TH6 JOURNAL 



OF 



^fie department of ^gricufture. 



Vol. V. Part 9. 



9th September, 1907. 



LAMENESS IN HORSES. 



{Continued from page 477-) 

 S. S. Cameron, M .R.C.V .S.. Cl/icf Veterinary Q-fficer. 



Blood Spavin. 



L.iBRARY 

 NEW YORK 

 BOTANICAL 



Garden. 



This is a distension of the saphenic vein as it passes upwards under 

 the skin at the front and towards the inside of the hock exactly over the 

 seat of bog spavin. The distension may occur from the pressure of a bog 

 spavin impeding the flow of blood up the vein, or when the vein is affected 

 with varicosity ; but either of these conditions is so extremely rare as to 

 be considered a negligible quantity. 



Some horses show a distension of the saphena vein in this region after 

 exercise, but it is not accompanied by lameness or anything untoward, and 

 soon passes off. 



Bone Spavin. 



The origin of the term "spavin" has been variously accounted for. 

 Williams has it that it may have been derived from the Italian " spavenio " 

 —a disease of honses ; but he adds that this is an unsatisfactory explana- 

 tion. To me the word is obviously derived from the Greek word spasma — 

 a spasm, from Gr. spaein — to draw, to cause convulsion ; therefore, any 

 convulsive effort, involuntary contraction, or drawing up, such as occurs in 

 the hind limb of a spavined horse during progression or when moved. 

 This " clicking " action is a pronounced symptom, sufficiently striking as 

 to warrant its being named when a one-word description of the disease was 

 wanted. 



Bone spavin is the most frequent and, by virtue of this and of its 

 seriousness, the most important of the diseases of the hock. It consists of 

 iv.^a bony deposition on and between the small bones of the hock — the cunei- 

 form bones — situated at the inner and lower part of the joint towards the 

 front. (See Figs. 85 and 86). The bony deposit may stand out from the 

 I natural surface to an observable degree, or it may exist between the 

 ^+^ separate bones, and cause union between them without any recognisable 

 enlargement (occult spavin) ; or there mav be bath obvious enlargement 



9898. R 



