A text-book of veterinary obstetrics : including the diseases and accidents incidental to pregnancy, parturition and early age in the domesticated animals . ccomplished, the foetus runs great risk of dying fromasphyxia—indeed, the Foal is nearly always delivered dead in this com-plication ; so that death of the foetus may be said to be the rule in DYSTOKIA DUE TO THE FoUELIMm^. 441 shoulder presentations. With the smaller Ruminants, owing to theformation of the pelvis, birth is not often impeded. With the Sowand Garnivora—multiparous animals—this might almost be designateda normal presentation

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A text-book of veterinary obstetrics : including the diseases and accidents incidental to pregnancy, parturition and early age in the domesticated animals . ccomplished, the foetus runs great risk of dying fromasphyxia—indeed, the Foal is nearly always delivered dead in this com-plication ; so that death of the foetus may be said to be the rule in DYSTOKIA DUE TO THE FoUELIMm^. 441 shoulder presentations. With the smaller Ruminants, owing to theformation of the pelvis, birth is not often impeded. With the Sowand Garnivora—multiparous animals—this might almost be designateda normal presentation. It will readily be perceived how one or both of the anterior membersbent back under the body will prove an obstacle to the passage of thefoetus, after what has been said with regard to the relative dimensionsof the young creature and the pelvis of the mother. The shoulder orshoulders, and the muscles in this region, are the cause of dystokia—more especially the flexor brachii, which constitutes a thick and some-what tendinous elastic mass between the scapula and upper end of thefore-arm. This muscular mass forms a very prominent obstacle on. Fig. 131. A.STBBIOB PRtSKSTATION, D0R80-SaCR.L PoSITIO.V : BoTH FoEK-LlMUa OOMPLKTKLY RETAINED. the side of the chest when the limb is thrown back. There is also thelarge levator humeri muscle adding to the increased volume of thethoracic region, as well as the elbow and fore-arm. On exploration in this complication, the head is found to be in agood direction, the hand encountering it either in the pelvis or towardsthe inlet, or it may even protrude into the vulva, according to circum-stances. The fcetus, if a Calf, may be yet alive ; if a Foal, it is nearlyalways dead. If only one limb is completely retained, the other willbe in a normal position—alongside or under the head (Fig. 130). Ifboth limbs are retained, though the head may appear in the genitalcanal or at the vulva, yet nothing can be discovered of them in thepelvis,