9o6 Veterinary Obstetrics 



presence of comparatively slight discoverable disease of the gen- 

 ital tract. 



The disease may follow dystokia or normal birth, and the port 

 of entry for the bacteria may consist of wounds or abrasions or of 

 the denuded mucosa, resulting from the separation of the pla- 

 centa. The organisms may be introduced by the obstetrist or 

 other persons upon the hands or arms ; by means of instruments 

 or apparatus, or in various other ways. 



Symptoms. The symptoms of septicaemia are acute. The 

 disease is usually ushered in suddenly in from one to four or five 

 days after parturition or after the death of the fetus, with open 

 OS uteri and decomposition of the uterine contents. The symptoms 

 consist chiefly of the general signs of fever, including elevation 

 of temperature, cessation of feeding and of rumination, decrease 

 in milk secretion, quickened pulse and respiration, with injection 

 of the visible mucous membranes. 



Locally there is swelling of the vulva, and when the dis- 

 ease is very intense the vulvar lips may become greatly 

 tumefied, cold to the touch and blue-black in color. The 

 vulvar mucosa is swollen and dark colored, and may show wounds 

 or ulcers. The contents of the uterus may consist of shreds of 

 placenta, with accumulations of pus of variable color, which is 

 usually very fetid. 



The patient generally shows extreme weakness and listless- 

 ness. Most animals tend to lie down much of the time. The 

 eyes soon become lustreless ; in the cow they may appear swol- 

 len. Ruminants may grit the teeth, and moan. 



The bowels are irregular, at one time showing constipation, 

 at another a fetid diarrhea. If purgatives are given, especially 

 saline, oleaginous or aloetic, superpurgation is highly probable. 



Acute puerperal septicemia is usually fatal, generally ending 

 in death within a few days. It sometimes runs a very stormy 

 course. We have observed cases in the cow which have ended 

 fatally in less than 24 hours after the advent of signs of disease. 



Pathology. The changes in the genital tract are not always 

 in harmony with the profound effect upon the general system. 

 A diligent search may fail to reveal very pronounced changes in 

 the uterus or vagina. The blood is thin and does not coagulate, 

 and the muscles are pale and have the appearance of having been 

 cooked. There may be more or less evident metritis, with all 

 the changes belonging to that affection. 



