SPLINT. , 203 



a well-defined splint of considerable size, for which no 

 treatment is pursued, but the animal is used until he is eight 

 or nine years of age, when in many cases 2)artial absorption 

 of the splint will be found to have taken place, and, 

 although the splint still exists, it may be a matter of 

 considerable difficulty to discover its presence. Improper 

 shoeing tends to produce splint. Besides the ordinary 

 splint there is what is known as ' double ' or ' pegged splint,' 

 consisting of an exostosis upon each side of the limb, with 

 an osseous communication running from one to the other. 

 In many cases splint may be developed to an enormous size 

 without producing lameness in even the slightest degree ; 

 but in most cases splint must cause lameness, that is, in 

 the majority of cases due to inflammation of the bone, or 

 periosteum, or when a tendon or ligament is interfered with 

 by the exostosis in the same way as the spavin enlarge- 

 ment interferes sometimes with the action of the ' flexor 

 metatarsi ' tendon. 



Symptoms.— A knowledge and recollection of the struc- 

 ture of the parts will materially assist in arriving at a 

 correct diagnosis. The symptom.s of splint are somewhat 

 peculiar, and it is generally when an animal is lame that 

 the attention of the practitioner is called to the case. 

 When the exostosis is of any size it is very easily detected ; 

 but as a rule splints are more likely to produce lameness 

 when inflammation is beginning, and therefore it is usually 

 the small splints which cause lameness. The animal walks 

 almost or quite sound, and drops very much when being 

 trotted, and more particularly if trotted on hard ground, 

 and in some cases where weight is placed on his back, as a 

 rider for instance. He should be allowed to trot along 

 quietly with his head hanging loosely, or allowed perfect 

 freedom of motion, in which case he will be seen to drop 

 in his action, and if the animal is young the fact is to be 



