8 May, 1907.] Lameness in Horses. 259 



KNEE LAMENESS. 



Sprain of the Superior Check Ligament. 



Just above anfl beliind the knee there is a short broad band of fibrous 

 tissue, springing from the tendon of one of the large flexor muscles of the 

 foot {f-exor pedis perforatus) and running downwards tO' be attached 

 strongly to the lower and back part of the bone of the fore arm {radius). 

 I: is intended apparently to prevent the muscle from being subjected to 

 overstrain — hence the name of " check " ligament. The strain put upon 

 this ligament by the immense muscular power exerted by draught horses 

 when pulling heavy loads up hill is sometimes such as to cause it to be 

 sprained ; in which case pronounced Lameness results. It is but seldom 

 that this form of lameness develops in light horses, and when it does it is 

 usually of rheumatic origin. 



Symptoms.- — The lameness is most often accompanied by obvious pain, 

 heat and swelling. The animal stands with the knee slightly flexed and 

 toe resting on the ground ; he has great difficulty in flexing the knee joint, 

 and when this is done forcibly the acuteness of the pain is made apparent. 

 When moving, the animal " goes on the toe " ; he avoids putting weight on 

 the heel or allowing it to touch the ground as that would put the muscle 

 and check ligament on the stretch and cause pain. 



Treatment. — Strict rest should be enjoined ; and in the first instance 

 when the symptoms are most pronounced the treatment should be directed 

 to the subjugation of the inflammation by hot fomentations applied in the 

 manner described at page 77. A high-heeled shoe should be put on to re- 

 lieve the strain on the injured ligament, and cooling medicine should be 

 given in the food. Later on cold applications should be used — frequent 

 hosing or allowing cold water to gently trickle on to the part from a hose 

 bandaged in position. When the acuteness of the symptoms has subsided 

 a blister and lengthened rest should be prescribed. Complete recovery from 

 the lameness may be confidently expected, but the horse should not again 

 be used for purposes involving strenuous pulling ; otherwise the lameness is 

 very likely to recur. 



Thoroughpin of the Knee. 



This consists in a puffy enlargement on each side of the limb just above 

 the knee, caused by a distension with synovia of the sheath through which 

 the flexor tendons pass. The distension mav be pressed from side to side ; 

 pressure on the outside enlarges the inside distension and vice versa. The 

 condition is often associated with, and mav result from, sprain of the 

 superior check ligament, and if it is accompanied by lameness the same 

 symptoms are exhibited and the same treatment mav be applied. It is, 

 however, usually a chronic condition without actual lameness ; and the only 

 treatment that is of any avail in regard to reduction of the swellinc;- is a 

 lengthened spell at grass and repeated blisterings with red mercury blister. 

 If the horse is kept at work, tight bandaging at night over the enlarge- 

 ments tends to reduce them somewhat. "Aspiration " (i.e., sucking out the 

 fluid with a syringe), as also " puncturing " are sometimes practised when 

 the contained fluid has not become coagulated or flaky. Such operations 

 can only be successfully performed bv the skilled veterinary surgeon, who 

 will see that they are carried out aseptically and that the necessary subse- 

 quent treatment is appropriate and properly conditioned. 



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