DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 123 



result from violent pulling. If the round ligament suffers, there is more 

 or less inflammation set up in the entire articulation. The nutrition of 

 the cartilages may be arrested, and ulceration and anchylosis result. 

 Hip joint disease is not so common as disease of some other articu- 

 lations, yet it is a favorite seat by some who are not acquainted with the 

 structure of the parts, and you may experience some difficulty in detect- 

 ing the difference between hip and hock joint lameness. 



Symptoms. — If the injury is severe, there is difficulty in extending 

 the limb in walking, and this is better marked in trotting. When walk- 

 ing, he will perhaps flex the hock pretty well. He rests the limb when 

 standing, or it may be lifted up from the ground ; but this alone is not 

 conclusive evidence. If there is no- irritation in any other part of the 

 limb, it will assist you in making up your mind. And perhaps he 

 stands on the toe ; there may or may not be slight swelling, but after some 

 time you have wasting of the muscles, even if they are not themselves 

 affected, as in spavin, etc. In some cases you are assisted by manipu- 

 lation ; but you can not always rely upon pressure. It is recommended 

 to take a piece of wood and place it over the joint, and strike it with a 

 mallet once or twice, and then walk the animal out, and he will go more 

 lame if this is the seat of the disease. But after certain charges take 

 place, there is no difficulty in detecting it. 



Grluteal Muscles, especially the maxmus, which is attached to the 

 prominence on the head of the femur, frequently suffer from injury. 

 This is more common, perhaps, than hip joint disease. It generally 

 occurs just from slipping, more particularly if pulling a heavy load. It 

 is more common in pulling than in ordinary driving horses, and it may 

 be produced in any by slipping or falling violently. If the irritation is 

 kept up, there will be changes in the joint. There may be cartilaginous 

 or osseous deposits. 



Symptoms. — There is difl&culty in extending the limb — sometimes very 

 great. He can scarcely bring the limb forward at all. There is more or 

 less swelling, if it is in the muscle ; but if in that part in connection 

 with the bone, it will not be so extensive. Looking from behind is the 

 best way to detect the swelling. If you pull the limb back, out, or for- 

 ward, it increases the lameness. You may, in some cases, mistake frac- 

 ture for sprain, and spavin for fracture ; but in fracture there will be 

 descent of the haunch. But the lameness might lead you to suspect 

 fracture. The manner in which the accident occurred also assists you in 

 diagnosing. After a time, when the swelling disappears, atrophy takes 

 place to some extent. 



Treatment is just the general treatment of sprains. Give rest, foment, 

 use anodyne and camphorated liniments, or you might apply a blanket 

 rung out in hot water and cover it with a dry one, or a newly flayed 

 sheepskin, and follow by a blister ; blister a large surface, extending 

 around the trochanter major and the articulation — cantharides is as good 

 as anything. Some like the application of a plaster to keep the joint 

 Btill ; slings are sometimes necessary. If caries takes place it is incurable. 

 Keep quiet ; if the animal is kept at work there are changes that give rise 

 to a deposit, or a converting of a part of the tendon into cartilage or bone. 

 I think there is no use in firing ; some recommend cutting through these 

 large muscles and applying the firing iron near the articulation, but 1 

 think it would not be attended with success Dislocation of this joint 

 seldom occurs in the horse — it is scarcely possible without fracture of the 

 acetabulum —in other animals it does not occur ; in dogs and cattle it ia 

 frequent. Cattle do not have the pubeo-femoral ligament: throwing 

 them is more liable to dislocation. In dislocation the limb is shorter; 



