798 Veterinary Obstetrics 



tions accumulate within the organ, until sometimes it may con- 

 tain four or five gallons. Any expulsion of the contents of the 

 uterus must now be brought about by the contraction of the ab- 

 dominal walls, including the diaphragm, and even these forces 

 are too frequently in abeyance, so that the uterine contents in- 

 crease more or less rapidly, and in many cases flow away spon- 

 taneously, especially when the animal is lying down, simply as 

 a result of passive pressure upon the abdominal walls. 



The constitutional symptoms are usually parallel to the local 

 changes in the organ. The systemic disturbances will vary, 

 however, according to the vitality of the patient and her power of 

 resistance to bacterial products. Usually, when the inflammation 

 of the uterus has extended to any considerable degree, there are 

 more or less well-marked symptoms of septicaemia or pyaemia. 

 These include inappetence, irregularity of the bowels, either in 

 the form of diarrhea or of constipation, cardiac debility with a 

 very weak or imperceptible pulse, great depression of the animal, 

 cold extremities, rapid, shallow respiration, and any other of the 

 long train of symptoms which may accompany septicaemia. 



The symptoms of retained placenta, in the cow, are variable, 

 and include the symptoms of all the pathologic lesions which 

 may result from the disease. Generally they are self-evident, 

 and consist of the navel cord and portions of the chorion hanging 

 from the vulva, while other portions are retained within the 

 uterus. This is not always true. Sometimes the major portion 

 of the chorion, and the navel cord, have dropped away, and the 

 owner believes that the expulsion of the fetal membranes has been 

 complete, but within the uterus there remain imprisoned more 

 or less extensive portions of the afterbirth, which soon become 

 infected and undergo decomposition. In other cases, the entire 

 mass of fetal membranes, or essentially all, is retained within the 

 uterine cavity, the os uteri has contracted, and no portions of 

 the membranes protrude from the vulva, to reveal in that very 

 apparent way the condition which exists. 



In addition to these usual visible signs, there are present 

 symptoms of the pathologic changes which we have enumerated 

 above. These may not be very marked, but the animal, soon 

 after parturition, loses her normal vigor, and there are generally 

 symptoms of ill health of a more or less serious character. In 

 many cases, the retention of the membranes may be suspected 



