THE VETERINARY SCIENCE 



30. Blood Spavin. 



This is an enlargement of the vein whicl 

 runs down in front of the hock joint. 



Causes. — A weakened state of the wall of the 

 vein is the cause. 



Symptoms. — There is an enlargement of th< 

 vein, but the animal is not lame, nor does ii 

 hurt the animal for any kind of work. It is ar 

 eyesore and disagreeable blemish. 



Treatment. — There is no treatment for it. 



31. Open Joint. 



This condition may arise in any joint of the legs or other 

 parts of the body. It is the result of injury sufficiently severe 

 to penetrate the capsular ligament, allowing the joint oil to 

 leak out. 



Causes. — A kick from another horse, a prod with a fork 

 or running against a sharp obstacle may account for it. It 

 may arise from a diseased condition of the joint. 



Symptoms. — There will be lameness and swelling around 

 the injured joint and leaking from the hole of an oily looking 

 substance which is the synovia or joint oil. If the leaking is 

 not stopped, inflammation develops in the joint and destroys 

 it. If he does get better, it leaves him with a stiff joint. 



Treatment. — The larger the joint the more troublesome 

 is the treatment and the more danger there is of losing the 

 animal. Do not bathe or apply any liniment, as it only in- 

 creases the flow of joint oil. If the case is taken in time by 

 applying Monsell's solution of iron in and around the hole 

 every couple of hours with a feather, in most cases it com- 

 pletely checks Lhe running of the oil, and the animal recovers 

 all right. This is the best treatment known for open joint. 

 Keep him quiet and feed on soft food with plenty of boiled 

 flaxseed in it to keep the bowels open. Sometimes after the 

 joint is apparently healed for a couple of weeks it breaks out 

 again. Treat this the same as at first until it closes the hole. 

 After the joint is healed and it is still swollen, bathe with 

 cold water and salt once a day. Bandage for a couple of 

 hours after bathing, and every third day, after taking off the 



