928 FRACTURE OF THE FEMUR. 



Fracture of the great trochanter is followed by swelling and 

 marked lameness when the limb is carried, slowness in movement, 

 shortening of the forward stride, and, usually, by abduction of the 

 limb ; later, while lameness continues, there is atrophy of the gluteal 

 muscles and a depression over the trochanter. Fracture of one 

 of the lower condyles produces severe localised pain and marked 

 flexion of the limb, similar to that of inflammation of the stifle-joint 

 (gonitis) ; the other symptoms of stifle lameness develop during 

 the next few days. 



In horses and cattle the course is generally unfavourable, 

 particularly if much lameness is shown when weight is placed on the 

 leg. Fractures of the diaphysis may be followed by death from 

 bleeding if the femoral artery be injured. Osseous union never 

 occurs in fracture of the head or neck of the femur. Hess and 

 Schwerdtfeger kept cases of fracture of the articular head under 

 observation for one year and for six months respectively ; in neither 

 was there any bony union between the head and shaft. Even where 

 union occurs, the animal remains lame, owing to deformity, and 

 injury of the articular cup by the friction of splinters of bone ; the 

 articular cartilage may be completely rubbed away. Fractures 

 of the lower condyle take a very unfavourable course. In small 

 animals fractures of the diaphysis are more promising if there is no 

 great displacement or shortening of the limb. Unfortunately, in 

 dogs these two symptoms are generally marked, the upper fragment 

 being thrust backwards through the muscular tissue, the lower one 

 forwards ; the mass of muscle thus interposed renders callus formation 

 difficult, or altogether impossible. Recorded observations show, 

 however, than even in large animals recovery is not entirely out of 

 the question. Wilhelm, indeed, saw a fracture of the femur unite, 

 though the horse was at the same time suffering from fracture of the 

 os pubis of the other side. After ten weeks in slings the horse resumed 

 light farm-work, though the injured limb had become three inches 

 shorter than the other limb. Fracture of the diaphysis in dogs is 

 sometimes followed by formation of a callus fibrosus and permanent 

 lameness, sometimes by perfect bony union and soundness. 

 Fractures of the shaft are less serious, and unite most quickly in 

 swine and small ruminants, which are better able to rest the limb. 

 Fractures of the trochanters are least dangerous, as they do not 

 prevent the animal standing on the limb, and therefore are not likely 

 to induce laminitis in the opposite foot ; but even they sometimes 

 give rise to permanent lameness, which restricts the animal to slow 

 work. The prognosis must largely depend on the degree of lameness 



