62 THE SURGICAL ANATOMY OF THE HORSE 



a greater degree of lameness than are those on the inner side, the "nod- 

 ding" of the head being more pronounced. 



Splints on the metatarsal bones produce a similar stiff and stilty action 

 of the hind limbs. Such cases are readily differentiated from cases of hock 

 lameness, since there is no " dropping " of the quarter in the former. 



Lameness in splints is now generally accorded to be due to the pain 

 which accompanies ostitis and periostitis, and not, as once supposed, to 

 any mechanical interference with the action of the flexor tendons. 



During the acute stages of inflammation there is heat in the part, which 

 is also slightly swollen, and the animal flinches if pressure be applied. At 

 first the swelling is soft, on account of the exudation of inflammatory 

 fluid, but later it becomes firmer and harder. 



A favourable prognosis can generally be given in cases of splint lame- 

 ness, for as the inflammatory process subsides the pain will subside, and 

 lameness will consequently disappear. This more particularly applies to 

 those splints which arise as a result of mechanical injury. 



But should such injury be due to the part being struck by the shoe of 

 the opposite foot in an animal of defective conformation, prognosis is 

 much less favourable, on account of the liability to a recurrence of the 

 injury to which the animal is subject. 



Lameness is thus found in animals affected with splints which are newly 

 formed, and in which the process of inflammation has not subsided, and, 

 as already stated, when the inflammatory process is completed lameness 

 disappears. For this reason it is not uncommon to find certificates of 

 absolute soundness given with aged animals possessing splints, in which 

 cases the splints are simply mentioned in the certificate as recognition 

 marks. This, as Macqueen points out, and as will be gathered from what 

 we have said in the preceding paragraph, is a practice which should be 

 discouraged, on account of the greater liability of the projecting surface 

 to be struck, whereupon the part again becomes inflamed, and splint 

 lameness recurs. 



Treatment of splints depends upon the class of animal, and the nature 



