92 THE ABMY HOBSE IN ACCIDENT AND DISEASE. 



Perfect rest and quietude for four to six weeks are essential, or no 

 beneficial results can be expected. 



If the rest and blisters fail to remove the lameness firing may 

 sometime be resorted to. Puncture firing in two or three rows is 

 often very effective. After firing the seat of the injury should be 

 bhstered with biniodide of mercury, 1 to 5, and the animal kept 

 quiet in a single stall for at least one month. 



BONE SPAVIN. 



(Plate XVIII, fig. 3.) 



Bone spavin is a disease involving the bones in the hock joint and 

 is usually manifested in a bony enlargement, situated at the inner 

 and lower part of the tarsus. 



Causes. — ^Weakness, faulty conformation, severe strains, hard and 

 rapid work, etc. 



Symptoms. — The appearance of this disease is usually accompanied 

 by lameness, which in the early stages of the disease is noticed only 

 when the animal is first moved after a rest, and then the toe is gen- 

 erally placed upon the ground first. When standing, the animal 

 often rests the diseased leg on the toe. 



The "spavin test" is sometimes useful in diagnosing spavin lame- 

 ness. It consists in keeping the hock joint flexed for one or two 

 minutes and then trotting the horse. If a spavin exists lameness is 

 very marked. - 



Treatment. — The treatment of bone spavin is the same as that 

 prescribed for ringbone. 



SPLINTS. 



(Plate XVIII, fig. 4.) 



Splints are bony enlai^ments, usually situated between the inner 

 splint bone and the cannon hone, at their upper third. They occa- 

 sionally occur on the outside of the hind leg. 



Causes. — Faulty action or faulty conformation causing unequal 

 distribution of pressure in the knee maj'^ throw an excessive load on 

 the inner small metacarpal and cause rupture of the tissue affix ing 

 the small to the large metacarpal. The irritation produces growth 

 of bone. 



Sympttmis. — Soreness may or may not be present ; when the splint 

 is painful the horse is lame. 



Tr€atm£nt. — If there is lameness give the animal absolute rest and 

 apply a blister composed as follows: Biniodide of mercury 1 dram, 

 cosmoline 5 drams. Repeat in ten days if necessary. 



DETECTION OF LAMENESS. 



Severe lameness is readily recognized, even when the animal is at 

 rest. Distinct symptoms,- such as pointing or frequent raising of the 



