746 PARALYSIS (>K THE II IN I) EXTREMITIES. 



has given a thorough description of the post-mortem of a horse 

 affected with tliis disease. According to Peuch and Toussaint, the 

 inter-vertebral discs in the dorsal or lumbar region sometimes appear 

 yellowish-green and partly destroyed ; in advanced stages they 

 quite disappear, granulations form on the bodies of the affected 

 vertebrae, become fused and so lead to the formation of a synostosis. 

 Sometimes exostoses form in the vertebral canal and press on the 

 spinal cord. These changes may be associated with rupture of the 

 muscles. Rigot states having found hemorrhages in the psoas 

 muscles, and Goubaux abscesses in the longus colli. In these cases 

 it certainly seems that the condition has been confused with other 



In horses, a condition simulating incomplete paralysis often 

 occurs from exposure to cold, hut disappears after a short time. 

 In such cases muscular rheumatism is probably the cause. 



Intermittent paralysis of the hind-limbs, owing to obstruction 

 of the blood-vessels of the thigh and pelvis, is not uncommon. 

 Tumours may also develop in the vertebral canal or extend into it, 

 compressing the cord and causing paraplegia. In a horse brought 

 to the Alfort clinique, carcinomata were found pressing on the spinal 

 cord and causing paralysis. Secondary carcinomata existed in 

 the abdomen. Kampmann saw paraplegia in a foal from perforation 

 of the second lumbar vertebra by a cyst which had discharged its 

 contents into the vertebral canal. 



In cows, a condition which occurs during the last period of 

 pregnancy, but generally disappears afer parturition, has been 

 decribed as incomplete paraplegia (ante-partum paralysis). It is 

 really due to insufficient muscular power to raise the greatly 

 increased body load, and is favoured by advanced age, defective 

 nutrition, very fat condition, or continuous confinement to the stable. 

 In these animals, lesions in the spinal column and pelvis (fissures) 

 resulting from parturition occasionally cause complete or incomplete 

 paraplegia. Whether so-called "reflex paralysis" occurs seems 

 doubtful. A great number of bovine diseases described as paraplegia 

 are clearly due to mistaken diagnosis of painful conditions in the 

 hind-legs and digits. 



In sheep, paraplegia sometimes results from the presence in the 

 brain of ccenurus cerebralis, a parasite, which has also been seen 

 in the ox. In the later stages of sturdy, sheep always suffer from 

 creeping paralysis of the hind-quarters and irregular movements 

 of the hind limbs. 



In dogs, paraplegia is sometimes caused by injury (concussion) 



