SPAVIN. 209 



the irritation is allayed, counter-irritation is to be employed, 

 the usual one of unguent, hydrarg. biniod. being probably 

 the best, to be used as often as necessary ; exercise gently, 

 etc. In exceptional cases the exudate is very extensive. 

 In such cases make an incision and allow it to escape ; but 

 one should not be too rash, or precipitate in the use of the 

 knife. There is no particular specific for sore shins. 



SPAVIN. 



Spavin may be defined to be an exostosis involving the 

 hock-joint, and is usually described as being situated on the 

 antero-internal aspect of the hock, but in a majority of cases 

 extends around and involves the whole of the articulation. 

 Any two, or more, of the bones composing the articulation 

 may be involved. Properly speaking, there is no such 

 disease as ' blood spavin,' and when professional men speak 

 of spavin, 'bone spavin' is meant in every instance, for the 

 simple reason that no other kind of spavin is recognised by 

 the profession. Spavin is confined to the hock-joint, and is 

 described as ' low spavin' and 'high spavin,' according to its 

 situation, the former being situated between and involving 

 the metatarsal and cuneiform bones, while the latter involves 

 the astragalus and cuneiform bones, and of the two varieties 

 is the least amenable to treatment : either form may, or may 

 not, be accompanied by caries. The hock-joint is one of the 

 most powerful, complicated, and at the same time beauti- 

 fully arranged joints in the body, and the enlargement of 

 spavin is situated on the antero-internal aspect of the hock, 

 as it is near the centre of gravity, and consequently here 

 it is that the greatest force is brought to bear during pro- 

 gression, and in support of the posterior portion* of the 

 animal's body. 



Pathology. — The cause being present, and having operated, 

 inflammatory action is set up, and Nature, in her efforts to 



U 



