Retained Placenta in the Mare 809 



ally sloughs away, the uterine walls become paretic, voluminous 

 excretions into the uterine cavity occur, and the cavity of the 

 organ is soon occupied by two to five or more gallons of a dirty 

 grayish, flocculent, stinking semi-fluid mass. Following closely 

 upon these changes, perhaps even noted first, parturient lamini- 

 tis occurs. 



The handling of total retained placenta in the mare consists 

 of the manual removal, and should be undertaken at the earliest 

 convenient time subsequent to parturition. In cases of dystokia, 

 the veterinarian should remove the membranes as soon after de- 

 livery has been completed as possible, allowing merely a few 

 minutes for the animal to recover from her exhaustion. 



In removing the afterbirth of the mare it is to be remembered 

 that ordinarily the chorion comes away everted, but when we 

 desire to remove it artificially it should be done right side out. 

 First the veterinarian needs locate the margins of the rupture in 

 the chorion through which the fetus has been expelled. Neces- 

 sarily this margin is detached for some distance from the torn 

 border. 



Secure the torn border and carefully draw it out through the 

 vulva. Insert the open hand or clenched fist between the chorion 

 and uterine wall, and, while exerting enough traction upon the 

 ruptured margins to keep the chorion tense, gently and cau- 

 tiously push the hand along between the chorion and uterine 

 wall. The process should be carried out almost equally around 

 the entire circumference of the uterus, and the chorion gradually 

 detached until the coruna are reached and included. 



In many cases of retention in the mare, it is not actually needful 

 to insert the hand into the uterus. If the protruding chorion be 

 carefully grasped, folds of it picked up first here and then 

 there, and gentle traction exerted upon each area by turn, it will 

 soon be found that drawing upon a given part of the chorionic 

 sac causes dehiscence of the placenta and distinct advance is 

 made. Section after section is cautiously tested, and gradually 

 the entire chorion comes awa}' with the placental side outward. 



If there has been no infection, if the operator has not inserted 

 his hand, nothing further is demanded. 



If there is infection in the uterus or if the operator has inserted 

 his hand, the uterus should be well irrigated with tepid water to 

 which 0.5% carbolic acid may be added. This should be repeated 

 as frequently as conditions demand. 



