324 ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



reason being that the blood-vessels, which are sharply divided 

 without tearing or stretching, remain wide open, and when the 

 bleeding has stopped the two cut surfaces, not being bruised or 

 torn, come together readily and join with comparative quickness, 

 there being no loss of substance to make good in the healing 

 process. 



2. Torn wounds, made by blunt instruments, such as hooks, do not 



bleed quite so freely nor heal so readily as clean cut ones. This 

 is owing to the fact that the parts are stretched considerably by 

 the blunt edge of whatever causes the wound, which, being 

 unable to cut clean, tears its Avay through, and consequently the 

 blood-vessels, which are elastic, fly back like india-rubber and 

 twist themselves into knots which stop the bleeding. Again, as 

 the flesh is torn, portions of it are so badly injured that they 

 subsequently die, and as these dead pieces must come away before 

 healing can be completed, this class of wounds takes a longer 

 time to repair. 



3. Bruised wounds comprise many of the worst injuries met with, and 



are most difficult to successfully treat ; for being caused by falls 

 and blows from blunt objects, not only has the wound itself to be 

 considered, but also the bruise which has been sustained, and 

 this is often the most serious part of the injury. Under this 

 heading are included such cases as broken knees, many saddle 

 galls from pressure, treads, some over-reaches, and in fact all 

 wounds which have been accompanied by a severe contusion. 

 Bruised wounds bleed but little, but there is often considerable 

 loss of skin, and the surrounding portions Avhich have not been 

 actually killed are so severely hurt that they subsequently 

 die, and the wound which at first appeared a trifle, will be larger 

 and deeper after the lapse of a few days, the healing being 

 thereby considerably retarded. 



4. Punctured wounds, so frequent in the feet of animals from treading 



on nails, sharp stones, &c,, or from thorns entering the skin, are 

 dangerous from the fact that the small opening in the horn or 

 skin made by them closes immediately, and should any dirt or 

 poison have been carried into the wound, it will create inflamma- 

 tion and matter will form ; for this reason it is often necessary 

 to enlarge the opening in order to thoroughly cleanse the wound 

 beneath. On the other hand, if the penetrating object be 

 perfectly clean, they may heal without any trouble at all, and 

 they bleed but very slightly. 



