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Dropsy of the Uterus in a Mare
406
The Veterinary Journal
the position of the operation wound some of it always trickled down the thighs, scalding the skin to some extent. For four months afterwards the pony worked regularly and gave no trouble; then he was sold, his owner having bought a Ford van. What became of .him afterwards I have never heard. In its result my operation, it must be admitted, fell somewhat short of complete success. There were, I think, two reasons for that: the incision was not large enough, and it was made too low down . A larger incision would have done no harm, and it would have left room for mishaps in healing; while, if I had made it a t the ischial arch instead of 6 inches below, there would have been less .dragging on the sutures from movement of the limbs, and also less or no trickling of urine down the legs. Just why I made the incision where I did seems now rather difficult to explain, but with the patient lying on his back and his hind legs spread apart, the spot appeared less tucked away than it did later on when the pony was on his feet. The operation is one I should have no hesita tion in tackling .again. Neither difficulty nor danger a ttends it, and any operator who avoids the mistakes I made should have every prospect of a -completely successful outcome.
DROPSY OF THE UTERUS IN A MARE. By F RANK HOPKIN, M.R.e.V.s., Manchester.
THE patient was a thoroughbred mare, eleven years old, and -expecting to foal in about nine weeks' time. I was called one night to attend her with what appeared to be an attack of colic. She was in a good deal of pain, and upon a ttempting rectal examination I could only get my arm in as far as the wrist. I gave a sedative which eased her to some extent, and a few hours later I decided to ·endeavour t o bring about abortion by manipula tion of the os uteri with my fingers. After working at it for some little' time I managed to get it open and t o burst the uterine membranes, upon which a large flow of fluid burst out. This measured over twenty stable bucketsful ,(approximately 40 gallons), and the latter portion of it was pumped ·out by the aid of a R eid's enema syringe. The mare seemed much relieved at the time, but died a week later from septiccemia. I was unable to reach the after-birth at the time, and was unable t o get it .away for twenty-four hours.
The Veterinary Journal
the position of the operation wound some of it always trickled down the thighs, scalding the skin to some extent. For four months afterwards the pony worked regularly and gave no trouble; then he was sold, his owner having bought a Ford van. What became of .him afterwards I have never heard. In its result my operation, it must be admitted, fell somewhat short of complete success. There were, I think, two reasons for that: the incision was not large enough, and it was made too low down . A larger incision would have done no harm, and it would have left room for mishaps in healing; while, if I had made it a t the ischial arch instead of 6 inches below, there would have been less .dragging on the sutures from movement of the limbs, and also less or no trickling of urine down the legs. Just why I made the incision where I did seems now rather difficult to explain, but with the patient lying on his back and his hind legs spread apart, the spot appeared less tucked away than it did later on when the pony was on his feet. The operation is one I should have no hesita tion in tackling .again. Neither difficulty nor danger a ttends it, and any operator who avoids the mistakes I made should have every prospect of a -completely successful outcome.
DROPSY OF THE UTERUS IN A MARE. By F RANK HOPKIN, M.R.e.V.s., Manchester.
THE patient was a thoroughbred mare, eleven years old, and -expecting to foal in about nine weeks' time. I was called one night to attend her with what appeared to be an attack of colic. She was in a good deal of pain, and upon a ttempting rectal examination I could only get my arm in as far as the wrist. I gave a sedative which eased her to some extent, and a few hours later I decided to ·endeavour t o bring about abortion by manipula tion of the os uteri with my fingers. After working at it for some little' time I managed to get it open and t o burst the uterine membranes, upon which a large flow of fluid burst out. This measured over twenty stable bucketsful ,(approximately 40 gallons), and the latter portion of it was pumped ·out by the aid of a R eid's enema syringe. The mare seemed much relieved at the time, but died a week later from septiccemia. I was unable to reach the after-birth at the time, and was unable t o get it .away for twenty-four hours.