FRACTURE OF THE BONES OF THE FORE EXTREMITY 



249 



treated by slinging and suitable splints, offer the best prospects of 

 success. 



Where displacement occurs, the Ijone must be set, and in carrying 

 out this part of the work every care will require to be taken that the 

 fragments are brought into their proper position. Before splints and 

 bandages (fig. 338) are applied, the knee and the toe must 

 be brought into line, and the leg as a whole rendered 

 straight. Placed in slings, the patient must be disturbed as 

 little as possible, and careful watch kept over the limb, so 

 that prompt relief may be given by relaxing the bandages 

 where undue pressure provokes swelling. 



Should this precaution fail to be observed, the case will 

 become complicated by dangerous sloughing, and the re- 

 union of the bone retarded or altogether prevented. 



FRACTURE OF THE OS SUFFRAGINIS OR LARGE 



PASTERN 



Fractures of the large pastern are perhaps the most 

 common of all affecting the limbs of the horse. 



They mostly take an oblique direction, extending from 

 above downwards towards the outer or the inner side (fig. 

 339), or pass vertically downwards from the upper to the 

 lower extremity. Less frequently the breakage is trans- 

 verse, in which case it mostly occurs towards the lower 

 extremity (fig. 340), and is very frecjuently comminuted. 



In oblic[ue fractures the division usually extends into 

 the fetlock joint, while in those taking a vertical course 

 it may also involve the joint formed with the small pastern. 

 In young horses they are most frequently partial, and take 

 the form which is commonly termed " split pastern". In 

 these cases there is no displacement, and treatment is thereby favoured. 



Fracture of this bone is most commonly met with in race-horses, 

 hunters, and chasers. In the first it results more especially from slips, 

 false steps, twists, and striking the toe in the ground while going at 

 great speed. In hunters and chasers it also occurs as the result of jump- 

 ing into roads or travelling through deep holding-ground, or dropping 

 the feet into holes. 



Symptoms. — Following the mishap, there is sudden and severe lame- 

 ness. If the fracture is comminuted or attended with displacement the 

 leg is held in the air, and is incapable of bearing weight. 



Fig. 339. -Oblique 

 Fracture of Suffra- 

 ginis 



