DISEASES or DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 97 



Causes are predisposing and exciting. Certain breeds are more liable 

 to splint, spavin and ringbone; a small limb below the knee is more 

 liable ; it is hereditary or predisposed ; the mode of usage, as irregular 

 usage ; a very fat animal, especially if light limbed, is liable to a splint. 

 The exciting cause : fast riding or driving upon hard roads. It is oftener 

 found in these than in race horses, because their work is upon hard 

 roads. Perhaps one-third or one-half of the young horses coming into 

 the city of Toronto have splints, from the character of the streets. The 

 mode of shoeing has a tendency to produce it. A heavy shoe, which 

 subjects the bone to concussion, a blow or striking with the foot, etc., at 

 first gives rise to a slight serous abscess, and afterward to a well marked 

 splint. It may occur on the outside of the limb, even in a well formed 

 limb, but it is more apt to come if the animal is slightly intoed, or as 

 the result of direct injury. They are sometimes seen on the metatarsal 

 bone, and may give rise to lameness which is difficult to locate until a 

 deposit is thrown out. It will be nearly the lameness of spavin. Splints 

 sometimes attain a great size without the horse showing much lameness ; 

 in other cases the lameness is severe. Lameness is, in most cases, due 

 to an inflammation in the periosteum and bone. It is said to come 

 from the deposit coming in contact with the ligaments, but the hard 

 parts generally give way to the soft tissues. A splint may extend right 

 across the metacarpal bones, affecting both sides of the limb, and is 

 called a double splint. 



Symptoms. — It is easily detected after it attains some size, and by its 

 great size it is sometimes taken for the cause of lameness when it is not. 

 A small splint oftener produces lameness than a larger one. It is most 

 common in young horses up to three, four, or five years old. The action 

 of an animal with splint is peculiar, and after seeing one or two cases 

 you can then recognize it. When walking he will go tolerably sound ; 

 will not flex the limbs as much as natural. If trotted at a moderate 

 pace he drops extremely. This dropping is symptomatic of splint lame- 

 ness ; if it is present examine carefully ; run the hand carefully down the 

 inside of the limb ; press carefully with the fingers ; if a slight enlarge- 

 ment is felt, and the limb is lifted, then press more, and then trot him, 

 and if the lameness is more it assists you in determining the disease. 

 The foot is not hot. It is a very good plan to take a small piece of 

 wood and tap upon the bone, just gently. The animal lifts the foot and 

 exhibits considerable pain, and you can judge much by the age of the 

 animal. 



Treatment is, as a general thing, successful. Give rest, if you can, 

 but you will sometimes be able to treat without laying off work. If in a 

 horse three or four years old, give a laxative diet or a dose of physic. 

 Cold applications are beneficial, and cold water applied for an hour at a 

 time, two or three times a day, will cause the exudation to become con- 

 solidated, and complete union of the two bones takes place, and the 

 tenderness and lameness are removed. Hot applications are also useful ; 

 but you can, in most cases, get rid of a splint quicker by a blister than 

 by any other way. Use one part of biniodide of mercury to four of 

 lard. Seatons are useful, especially if the splint is near the knee. In- 

 sert it and leave it for three or four weeks ; take out and then apply a 

 blister. The firing iron is recommended, but I do not recommend it un- 

 less it is the bunting iron. As a general thing they will give way to the 

 treatment I have given you. Periosteotomoy is useful in a case suddenly 

 developed in a horse in good condition — five, six, or seven years old — but 

 if it has a tendency to attack both sides, it is not attended with much 

 success. Just make an incision through the skin : insert your knife and 

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