Parturient Paresis in the Cow 925 



The course of the disease is rapid. Generally, the ea'rher the 

 advent of the malady after parturition, the more rapid its course. 

 The animal may die within 6 or 8 hours from the beginning of 

 the attack, or the disease may be prolonged to two or three days. 



Complications of great variety may occur. In some especially 

 stormy cases there is complete prolapse of the uterus as one of 

 the earliest symptoms, and in these death usually ensues very 

 quickly. In two cases in our experience, the animals perished 

 within two or three hours after the advent of the first symptoms 

 of the disease. 



One of the most common and serious complications observed 

 in the course of the disease is that of foreign-body pneumonia, 

 or of strangling owing to the inhalation of solids or liquids. A 

 few years ago it was common to drench a cow with large vol- 

 umes of oil or of solutions of saline cathartics or other medicines, 

 which in many cases flowed directly into the lungs because of 

 the unconsciousness of the animal and the paralysis of the 

 pharynx. In other instances in the comatose animal, there is 

 an involuntary passage of food from the rumen through the 

 oesophagus into the pharynx, from which it is inhaled into the 

 the lungs. In either case the animal may be quickly strangled 

 by the blocking of the bronchial tubes from the food or medi- 

 cines. It was formerly a common experience for the veteri- 

 narian to give a large dose of medicine and have the animal 

 perish before he could get off the premises. 



When immediate death from the inhalation of food or drugs 

 does not ensue, the paralysis and coma may continue, and the 

 symptoms of parturient paresis pass imperceptibly into those of 

 pneumonia. In other cases the animal partially recovers, and 

 seems brighter, and may even recover so far as to regain her feet 

 and possibly take some food. After some hours, or even a day 

 or more, she may show signs of pneumonia with elevation of 

 temperature, and go down again to finally perish from the 

 complication. 



Diagnosis. The diagnosis is usually rendered clear by the 

 period of the occurrence of the disease, the condition and char- 

 acter of the animal, and the symptoms. In some cases, how- 

 ever, the differential diagnosis may be exceedingly difficult, 

 and afford abundant room for a conflict of opinion between 

 practitioners. 



