Abortion
Abortion or premature birth may occur from three different causes:
1—Accidental Abortion.—Caused by a blow; strain; slipping on a wet floor, over-strain from pulling a heavy load, etc.
2—Enzootic Abortion.—Due to some infectious disease of the mother.
3—Contagious Abortion.—A distinct disease which causes the death and expulsion of the fetus or its expulsion in a feeble state prior to the normal period.
Symptoms of Threatened Abortion.—In the first three months of pregnancy, the appearance of a bloody, watery or mucous discharge from the vagina. In the later months, uneasiness, swelling, heat and tenderness about the udder; secretion of milk; and straining as if in labor.
Treatment of Threatened Abortion.—Give fifteen drops of G.G., every six hours, and the dose may be repeated two or three or more times should the threatening symptoms continue after the first or even the second dose has expended its action.
This interval should elapse between doses, as too rapid ones may even defeat the object, by over-excitement of the system, while a single dose often arrests an abortion if permitted to expand its action.
After a cow has actually aborted, it is almost impossible to tell whether it occurred from contagious abortion or from some other cause, so the safe thing to do is to act as if it had been contagious abortion.
Treatment of Contagious Abortion.—The fetus and membranes should be burned. The premises occupied by the sick animal should be disinfected as follows: Remove all bedding and dirt possible and spray all available parts of barn with 3% formalin or 5% carbolic acid solution. Apply white wash containing 1 lb. chloride of lime to 3 gallons of whitewash, scatter quicklime on floor and gutters.