SWELLED LEGS. 383 



SWELLED LEGS. 



The skin of the legs and the cellular membrane be- 

 neath it are liable to two kinds of swelling, one of which is of an 

 inflammatory character, while the other is solely due to a deposit of 

 serum (oedema), owing to the non-performance of their oflSce by 

 the kidneys. Both kinds are much more frequent in the hind legs 

 than the fore, but especially the former. 



Inflammatory swelled leg, sometimes called weed, is gene- 

 rally accompanied by a certain amount of feverishness, and comes 

 on suddenly, almost always showing itself on the inside of the hind 

 leg, which is hot and extremely tender. It is not a very common 

 disease, and merely requires the ordinary low treatment, by purging 

 physic, and, if necessary, bleeding. Should it continue for more 

 than two or three days after these are tried, an ounce of nitre may 

 be given every night in a bran mash. 



Ordinary swelling op the legs, or cedema, occurs in every 

 degree, from a slight "filling," to which many horses are always 

 subject, whether they work or stand in the stable, to an enlarge- 

 ment extending up to the stifles and elbows, sometimes rendering 

 the legs almost as round and as hard as mill-posts. When horses 

 are first brought in from grass their legs almost always fill more or 

 less, and until they are regularly seasoned to their work there is 

 seldom that clean condition of the suspensory ligaments and back 

 sinews which one likes to see even before the daily exercise is given. 

 The oedema appears to depend partly upon a deficient action of the 

 kidneys, but chiefly on the vessels of the legs not acting sufficiently 

 without constant walking exercise, such as is natural to the horse 

 when at liberty, and which he takes at grass. Half an hour's walk- 

 ing will generally produce absorption completely, so that a daily 

 remedy is forthcoming; but as a rule, whenever there is this ten- 

 dency to " filling" of the legs, the cellular membrane is not the 

 only tissue in fault, but the tendons and joints are also liable to 

 inflammation. The treatment will greatly depend on the exact 

 cause. If the swelling is only due to the change from grass to 

 the confinement of a warm stable, time alone is wanted, taking care 

 not to overwork the horse in the mean time. Bandages will always 

 assist in keeping down the swelling; but they should not be used 

 without necessity, as when once the horse becomes accustomed to 

 them his legs can hardly be kept fine without their aid. If weak- 

 ness is the cause, a drachm of sulphate of iron given in the corn 

 twice a day will often strengthen the system, and with it the legs. 

 Diuretics may be adopted as an occasional aid to the kidneys, but 

 they should be of the mildest kind, such as nitre, or they will do 

 more harm, by weakening the body generally, than good by their 

 stimulus to the kidnej^ Indeed, they are often the sole cause of 



