DISEASES OF HORSES 241 



ous temperament. Draft horses suffer most frequently in the hind 

 legs. 



Symptoms. The injury is readily recognized by the changed 

 aspect of the region and the accompanying local symptoms. The 

 parts which in health are well defined, with the outlines of the ten- 

 dons and ligaments well marked, become the seat of a swelling, 

 more or less developed, from a small spot on the middle of the back 

 of the tendon to a tumefaction reaching from the knee down to and 

 even involving the fetlock itself. It is always characterized by heat, 

 and it is variously sensitive, ranging from a mere tenderness to a 

 degree of soreness which shrinks from the lightest touch. The de- 

 gree of the lameness varies, and it has a corresponding range with 

 the soreness, sometimes showing only a slight halting and at others 

 the extreme of lameness on three legs, with intermediate degrees. 



The lameness is always worse when the weight is thrown on the 

 foot, and is most marked toward the end of the phase of contact with 

 the ground. Either passive irritation of the leg or turning the ani- 

 mal in a circle causes pain as in diseases of the joints. Sometimes the 

 horse likes to get the heels on a stone or some elevation so as to relieve 

 the weight from the flexor tendors. Finally, in cases of long stand- 

 ing,^ a shortening of the tendons occurs, resulting in the abnormal 

 flexion of the foot known by horsemen as broken down, or a more 

 upright position of the foot may follow, producing perhaps knuck- 

 ling or the so-called clubfoot. 



Treatment. The injured member should receive the earliest 

 attention possible, not only when the inflammatory condition is pres- 

 ent, but when it is subsiding and there is only the thickening of the 

 ligaments, the tendons, or the sheath. 



The most important remedy is rest, and the shoes should always 

 be removed. During the first three days cold in the form of immer- 

 sion or continuous irrigation is indicated. Then warm moisture and 

 continuous pressure are advised. The latter is best applied by plac- 

 ing two padded splints about the thickness of the thumb along the 

 two sides of the tendon and binding them in place with even press- 

 ure by bandage. Frequent bathing with warm soap suds is also 

 beneficial. The absorption of the exudate may be promoted and the 

 work of restoration effected by friction with alcohol, tincture of soap, 

 spirits of camphor, mild liniments, strong sweating liniments, and 

 blisters. An excellent ointment to apply with massage consists of 

 equal parts of blue ointment and green soap, with double the quan- 

 tity of vaseline. The action of blisters in these cases depends chiefly 

 upon the massage used in applying them and upon the continuous 

 pressure of the swollen skin on the inflamed tendons. In old cases 

 more beneficial results will follow line firing. In these cases shoe- 

 ing is very important. Leave the quarters long, shorten the toe, give 

 the shoe rolling motion, and either put short heel calks on the 

 branches or thicken the branches. Although this line of treatment 

 is efficacious in many cases, there are others in which the thickening 

 of the tendons refuses to yield and the changed tissues remain firmly 



