RUPTURE OF THE TEN DO ACHILLIS, ETC 



981 



are oftenest seen in cows, sometimes in both limbs at once, though 

 in horses both rupture and wounding of the tendon and muscles 

 have been recorded. Rupture generally occurs at the lower point 

 of insertion of the Achilles tendon, a portion of the os calcis being at 

 the same time torn away. In cows it has repeatedly been seen at 

 the point where the muscle becomes continuous with the tendon ; 



Fig. 531. — Rupture of the tendo Achillis. 



but rupture of the muscle itself is known to occur both in horses 

 and oxen. Bayer saw rupture of the tendon in dogs after bruising 



Einwachter, in a horse, found not only the gastrocnemius but 

 also the flexor pedis perforatus torn away from the femur. Pirl 

 saw a cow with rupture of the Achilles tendon in both legs. Swelling 

 resulted in the neighbourhood of the popliteal space, and gradually 

 became larger and fluctuating. The cow could only shuffle about 

 on the ground on her hocks. 



Causes. Rupture follows violent contraction of the muscle, 

 produced in cattle by leaping one another, in riding-horses by jumping 



