738 Paralysis of (he Suprascapular Nen'e. 



shoulder joint. The nerve may he injured hy falling, slipping, 

 when an animal is cast, or through fracture of tlie scapula. 

 The superficial position of the nerve at the point where it turns 

 round the edge of the hone renders it possible for an injury 

 to happen in any position of the limb, and not, as supposed by 

 Moller, only when the leg is not bearing weight. Zimmermann 

 observed the paralysis in a dog associated with paralysis of 

 the anconeus. 



Symptoms. Paralysis of the suprascapiilar nerve causes 

 paralysis of the supra- and infra-spinatus muscles, the deltoid 

 and teres minor. The result of this is that the leg moves 

 backwards and outwards when weight is put on it, and 

 especially when the weight first falls on it. During the 

 whole of the period during which the leg supports weight 

 a gap of variable size is left between the shoulder and the chest 

 wall. The horse is unable to abduct the paralyzed limb and 

 consequently is nnal)le to move over towards that side. While 

 the weight is upon both limbs, no abnormality may be visible. 

 In exceptional cases the paralysis is bilateral. Bru records the 

 occurrence of dropped shoulder in a cow associated with flexion 

 of all the joints below the elbow. At the onset the cow moved 

 on three legs. 



The paralyzed muscles degenerate and undergo atrophy 

 about the second w^eek, and this atrophy may be so marked 

 that the muscles are reduced to soft, thin structures, the spine 

 of the scapula becoming very prominent. Experience with 

 peripheral paralysis in other parts permits one to conclude 

 that an electrical and a mechanical degeneration reaction should 

 be demonstrable in the more severe cases. 



Diagnosis. In the diagnosis of this condition, rupture of 

 the muscles involved or of their tendons must be excluded as 

 these conditions cause similar symptoms. 



Prognosis. Contrary to the opinion expressed by the ma- 

 jority of authors, who l)elieve that a larger percentage are in- 

 curable (Friedberger and Frohner 75 per cent) or are curable 

 only after several months, Schimmel ])elieves that in the ma- 

 jority of cases a cure can be effected. A general rule can 

 scarcely be laid down in this connection because the injury 

 received by the nerve varies from case to case. Recovery ap- 

 pears to be possible in many cases, as is seen in traumatic pa- 

 ralysis of peripheral nerves in general, but this rarely occurs 

 within a few days or weeks, it is generally only after a period 

 running into months or even a year that recovery is complete. 

 In some cases, the motor disturbances disappear with time, 

 but there is always a certain amount of atrophy remaining. No 

 opinion can be formed at the commencement of the disease as 

 to the result, it depends npon the further course taken by the 



