 stable, and the measures above outlined followed. Disinfection at 

 pasture is impossible, for very evident reasons. It cannot be 

 known when a mare at pasture aborts, especially when early in 

 pregnancy. When abortion does occur, the fetus and its mem- 



