124 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF 



the prominence is either higher or lower than natural ; it may be possible 

 to get it into position in cattle. 



Stifle Joint. — There may be sprain of some of the straight ligaments. 

 It generally occurs from slipping, jumping, or from the animal getting 

 fast in the snow, etc., and exerting himself to extricate himself. 



Svm/>^om5.- -There is difficult}' in extending the limb, both in walking 

 and trotting, but it is more marked in trotting, and in extending the 

 limb he endeavours to keep it in a fixed position, and does not bring it so 

 far forward as natural ; there may be enlargement and heat in the parts ; 

 when standing he flexes the limb to some extent. You must also judge 

 from negative symptoms— look at the hock, fetlock, etc Professor Dick 

 told his students to examine the foot, although the leg was broken. You 

 can not be too careful in examining. 



Treatment. — If it is just a sprain, and is taken in time, it is easily 

 treated. Give rest, foment and blister, or apply seatons, one inside and 

 one outside, as required. I recommend blisters. 



Dislocation of the Patella is by no means uncommon, and it is 

 never knocked to the inside— however, there is nothing impossible— but 

 to the outside. It occurs in many ways, and in some very simple ways, 

 just from a false step in travelling, or even while standing in a stall 

 where there is an abrupt offset in the floor, from stepping off it, or there 

 are things which predispose to it. I have noticed some cases after 

 strangles, which occurred vei-y easily. 



Symptoms are very plain, and after seeing one case you can easily 

 recognize the next. The animal cannot extend the limb, and when he 

 does bring it forward, he does it as though there was no articulation in 

 the limb, and acts the same way when backed. There was a student sent 

 from the college to examine such a case, and there was considerable 

 straw in the box, and he said the horse had got his foot fast in a hole in 

 the floor. The symptoms are much like this, as though the foot was 

 nailed to the floor. 



Treatment. — Get it into position as soon as possible, and the best way 

 to do this is to place a soft rope around the foot, and have an assistant 

 pull the leg forward while you take hold of and manipulate the parts. It 

 will generally go in quite easily, and it is possible to do it just by taking 

 the leg in one hand and the parts in the other ; but the animal may fall 

 and injure himself, so it is best to have some help, and keep the animal 

 supported, to prevent this ; then elevate the hind quarter slightly, or ex- 

 tend the limb, and keep it so, by having it kept there, or tie to a collar. 

 But I find a better way, and I recommend it : it is a little gentle exercise 

 upon a smooth place ; and in turning, it is perhaps best to turn to the 

 side from the injured limb If the muscles have lost their power of con- 

 traction, a little exercise brings them in tone. Invariably advise this, 

 after perhaps bathing with a little cold water and rubbing well. But you 

 may meet with a case where the muscles are relaxed, until it is necessary 

 to stimulate with some stimulating liniment, or even a blister. 



Partial Dislocation is where it just slips slightly, impairing the 

 action to some extent ; and I think this usually occurs in very young 

 animals, and is due to weakness or certain inciting causes, as allowing 

 weakly colts to run on a rough hill-side. This is likely to become 

 habitual. Changes take place in the cartilages, and perhaps a por- 

 celaneous deposit occurs. It usually occurs in colts up to fifteen months 

 old, and may affect one or both limbs. There is slight difficulty in 

 extending the limb, and there is a peculiar clinking sound at every step, 

 which you can hear for some distance, and a peculiar stilty action. 



Treatment. — Feed well ; stimulate the joint, and after giving a certain 



