Cases of this kind have been described in mare and cow, preventing copulation and conception, and leading to a distension of the vagina, with a glairy fluid, which obstructed defecation, irritated the bladder and caused violent but fruitless straining, under which the mass would project from the vulva. The centre of the swelling may be penetrated with a trochar or bistuory and enlarged by incisions in several directions. Relief is prompt and lasting.
VAGINITIS. LEUCORRHŒA.
Inflammation of the vaginal mucosa is usually a concomitant of metritis and like that follows parturition. It will however occur independently from direct injury or infection or from the presence of neoplasms. In dourine and horsepox, vaginitis is a common symptom, to mare, cow and bitch infection is conveyed by coition. Dieckerhoff quotes old chronic cases, also acute ones which extended to the peritoneum and proved fatal in a few days. The common symptom of muco-purulent discharge having a heavy or fœtid odor is together with the discharge from the womb known by the common name of leucorrhœa. The frequent irrigation of the whole passage with antiseptic solutions is usually successful in putting a stop to the affection, unless in case of constitutional infection, or the presence of some neoplasm.
TUMORS OF THE VAGINA.
The vagina is the seat of different forms of neoplasms in the various domestic animals. Thus cystoma, lipoma, adenoma, fibroma, fibro-myoma, sarcoma and epithelioma have been noted. They are essentially surgical and to be dealt with as such. They are mainly important in this connection as inducing a leucorrhœa, which in the absence of careful examination might be mistaken for that of uterine or vaginal infective inflammation.
PARTURITION FEVER (COLLAPSE). MILK FEVER. PARTURIENT APOPLEXY. CALVING FEVER. PARTURITION PARESIS.
Definition. Predisposing causes: genus, breed, great milking capacity, heredity, mature age, vigor, high feeding, powerful digestion and assimilation, sudden plethora, drying up of milk, parturition, easy delivery, warm season, chills, idiosyncrasy, cardiac hypertrophy, contraction of womb, emotional excitement: Supposed causes: absorption of toxins from womb, colostrum, Schmidt treatment its significance, microbian infection and intoxication, effect of change of stable. Microbiology. Nature: Theories of nervous explosion, vaso-motor cerebral anæmia from exaggerated excitability of the uterine nerves, or from dilatation of the portal system and womb, metro-peritonitis, cerebral anæmia from congestion of the rete mirabile, etc., palsy of the ganglionic nerves, plethora, intracranial arterial tension, narcotic poisons from leucocytic or microbian source. Lesions: variable, cerebral and spinal congestion, pulmonary congestion, collapse, septic inhalation, bronchitis, dessication of ingesta in omasum and large intestine, black thick blood, yellowish gelatinoid exudates in cranium and spinal canal and under spine, glycosuria. Symptoms: time, post parturient, plethoric subject, sudden onset, comatose and violent forms, discomfort, restless movements, inappetence, moaning, mental dullness, unsteady walk, muscular weakness, compulsory recumbency, retained urine and fæces, drowsiness, somnolence, unconsciousness, stertor, venous pulse, tympany, sudden recovery, complete, with paralysis, fatal cases, violence, tossing head, trembling, cramps, convulsions, temperature. Mortality. Prevention: bleeding in plethoric, heavy milkers, purging, low diet, exercise, comfort, milking, blisters, sucking by calf, disinfection, iodine solution in udder. Treatment: in early stages bleeding, purgatives, peristalsis stimulants, antiseptics, injections, stimulants, rubefacients or cold sponging, elevation of the head, udder massage, milking, iodine injection of the mammæ.
Definition. A nervous disorder which develops suddenly in plethoric cows, heavy milkers, after calving, and is characterized by loss of senses, of consciousness and of muscular control, by hypothermia or hyperthermia, convulsions, coma, and mellituria.
Causes. While one cannot speak positively as to the essential cause of this disease, certain conditions are so constant and prominent that they must be given a high value as predisposing causes.
Genus and Breed. Milking Capacity. This is essentially a disease of cows, probably largely because of all domestic animals, cows only have been long and systematically bred to secure the greatest power of digestion and assimilation and the highest yield of milk. It is the disease not only of cows, but of milking breeds, and preëminently of individuals that give the most abundant dairy product. It is rare or unknown in scrub or common herds, while common and fatal in the best milking breeds, in advancing ratio about as follows: short horn, red polled, Normand, Swiss, Ayrshire, Flemish, Dutch, Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey, and Holstein. Heredity may be claimed, as the special predisposing qualities are hereditary.